Confirmation

Confirmation empowers us to live by and to know the strength of 

THE SPIRIT OF GOD within and opens us to know that 

God is really ALIVE in us.

Confirmation as the second Sacrament of Initiation, is essentially related to both Baptism which precedes it and Eucharist which follows it. It is a continuation of a journey begun in Baptism which will find fulfilment in the Eucharist. Confirmation ¶s the essential sacramental link between Baptism and Eucharist.

It is the Spirit which guides us in this journey of initiation, and at each of the three stages the Spirit is at work. However, traditionally, the sacrament of Confirmation has been associated in a special way with those things which we associate with the Spirit: 

• growth in the spiritual journey; 

• a deepening of involvement in the life of the Christian community; 

• and guidance and empowerment for the mission of the Church. 

For this reason it is often called the Sacrament of the Spirit. 

The emphasis in the family-centred preparation for the sacrament is not so much on knowledge, though some knowledge is involved. It is rather on the experience of receiving the sacrament within the context of the family. This experience will be enhanced if parents and those assisting in the preparation model the gifts of the Holy Spirit to those who receive it. 

The history of the celebration of Confirmation has been long and varied.

The Second Vatican Council led the Church to restore Confirmation to its traditional place as the second stage of Christian Initiation. Confirmation has always been linked to Baptism. Full membership of Christ and his Church is reached by both adult and child in sharing in the Eucharist. 

The themes developed in the Confirmation Program are:

 Children of Love...Children of Joy...Children of the Light...Children of the Spirit