Sacrament of Confirmation
“Those who have been baptized continue on the path of Christian Initiation through the Sacrament of Confirmation, by which they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon the Apostles at Pentecost.
By this gift of the Holy Spirit the faithful are more fully conformed to Christ and are strengthened with the power to bear witness to Christ for the building up of his Body in faith and charity. They are marked with the character or seal of the Lord in such a way that the Sacrament of Confirmation cannot be repeated.”
-The Order of Confirmation
Different paths to Confirmation
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In the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend, the normal age of Confirmation is 13-14 years old; when the candidate is in 8th grade.
Preparation for Confirmation at the normal age is done through the Faith Formation Program if the candidate is not enrolled in a Catholic School.
Preparation for Confirmation is part of the curriculum for religious instruction for children enrolled in St. Jude Catholic School.
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Adults (those over 14 years old) who were Baptized as Catholics but who did not receive Confirmation must be Baptized by the Bishop.
The Bishop annually holds a Confirmation Mass specifically for Adults. Preparation for receiving Confirmation is done through the parish. Contact the Director of Fatih Formation to begin the preparation process.
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Unbaptized adults are Confirmed immediately after Baptism, normally during the Easter Vigil. Preparation is done through the Becoming Catholic Program.
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For people over 7 years old who are Baptized Christian but want to become Catholic, Confirmation is done when the person makes their Profession of Faith and is received into Full Communion. Preparation for that is done directly with the Pastor, normally through the Becoming Catholic Program.
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Any Catholic who is immediate Danger of Death can be confirmed by their pastor. Call the Parish Office if there is an emergency.