Confirmation is a Catholic sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. Like Baptism and Eucharist, it is a Sacrament of Initiation for Catholics and a Sacrament of faith in God's fidelity to us.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 8:14-17)
Confirmation at Holy Family Parish
The Sacrament of Confirmation is not just a catechetical program where knowledge is instilled in the minds of young Catholics; it is a process where teens experience God in their lives through the signs, symbols, rituals, and sacraments of the Church. Preparation begins in the 9th Grade and continues in the 10th Grade, concludinge with the Sacrament of Confirmation. See the schedule and syllabi under Religious Education. Typically at Holy Family, a candidate for Confirmation is a teen who wants to be confirmed, knows the basics of Catholic tradition, and participates in Mass. Adults who have been baptized, but have not as yet been confirmed, should contact the Parish Office to discuss the various options available for Confirmation as an adult.
Confirmation Preparation for Youth specifically, includes the following four elements:
(1) Prayer and Worship: participating in the prayer life of the Church. Celebrating and working to deepen young people's relationship with Jesus Christ through the bestowal of grace, communal prayer and liturgical experiences; it awakens their awareness of the spirit at work in their lives; it incorporates young people more fully into the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Eucharist; it nurtures the personal prayer life of young people, and it fosters family rituals and prayer. In order to assist the candidate in becoming a person of prayer, a retreat is included during 10th Grade.. The retreat provides young people an opportunity to reflect on their personal faith experiences, as well as grow in fellowship within the the Christian community.
(2) Catechesis/Liturgy and the Sacrament: continuing our learning. Helping adolescents to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the Christian community, and increasing their knowledge of the core content of their Catholic faith. The ministry of catechesis helps young people to enrich and expand their understanding of the Scriptures and the sacred tradition and their application to life today. Also, to live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus Christ in their everyday lives. The ministry of catechesis fosters growth in Catholic faith in all three dimensions -- trusting (heart), knowing and believing (mind), and doing (will).
(3) Community Life: belonging to the Catholic Church at large and Holy Family Parish specifically. Creating an environment which nurtures meaningful relationships among youth and between youth and adults characterized by Gospel values (i.e. acceptance of all people, trust, respect, cooperation, honesty, taking responsibility, willingness to serve): helping young people to feel that they are an important part of the Church community; providing opportunities for social interaction and meaningful participation in the life of the Church and the civic community. The ministry of community life is not only what we do (activity), but who we are (identity) and how we interact (relationships). This is accomplished through various Youth Ministry activities.
(4) Service and Justice: witnessing Christ's life of service. Guiding young people in the development of a social consciousness and a commitment to life of justice and service grounded in their faith in Jesus Christ, in the scriptures and in Catholic social teaching; empowering young people (and their families) to work for justice by concrete efforts to address the causes of human suffering, to serve those in need, to pursue peace, and to defend the life, dignity, and rights of all people; infusing the concepts of justice and peace into all efforts. To that end each candidate is required to perform a minimum of 20 hours of community service during the period spanning 9th and 10th Grades.
As primary role models for their children, parents are the key to their teen's preparation especially during the candidates's teen years; parents need to nurture Catholic values, family togetherness, and spiritual growth at home. Candidates's have a sponsor for Confirmation; it is the sponsor's privilege to see that the one confirmed acts as a true witness to Christ. The following is expected of sponsors:
Confirmation Preparation for Youth specifically, includes the following four elements:
(1) Prayer and Worship: participating in the prayer life of the Church. Celebrating and working to deepen young people's relationship with Jesus Christ through the bestowal of grace, communal prayer and liturgical experiences; it awakens their awareness of the spirit at work in their lives; it incorporates young people more fully into the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Eucharist; it nurtures the personal prayer life of young people, and it fosters family rituals and prayer. In order to assist the candidate in becoming a person of prayer, a retreat is included during 10th Grade.. The retreat provides young people an opportunity to reflect on their personal faith experiences, as well as grow in fellowship within the the Christian community.
(2) Catechesis/Liturgy and the Sacrament: continuing our learning. Helping adolescents to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the Christian community, and increasing their knowledge of the core content of their Catholic faith. The ministry of catechesis helps young people to enrich and expand their understanding of the Scriptures and the sacred tradition and their application to life today. Also, to live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus Christ in their everyday lives. The ministry of catechesis fosters growth in Catholic faith in all three dimensions -- trusting (heart), knowing and believing (mind), and doing (will).
(3) Community Life: belonging to the Catholic Church at large and Holy Family Parish specifically. Creating an environment which nurtures meaningful relationships among youth and between youth and adults characterized by Gospel values (i.e. acceptance of all people, trust, respect, cooperation, honesty, taking responsibility, willingness to serve): helping young people to feel that they are an important part of the Church community; providing opportunities for social interaction and meaningful participation in the life of the Church and the civic community. The ministry of community life is not only what we do (activity), but who we are (identity) and how we interact (relationships). This is accomplished through various Youth Ministry activities.
(4) Service and Justice: witnessing Christ's life of service. Guiding young people in the development of a social consciousness and a commitment to life of justice and service grounded in their faith in Jesus Christ, in the scriptures and in Catholic social teaching; empowering young people (and their families) to work for justice by concrete efforts to address the causes of human suffering, to serve those in need, to pursue peace, and to defend the life, dignity, and rights of all people; infusing the concepts of justice and peace into all efforts. To that end each candidate is required to perform a minimum of 20 hours of community service during the period spanning 9th and 10th Grades.
As primary role models for their children, parents are the key to their teen's preparation especially during the candidates's teen years; parents need to nurture Catholic values, family togetherness, and spiritual growth at home. Candidates's have a sponsor for Confirmation; it is the sponsor's privilege to see that the one confirmed acts as a true witness to Christ. The following is expected of sponsors:
- by his or her own life is a model of the Christian life.
- is not a parent of the candidate.
- ideally, is also the candidate's baptismal sponsor (Godparent).
Video: courtesy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Monsignor John Zenz, Archdiocese of Detroit: speaker.
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The Rite of Confirmation
The bishop traces the sign of the cross on the person's forehead-having first dipped his thumb in the holy oil called chrism-and says, "Be sealed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit." The newly confirmed person responds by saying, "Amen."
Chrism is one of the three kinds of holy oil which a bishop blesses each year at his Mass on Holy Thursday. The other two kinds of holy oil are the oil of catechumens (used in Baptism) and the oil of the sick (used in Anointing of the Sick). The holy oils, all of them, are composed of pure olive oil.
From ancient times, olive oil has been looked upon as a strengthening substance; so much so that athletes were accustomed to bathe in olive oil before taking part in athletic contests. The significance of the holy oils used in the administration of the sacraments is then very evident: the oil represents the strengthening effect of God's grace.
Besides the distinct and special blessing which each holy oil receives, chrism has another difference: balm has been mixed with it. Balm is a fragrant substance procured from the balsam tree. In the holy chrism it symbolizes the "sweet odor" of virtue; it tells of the spiritual fragrance, the attractiveness that should characterize the life of him who puts his Confirmation graces to work.
