confirmation
"Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strenthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds" (CCC-1316)
This sacrament completes the Sacraments of Initiation and is usually administered in grade eight after a program of sacramental preparation. This is not a test of knowledge but a preparation for future participation in church life. Confirmation is celebrated during Mass at a time determined in consultation with the Bishop’s Office. Those being confirmed will require a sponsor who fulfills the same requirements as a baptismal sponsor and may be male or female. Parents may not be sponsors. Children not in the Catholic school system will participate in a similar program prepared by the pastor.