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The sacrament of Confirmation
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God bless you for considering the beautiful Sacrament of Confirmation!
Confirmation should NOT be thought of as an end or "graduation" of your faith life, but a BEGINNING of a life of full participation and responsibility in the Church. As one of the Sacraments, it is an amazing sign of God's love and presence in our lives. You will be receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit that was given to you at Baptism. This same Spirit filled the Apostles with the zeal and courage needed by all who are public witnesses to Christ's selfless and perfect love.
To be Confirmed in the Catholic Church:
All Confirmation Candidates must be...
- Enrolled in the 7th grade or above (or between the ages of twelve and eighteen).
- Have received the Sacarments of Baptism, Reconciliation, and First Holy Communion.
- A practicing, active member of the faith and are "in a state of grace"
- Willing to do everthing possible to grasp the faith with your heart, your own understanding, and an open mind.
- Willing to pray alone and with others to the Holy Spririt.
- Willing to reconcile oneself in every way with yourself, with the people around you, and with God. (Confession is part of this since it brings one closer to God even if one has not committed a mortal sin.)
- Able to demonstrate that they have knowledge and a good understaning of the responsibilities of choosing to be a member of the Catholic Church.
- Aware of the initiation aspect of the Sacrament of Confirmation and be committed to continuing the faithful formation, practices, and tradtions of our religion. Now and throughtout the remainder of their life.
- Sincere in the desire to recieve the Sacrament as well as an appreciation of the Sacramental life.
- Registered, at St. Francis Catholic Church, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, with the Faith Formation Coordinator.
- Able to attend all classes, required activies, as well as complete all course work/assignments. (NO MORE THAN 3 EXCUSED ABSENCES!)
- Willing/Able to participate in the Confirmation Retreat.
- Willing to engae in community service.
- Helpful and supportive of other candidates on this journey.
- Able to maintain an open and honest relationship with one's sponsor/mentor.
What is Confimation? Why should I want to recieve this grace?
Confirmation is the Sacrament in which one is enriched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and bound more perfectly to the Church. It strengthens us and obliges us to be witnesses to Christ by word and deed and to spread and defend the faith. It is the Sacrament in which one enters full membership within the Catholic Church.
The Sacrament of Confirmation, like Baptism, imprints a spiritual mark or permanent character on the Christian soul; for this reason, one can only receive this Sacrament once. Confirmation perfects our Baptismal grace; it is the Sacrament which gives us the Holy Spirit to root us more deeply as children of God, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, and associate us more closely with her mission.
A Christian does not live as a child of God through his or her own efforts alone, but through the grace of God. We see this in a practical way when we look back on our own lives and the lives of others, even the lives of Saints. Therefore, it is our duty to seek the grace that God offers us to live our lives as Christians in the way that God intends.
“O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.” - St. Augustine
So, just as bodies and minds grow, Catholics believe that the soul also needs to grow in the life of grace. The Sacrament of Confirmation in short builds on the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and Holy Communion, completing the process of initiation into our Roman Catholic community.
We look forward to having you in our Confirmation class! The Confirmation Team does their best to help you grow in your faith as you prepare for the great Sacrament of Confirmation.
As a reminder, the Confirmation Faith Formation program is open to teens in the 7th-12th grades. Classes will meet weekly on Sunday mornings from 9:15 AM to 10:15 AM. Registration for these classes will be opening up in August of each calendar year. Registration will close in September of each year for Sacramental years only.
For more inforamtion please contact our Faith Formation Coordinator.
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Contact
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Alexis Minaaminasfsherwood.orgFaith Formation Coordinator
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