The Sacrament Of Confirmation: Taking The First Step On The Adulthood Faith Journey

“The best is yet to come…”

These words are often heard in relation to some of life’s major milestones — the birth of a new baby, the first week of college, a couple’s wedding day. It may come as a surprise, however, that this forward-looking phrase also provides an apt description for the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church. Indeed, far from signaling an “end” to a child’s formation in the faith, Confirmation is a Sacrament of Initiation encompassing the completion of baptismal promises, the reception of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the beginning of one’s full life in the Church.

“Confirmation prepares you to begin, in a way, your faith journey beyond the initiation,” says Deacon Harry Cramer. “You’re always going to be learning. One of the things about Confirmation is that when we’re fully anointed with Christ as prophet and king, we are called to do the things that Jesus did — to preach and heal and all the things a prophet and king does. You can’t keep up with the faith if you don’t continue to learn, go to Mass, and receive Jesus and carry Him out into the world. So, Confirmation is not a graduation — it is a bon voyage and the first step on your adult faith journey.”

Here in the Diocese of Springfield, parishes began following the “restored order” for the Sacraments of Initiation several years ago. This practice brings the sacraments back to the order in which they were traditionally received in early Church history, with Baptism followed first by Confirmation, and then by First Holy Communion. Going forward, parishioners in the third grade will receive Confirmation and First Holy Communion at the same Mass.

This year, St. Anthony was blessed to see our third-graders receive both of these sacraments on Sunday, May 2. In addition, parishioners in the fifth, sixth and seventh grades who had not been confirmed before our parish went to the restored order received the Sacrament of Confirmation at a later Mass the same day.

As with the Sacrament of Baptism, the parents are the first and foremost teachers of the faith to their children as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

“The baptismal preparation says it very clearly — mom and dad are the first and best teachers,” Deacon Harry says. “So, in the child’s early years and on into Confirmation, the first step is bringing the kids to Mass, understanding what Confirmation is, and talking about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in the home. Then you look to the school — in our case, St. Dominic or our PSR program — to support the parents with the more formal aspects of the preparation.”

While parents, teachers, and catechists play an essential role in the faith formation of our confirmandi, other sources of support and encouragement are found throughout the Catholic community. Traditionally, students preparing for Confirmation choose a friend or family member to be their Confirmation sponsor — these adults serve as role models in the faith. The confirmandi also discern a patron saint to help guide and inspire them on their faith journey. This ritual signifies the young person’s identity as a Christian and their place in the communion of saints.

“It’s really cool because they choose their saints for a variety of reasons,” Deacon Harry says. “They are encouraged to choose a name of a saint that has some characteristic or some calling that the confirmandi admires or aspires to. I talked to one confirmandi who had police officers in the family, and he mentioned that he chose St. Michael the Archangel because he had guardians in the family. It was a sweet way of honoring his dad and uncles.”

By conferring upon the confirmandi the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord — the Sacrament of Confirmation is an integral step in the faith journey of every Catholic.

“I think it’s very important for all Catholics to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, especially in this day and age,” Deacon Harry says. “I think the reordering of the sacraments has brought to my attention the importance of Confirmation in bracing us against some of the opportunities that could lead us into sin. When you put it together with Baptism and First Holy Communion, these sacraments bring a whole battery of grace. They help us to focus on faith.”

Let us all rejoice in the Confirmation of so many of our young parishioners this past spring! May the gifts of the Holy Spirit they received in this sacrament inspire them to a deeper faith, a closer walk with Christ, and a full life in the Church.