Confirmation completes your Baptism, makes you a fully initiated member of the Church, and deepens in you the gifts of the Holy Spirit that link you more firmly to Christ and enable you to live like Christ, as a fully active member of the Church.
Confirmation is another step toward the Holy Spirit in the journey of faith. Following the Chosen program by Ascension Press, young people will be able to engage with content that prepares and encourages them to live their faith for years to come.
Preparation will allow high schoolers, families, and sponsors to reflect and grow in faith through classes, retreats, service opportunities, and more.
Confirmation preparation is a two-year program. Students will participate in our Life Teen program for year one (traditionally 9th grade) and can register to receive Confirmation at the beginning of year two (traditionally 10th grade). Students can receive Confirmation in the Spring of their sophomore year (10th grade).
We ask that you attend one of our interest meetings to learn more about and register for Confirmation:
Spanish: Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 6:30 pm
English: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 6:30 pm
Confirmation (adults)
Full adult membership in the Roman Catholic church is achieved with the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Most Catholics born into our faith receive Baptism as infants and Eucharist in the second grade. Confirmation is often received in the eighth grade or high school. Due to circumstances of all kinds, a significant number of adults never received Confirmation.
At St. John’s, the process for adults begins with getting in touch with Paul Gifford, email at paul.gifford@sjerc.org. Depending upon your current readiness for the sacrament, you may meet with Paul several times, read some books and prepare for the sacrament individually OR – you may find a group setting more your style. You might then join our RCIA program, meeting on Sunday mornings at 10:30 at Wilde Lake. When you’re ready, you get confirmed!
Confirmation (grades 10-12)
Confirmation is another step toward the Holy Spirit in the journey of faith. It is a chance for a radical turn toward God or a tune-up of faith. Through service, retreats and the gospels, teens can take a moment to step back and focus on what life is really about.
Forms
- Confirmation Information Form (October 1, 2022)
- Candidate Commitment Form (October 1, 2022)
- Sponsor Information Form (October 29, 2022)
- Volunteer Service Requirement and Service Reflection Log (February 4, 2023)
- New! Candidate-Sponsor Workshops (January 21, February 25, March 11, 2023)
- Confirmation Registration Form 2023-2024
Retreat Options
- Confirmation Retreat- Saturday, February 11, 2023 (Required for all Confirmation candidates)
Letter to the Bishop
Please write a letter to our Bishop and submit it to our offices by a date yet to be determined. Send your letter to the youth minister via e-mail to print and send them to the bishop.
Please consider first reviewing the following from your red book: How to, Example 1, Example 2
I would encourage you to include specific paragraphs with three or more sentences each describing the following to the Bishop.
- INTRODUCE YOURSELF: My name is _______and I am in ____ th grade at ________ School. I am engaged in the following activities at school or in the community and …..
- CORE CLASSES: Review your red book. We discussed different styles of prayer, generosity and service, spiritual and corporal works of mercy, the gifts and fruits of the spirit, the beatitudes, discipleship, and what Jesus is asking of you. What two or three things grabbed your attention the most.
- SPONSOR: Introduce your sponsor and describe some of the conversations that you have been having with your sponsor.
- SERVICE: In describing what you have done for service, please describe the adult(s) with whom you interacted and describe their motivations towards service. Are they spiritually motivated? How?
- RETREAT: Some of you have already participated in the Parent/Candidate Retreat or on the Family Pilgrimage. Please describe what you discovered on these experiences. Others will participate in Spirit Day, which will have as a theme “Be Not Afraid.” If you have not had a retreat experience yet, tell the bishop it is coming and discuss what the theme of it might mean for you.
Resources
- Parent / candidate video discussion of Baptismal promises
- an introduction and discussion on Satan, texto traducido
- a conversation regarding God our Father and Creator, texto traducido
- a look into Christmas Jesus and Easter Jesus, texto traducido
- Consider the side-effects of the Holy Spirit, texto traducido
- and we wrap it all up claiming This is our Faith, texto traducido
- Sponsor Requirements
- When Picking A Sponsor
- When Picking a Saint’s Names for Confirmation
- Archdiocese of Baltimore Guidelines