WHEN DOES SAINT JOHN’S CELEBRATE CONFIRMATION?
St John’s traditionally invites the Bishop to celebrate Confirmation in the Spring of each year (April/May). Our community offers Confirmation to all eligible adolescent parishioners who are currently in the eighth grade.

WHAT IF A CANDIDATE IS OLDER THAN 8TH GRADE?
Eighth grade is the earliest that St. John’s offers Confirmation. Any older parish teen who has not yet received Confirmation is likewise invited to prepare and celebrate the Rite with the Confirmation Class in the Spring.

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR A STUDENT TO BE ELIGIBLE?
Eligible Confirmation candidates are parishioners of St John’s Church, have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, are currently participating/enrolled in Catholic catechesis (religious ed, either in Catholic school or a parish program), and have completed the immediate previous year of catechesis.

WHAT ABOUT CONFIRMATION NAMES?
In order to manifest the close relationship of Confirmation to Baptism, the candidates, according to the longstanding custom of the Church, may retain their baptismal name. However, a special name may be chosen if desired, in which case it should be that of a recognized saint of the Church, or a person from scripture (CF Canon #855).

WHAT ABOUT SPONSORS?
“As a rule there should be a sponsor for each of those to be confirmed. These sponsors bring the candidates to receive the sacrament, present them to the minister for the anointing, and will later help them to fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit whom they have received.” (The Rite of Confirmation #5)

Pastors and parish staff will see that the sponsors, chosen by the candidates and their families, are spiritually fit to take on this responsibility and have these qualities:
• sufficient maturity to fulfill their function,
• have completed the sixteenth year unless it seems to the pastor that an exception is to be made for a just cause,
• membership in the Catholic Church and their own reception of Christian initiation through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist
• leads a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken,
• freedom from any impediment of law to their fulfilling the office
of sponsor.
(The Rite of Confirmation #6, Canons #893, 874)
Please Note: Parents may not act as sponsors (cf Canon #874)

WHY DO CANDIDATES NEED TO GO TO SEPARATE CONFIRMATION CLASSES?
Confirmation preparation is a free-standing parish program, in accordance with Archdiocesan guidelines.
“Sacraments flow from the life of the Church. Religious education, whether it takes place in a school or parish setting, functions as a support to the sacramental life of the Church.
“In the past, the practice was common that when individuals entered a certain grade they automatically received certain sacraments. Unconsciously, many people linked sacraments to school life more than to parish life.
“The immediate preparation for Confirmation should be conducted as a free standing program apart from either the parish or school religious education program. Immediate preparation for confirmation should not replace regularly scheduled religious education programming in parishes and schools. In scheduling immediate preparation there should be sensitivity to the time demands placed on young people.” (Seal of the Spirit, 20)

HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE SAINT JOHN’S CONFIRMATION PREPARATION?
Registration for the Spring Confirmation usually takes place the preceding Fall. To request registration materials, contact the St. John Religious Education/Youth Ministry Office.

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