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Confirmation

CONFIRMATION SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION

The best preparation your son or daughter can be given at this time of Confirmation is to be surrounded by the day-to-day living of the faith by you, the family, and by the adults in the parish faith community to which you belong.  Children grow naturally into full membership in the community where the faith is really lived.  May this time be a graced moment of prayer, learning, and service—not only for your child, but for all of you.
 
All important information regarding Confirmation is available in your SchoolSpeak account.  If you need help logging in, please contact the Office of Family Discipleship at 248-474-6480.

Confirmation candidates must:

  • Have been baptized Catholic.
  • Have a valid Catholic Baptismal Certificate.
    • If your child was NOT baptized at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, we need a copy of the Baptismal certificate.
    • If your child was baptized in a non-Catholic Christian Church, they may have to make a Profession of Faith before receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.
  • Have received some religious formation at home, in school, or in a religious education program leading to their reception of First Eucharist.
  • Be between the ages of twelve and eighteen.
  • Must be registered through the Office of Family Discipleship since they coordinate the Sacramental Preparation Program.
  • Must be enrolled in a Catholic school or a faith formation program (after-school or home-study).
  • Have been adequately catechized in the Roman Catholic faith. (This is usually accomplished through ongoing participation in a Roman Catholic parish or school-sponsored faith formation program.)
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the obligations of a practicing member of the Catholic Church.
  • Have a sincere desire to receive the sacrament.
  • If your child was not previously enrolled in Faith Formation, please contact the Director of the Office of Family Discipleship.
 
Those to be confirmed must freely choose to be confirmed and must be willing to participate in the Confirmation Preparation program, consisting of study, service, and prayer.  Their faith in God must be evident through their participation in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church.
 
The expectations of the Candidates are to:
  • Have a willing heart and openness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
  • Attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.
  • Grow in their friendship with God through daily personal prayer.
  • Actively participate in the Confirmation requirements: retreats, interviews, and other sacramental preparation activities.
  • Choose an appropriate sponsor who will help guide them on their spiritual journey.
  • Choose a Confirmation name. Candidates should pick the name of a saint who will inspire them to become better Christians.  (The candidates may keep their baptismal name or choose a new name.)
Your role as the parent of a Confirmation candidate is indispensable, because it is primarily within the family that your child will learn how to live the teachings of Jesus.  As parents, your responsibilities will include two main components, which center on your own spiritual life. First, be an example to your child as to what it looks like to live a holy, Catholic life. Second, pray for your child and with your child as they prepare for Confirmation.   
 
As parents, you are expected to:
  • Assist the candidate in meeting the Confirmation program’s attendance and other requirements.
  • Help your child choose an appropriate sponsor who will guide them on their spiritual journey.
  • Be willing to share your personal faith story with them.
In accepting the invitation to be a sponsor, you are making a commitment to help the candidate grow in their relationship with God and the Catholic Church.  This is also an opportunity for you to renew and deepen your own faith.  By Canon Law, parents cannot be Confirmation sponsors to their own children.
 
The sponsor:
  • Must be at least 16 years old.
  • Must have received the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation in the Catholic Church.
  • Must have the intention, the ability, and maturity to share their Catholic faith with the candidate.
  • Should live according to the Catholic faith: attend Mass every Sunday, receive the sacraments of the Church regularly, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist, and live a moral life.
  • Should support and pray with the candidate.