Ethan Walker
Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and continued in the Catholic Church. Confirmation is the third sacrament of initiation and serves to confirm a baptised person in their faith. Confirmation classes are typically taken as part of a student's 8th-grade Catholic education classes, but there are also classes for younger children, adolescents, and adults. The length of these classes varies, with some lasting one year and others requiring two years of preparation. Confirmation is a sacrament that can be received at any age, and there are a few ways to get confirmed quickly as a Catholic adult.
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What You'll Learn
Confirmation classes
Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and continued in the Catholic Church. The Sacrament of Confirmation completes the graces that a soul received in the Sacrament of Baptism. Confirmation is not a graduation from religious education but rather a call to live, defend, and spread the Catholic faith to others.
Students in Confirmation classes learn about the Rite of Confirmation and their role in the ceremony. They also learn about the importance of choosing a Confirmation name and choosing a sponsor for their Confirmation. Students also learn about the theological importance of Confirmation, including the role of the Holy Ghost, the fruits and gifts of the Holy Ghost, and the Church's teachings on morality, divine revelation, Scriptures, and more.
Online Confirmation classes are available for those who wish to fulfil the educational requirements for Confirmation remotely. These classes are flexible and can be completed at the student's own pace. However, the Sacrament of Confirmation can only be conferred by a bishop or a priest delegated for this purpose, so students will still need to have their local Catholic parish administer the Sacrament after completing an online preparation class.
Confirmation is a powerful Sacrament that allows candidates to own their faith, reaffirm their baptismal promises, and live a spiritual life as missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.
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Choosing a Confirmation name
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and continued in the Catholic Church. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and it confirms and completes the graces that a soul received in the Sacrament of Baptism. Confirmation is not a graduation from religious education but makes a Catholic a soldier for Christ who is called upon to live, defend, and spread the Faith to others.
Confirmation students learn about the importance of choosing a Confirmation name. Candidates for confirmation may choose a name of a Christian saint by which to be called, but they are not required to do so. They may also choose to be confirmed using their baptismal name. If a confirmation name is to be chosen from among the saints, it is best to pick from among those who are fully canonized. If the name of an individual who is not yet fully canonized is chosen, their status should be announced. In general, candidates for confirmation who choose a special name should pick a saint or blessed who provides a role model for living the Christian life.
Some resources for choosing a Confirmation name include:
- Finding your patron saint (or being found)
- Creative Catholic Names
- The Holy Name of Mary
- Let's Talk About Pronunciation (Kateri, Therese, Zelie, Xavier, Gianna)
- CatholicSaints.Info (search by name or patronage)
- Saint’s Name Generator
The most important part of choosing a Confirmation name is to pray, asking the Holy Spirit to guide your choice. Whether you choose to stick with your given name or choose a new name, discovering the ways in which the name helps bring you closer to God is an exciting part of the process.
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Understanding the Rite of Confirmation
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and continued in the Catholic Church. It is a sacrament of initiation, a gift of the Holy Spirit, that confirms and completes the graces that a soul received during the Sacrament of Baptism.
Confirmation is not a graduation from religious education but rather a call to live, defend, and spread the faith to others. It is a sacrament that can be received at any age, and there are confirmation classes for younger children, adolescents, and adults. Typically, confirmation classes last one year, but some places require a two-year preparation.
During confirmation, the candidate goes to the bishop, or the bishop may go to the individual candidates. The one who presented the candidate places their right hand on the candidate's shoulder and gives the candidate's name to the bishop, or the candidate may give their name. The bishop then dips his right thumb in the Chrism and makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the one to be confirmed, saying, " [Name], be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." The newly confirmed responds, "Amen."
Confirmation students learn about the importance of choosing a confirmation name and selecting a sponsor for their confirmation. They also learn about the role of the Holy Ghost in confirmation, why Christ instituted confirmation, and the Church's teachings on morality and divine revelation.
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Parish formation for confirmation
The first step is to contact your pastor or their representative at your parish. They will advise you on the process for preparing for and receiving the sacrament, guiding you through all the requirements. Typically, confirmation classes are required, and these are often taken as part of a student's 8th-grade Catholic education classes, though some places administer confirmation in 10th grade. These classes can be taken online or in-person and typically last one year, though some places require two years of preparation.
During confirmation classes, students learn about the Rite of Confirmation, the importance of choosing a confirmation name, and how to choose a sponsor. They also learn about the Church's fundamental teachings and prayers, as well as the theological importance of confirmation. At St. Francis Parish, confirmation preparation takes place in a large group format, with gatherings held once a month, while some parishes offer quick six-week classes.
After completing the formation process, students will be confirmed and will attend a confirmation retreat prior to receiving the sacrament. It is important to note that while you can study and fulfil the educational requirements for confirmation online, only a validly ordained Catholic priest or bishop can administer the sacraments.
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Confirmation for adult converts
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and continued in the Catholic Church. It confirms and completes the graces that a soul received in the Sacrament of Baptism. Confirmation is not a graduation from religious education but instead makes a Catholic a soldier for Christ, who is called upon to live, defend, and spread the Faith to others.
If you are an adult converting to Catholicism, you can receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at any age. You will need to be a resident of the Diocese in which you are seeking Confirmation and be a practicing and committed Catholic. This means attending Mass regularly and celebrating Reconciliation at least once a year.
To receive Confirmation, you will need to take part in a formation process, which varies from parish to parish. This usually involves a series of classes, which can be taken online or in-person, that teach the basics of Catholic Confirmation. These classes typically last one year, although some places require a two-year preparation. You will learn about the Rite of Confirmation, the importance of choosing a Confirmation name, and the role of your sponsor.
After completing your formation, you will be ready to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is typically administered by a Catholic bishop or priest during a mass. With your sponsor standing behind you, you will go up to the bishop, who will sign your forehead with chrism.
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Frequently asked questions
Confirmation classes typically last one year, but some places require a two-year preparation. There are also some parishes that offer a quick 6-week class and then confirmation.
You will need to attend some classes and have a basic grasp of the Catholic faith. You will also need to be a practicing and committed Catholic.
You can call your parish office to ask about confirmation classes. You can find your parish using a diocesan directory.
You will learn about the Rite of Confirmation, the importance of choosing a confirmation name, and the role of the Holy Ghost in Confirmation.
