Confirmation

With Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacrament of Confirmation completes the process of our becoming full members of the Church. In the sacrament we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the grace Jesus won for us on the Cross to help defend and spread our Catholic faith, to live our lives as adult Christians.

At what age are people confirmed?

In the Diocese of Westminster people are normally confirmed when they have reached at least school Year 9. If you are significantly older than this, normally you would join the group of adults preparing to be received into the Catholic Church .

What are the requirements?

• If you were not baptised at this parish, you must produce your Baptism certificate.
• You must be serious about the practice of your faith and receiving the sacrament. That includes attending Mass each Sunday.
• You must attend all of the preparation sessions participating in them in a mature way. If you are not able to do this, you may wish to consider delaying your Confirmation until another year.
• You must choose a Confirmation name, i.e. the name of a saint who inspires you.
• You need a sponsor, someone who is a good example as a practising Catholic. This can be any practising, confirmed Catholic – other than your parents – aged 16+.

The Programme

The Confirmation programme normally begins in January and is advertised in the parish newsletter well in advance. You must enrol on the programme before the first session and attend all the sessions. There will be about twelve sessions of preparation and a day retreat. During the sessions we reflect on what we believe as Catholics and how the teachings of Jesus and His Church affect our daily lives. We also prepare for the sacrament by going to Confession.

The Ceremony

Confirmation is normally celebrated by the Bishop in the parish in June.