Confirmation 2024
The Sacrament of Confirmation will Be celebrated on the 2nd April 2025 in St Bride’s Church, Ballintubber. The Celebrant will be Bishop Kevin Doran.
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we personally confirm the baptismal promises made on our behalf at our Baptism by our Parents and Godparents on our behalf. The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit are given to us through the laying on of hands by the bishop (or a priest delegated by him to confer the sacrament), and anointed with the oil of Chrism. It is also a time when we receive this Sacramnet that we commit to living a life of maturity in the Christian faith.
Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the Sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit to us in order to root us more deeply in God and unite us more firmly into Christ, strengthening our bond with the Church, and links us more closely with its mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds. (CCC 1316)
Confirmation Name
The Confirmation name chosen should be that of a Saint and reflect a characteristic which your child feels they would like to follow and be a source of guidance in their own life. There are many good books with saint’s names and their life stories. These you should explore together as a way of beginning the preparation for Confirmation.
Sponsor
The sponsor for Confirmation is not to be a parent, they already have the primary resposnability of nuturing the faith of their Child. A sponsor is one who assits and helps the parents in this role.
It is desirable that the sponsor for Confirmation be one of the sponsors who fulfilled the role at Baptism (c. 893§2) To be a sponsor, the person must be Baptised and have received the Sacrament of Confirmation, (c. 874§1,3˚,5˚). If there is any doubt or questions concering this role please speak to Fr Donal before chosing the sponsor.
Scriptural Foundation for Confirmation
In the Acts of the Apostles, we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. While baptism is the Sacrament of new life, confirmation gives birth to that life. Baptism initiates us into the Church and names us as children of God, whereas confirmation calls us forth as God’s children and unites us more fully to the active mission of Christ in the world.
After receiving the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostles went out and confirmed others, showing confirmation to be an individual and separate sacrament: Peter and John at Samaria (Acts 8:5-6, 14-17) and Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6). Also the Holy Spirit came down on Jews and Gentiles alike in Caesarea, prior to their baptisms. Recognizing this as a confirmation by the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded that they be baptized (cf. Acts 10:47).