Preparation Program Overview

Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation in the Catholic faith. In the early Church, Confirmation was a part of the sacrament of Baptism. Today, Confirmation is the sacrament that bridges our lives in Baptism to the continuing renewal of that Baptism in the Sunday Eucharist. Candidates, having had their initiation into the Catholic faith made for them by their parents and godparents, now come forward and personally become responsible for their own faith journey by regularly and actively participating in Sunday Eucharist (Mass), being of service to others, and growing in their spiritual formation within the church community.

The sacrament of Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston is now open to all candidates starting in 8th grade and beyond. This program is for candidates attending public, Catholic, or private high schools.  

Expectations and Requirements

Liturgical

The foundation of our Confirmation catechesis is Sunday Mass. This is so fundamental to our understanding of Confirmation as Catholics that if one does not regularly participate in Sunday Eucharist, they must seriously consider if he or she is truly ready for the sacrament. We fully expect all candidates to attend Mass each Sunday (or Saturday) during their time of preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation.  

Catechetical

Candidates will meet one Sunday a month in November through March immediately following the 10:00 am Mass which they are required to attend. During the season of Lent, all candidates will join in a special weekly Mass at 5:00 pm. Family and friends are welcome and encouraged to join the Candidates in attending these Lenten Masses.

Sponsors

All candidates preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation must choose a sponsor. A sponsor should be someone that the candidate feels comfortable sharing their faith with. Sponsors are asked to participate in the Confirmation preparation process, and therefore candidates should choose carefully. 

Criteria for a Sponsor:

1. A sponsor must be someone other than the parent of the one to be confirmed.
2. A sponsor must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
3. A sponsor must be at least 16 years of age and may be male or female regardless of the sex of the candidate.
4. A sponsor must be doing their best to lead a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken.
5. A sponsor must be a practicing Catholic, registered in a parish, who regularly attends Mass on Sundays and receives the Holy Eucharist.

Attendance

With the limited number of times that we meet during the program, we consider it extremely important that all scheduled sessions and Masses be attended. If commitments such as sports, family or school do not allow faithful attendance to the program at this time, it is recommended that a candidate wait until they have the time and attention needed to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation. With that said, we certainly understand how busy life can become. We at St. Robert Bellarmine are more than willing to work with families to help candidates fulfill all the requirements of the program. 

Some Final Words

It is our hope that you willingly and actively participate in this time of discovery and formation. We for our part will do our best to provide a program that is engaging, interesting, and informative. Sharing our personal faith and asking questions is encouraged. This is a wonderful time in your life to reflect on and grow in your personal faith, share your faith with others, and learn more about what it means to be Catholic.