Just as bodies and minds grow, Catholics believe that the soul also needs to grow in the life of grace. The sacrament of Confirmation builds on the sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and Holy Communion, completing the process of initiation into the Catholic community.

Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing and establishes young adults as full-fledged members of the faith. According to Catholic doctrine, in this sacrament they are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and are strengthened in their Christian life.

During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles on Pentecost and gave them courage to practice their faith. Catholics believe that the same Holy Spirit confirms Catholics during the Sacrament of Confirmation and gives them the same gifts. By Confirmation they are enriched with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and are more closely linked to the Catholic Church. They are made strong soldiers of Christ, and so they are more firmly obliged by word and deed to be faithful witnesses of Christ, spreading and defending the Catholic faith.

During our Baptism, our parents and godparents make promises to renounce Satan and believe in God and the Church on our behalf. At Confirmation, we renew those same promises, this time speaking for ourselves. The sacrament is customarily conferred only on people old enough to understand it, and the ordinary minister of Confirmation is a bishop. Only for a serious reason may the diocesan bishop delegate a priest to administer the sacrament. Priests typically administer the sacrament during the Easter Vigil Mass to adults becoming members of the Catholic Church. It is the conclusion of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program. Priests customarily ask for and are granted permission for this occasion.

Traditionally, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are supernatural graces given to the soul. The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, Self-control, and chastity — human qualities that can be activated by the Holy Spirit.

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RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

Parents of any children in grade 6 or older ( whether attending public school or Annunciation school ) who have not celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation and would like to do so , are asked to contact the parish office to register.