Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation @ IC
Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are bound more closely to our community of faith and joyfully welcomed as a fully initiated member of the Catholic Church. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, which we received at baptism, are strengthened in us, and we are commissioned to assume an active role in our faith and in our parish community, joining us together in our mission to share Christ's love with the world.
In our parish community, we prepare our children to receive Confirmation in Eighth Grade. As with the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, children not enrolled in our Catholic school may receive this Sacrament through our Religious Education Program.* Students are required to complete Sixth and Seventh Grade Religious Education in order to receive Confirmation in Eighth Grade, which is traditionally celebrated at our parish in November.
One of the ways we prepare our children for Confirmation is through service activities, as they serve Christ by serving others. This inspires our children to consciously begin living out their faith more intentionally - in their family, school, community, and world. In addition to the required completion of service hours, candidates are also invited to participate in a prayer service/meeting with their Sponsor (typically held in late October/early November) as well as a Confirmation retreat.
Selecting a Sponsor whose witness is empowered by the Spirit is also an important part of Confirmation preparation. Ideally, Confirmation sponsors act as mentors, inviting and inspiring our young candidates to actively participate in the life of our faith community. As the candidate prayerfully considers the selection of their Sponsor (in consultation with their parents and catechist), certain guidelines must be met as the Catholic Church requires that the chosen sponsor be at least 16 years of age and a confirmed Catholic who has received Eucharist and leads a faith-filled life as a practicing Catholic. Parents may not serve as Sponsors, but Godparents are welcome to.
A Bishop from our Archdiocese is invited to concelebrate the Confirmation liturgy with our priests and deacon, and personally confirms each candidate - sealing them with the gift of the Holy Spirit, thereby strengthening them in their Christian life. This is a sacred and powerful moment in the lives of our young adults as they transition into becoming fully initiated members of the Catholic Church, the Body of Christ.
*If you are interested in enrolling your child in our Religious Education Program, please click here for additional information or contact Julie Szwedo, our Religious Education Coordinator, at szwedo@iccowboys.net for additional information.
**If you are not yet baptized and considering becoming Catholic, or a baptized Catholic who never received First Eucharist, we invite you to explore our Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults process and discern if this might be what God is calling you to. Please click here for additional information.