Confirmation Prep for 10th Grader's
Mandatory Parent Meeting — Wednesday, January 14th 2026 at 7pm at Christ King (JPII Room)
Overview
In Confirmation, you will receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, preparing you for your ministry and renewed commitment to Christ. This Holy Spirit is the Counselor promised to us by Christ Himself when He said, “If you love me, you will keep my Commandment. And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you” (Jn 14:16-17).
Jesus gave the Apostles His Holy Spirit after His Resurrection when He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). We receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism when we are Baptized “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” But in Confirmation, we complete what we started in baptism and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1285).
Confirmation more perfectly unites you to Christ (CCC 1309), and prepares you for a familiarity with the Holy Spirit, His actions, gifts, and bidding (CCC 1309). The Sacrament of Confirmation more perfectly binds you with Christ’s Church as well (CCC 1309) and all Her members throughout the ages. By your Confirmation, you will become a Christian witness (CCC 1304, 1317), and will be responsible for preaching and defending the true faith (CCC 1295). You will also accept for yourself the responsibility of continuing your education in the faith and practicing your religion (CCC 1295).
What are the effects of Confirmation?
- We receive a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as at Pentecost (CCC 1302).
- We partake more fully in the divine filiation, the family of God (CCC 1303):
- We are united more firmly to Christ.
- We receive an increase of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- We are bound with the Church more perfectly.
- We are strengthened to spread and defend the faith.
- We are given the grace to confess the name of Christ boldly and never be ashamed of the Cross.
- We are given an indelible, permanent mark as a witness of Christ on our soul (CCC 1304).
- We share more perfectly in the common priesthood of the faithful, which helps us to profess our faith publicly and officially for ourselves (CCC 1305).
CCC=Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph number
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
In Confirmation, you will receive the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts help us to be holy. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:
- WISDOM – infused gift to give a delight for the things of God and to direct our whole life and all our actions to His honor and glory. Also makes the soul responsive to God in the contemplation of divine things; goes beyond simple knowledge of the beliefs to a certain divine penetration of the truths themselves.
- UNDERSTANDING – infused gift to allow the mind to grasp revealed truths easily and profoundly with insight into the meaning of these truths.
- KNOWLEDGE – infused gift to give a person the ability to judge everything from a supernatural viewpoint. As a result, a person can see the providential purpose of whatever enters his/her life, interact with people and things properly according to God’s will, and discern easily and effectively between the impulses of temptation and the inspirations of grace.
- COUNSEL – infused gift to enable a person to determine promptly and rightly what should be done, especially in difficult situations. This primarily refers to one’s own choices/behavior.
- FORTITUDE – infused gift to give a person unusual courage and a special strength of will, including an extraordinary readiness to undergo trials for love of God.
- PIETY – infused gift to give a person loyalty to God and the things of God; enables a person to see God as a loving Father and act toward Him with generous love and affectionate obedience.
FEAR OF THE LORD – infused gift to inspire a person with profound respect for the majesty of God.
STEP 1: REGISTER BY January 19
- Supplies: every Confirmation candidate should have a Catholic Bible (preferably New American translation). I also highly suggest that you have a Catechism. We’ll reference it throughout the sessions. It is available online and in print.
- Catechism: First Edition or Second Edition or Online
- Bible Suggestions: Look for the NAB or RSV translation. Make sure you get a Catholic Bible as other Bibles may have fewer books in them.
STEP 2: ATTEND LARGE GROUP MEETINGS
1. January 25, 6:30-8pm
2. February 15, 6:30-8pm
3. March 8, 6:30-8pm
4. March 29, 6:30-8pm
5. April 12, 6:30-8pm
STEP 3: DISCERN
When you were baptized, you were adopted by the Father and given the opportunity to participate in Christ’s role as Priest, Prophet, & King. Through Confirmation, God completes our Baptismal grace and deepens our call to live this three-fold mission. This is not a rite of passage or graduation from religious ed. It a sacrament of mission and power, giving Christians the strength and grace to live out the mission of Jesus Christ and His Church. Before beginning to meet with your sponsor and more seriously pursuing this sacrament, here are a few questions you should consider:
- Do you desire to receive this sacrament? Perhaps you’re unsure right now, and that’s okay. But you need to make that decision before being Confirmed.
- Are you committed to attending weekly Sunday Mass? If not, and you still want to be Confirmed, you can start that habit now. If you are not ready to make a commitment to attend Mass regularly, you are not ready to be Confirmed.
- Can you confidently renew your baptismal promises? If you do not understand or agree with these promises (part of the Creed), but you’d like to still pursue Confirmation, contact Sarah.
- Do you reject Satan? And all his works? And all his empty promises? Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
- How are you already living out your call as priest, prophet, and king? And if you’re not, are you willing to make that commitment?
- Priest: attend, worship, and participate at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Even though we are not ordained priests, we still fulfill a priestly role at Mass by praying on behalf of the world and uniting our lives to Jesus’ sacrifice.
- Prophet: continue learning and growing in faith and wisdom. We are like prophets when we listen to God’s truth through scripture, the catechism, and spiritual reading. We also fulfill this role when we share this Good News with others.
- King: serve and lead within your family, parish, and community. The kingly role is one of servant leadership and governance. We can utilize our resources (time, talents, money, hands/feet) to “build God’s kingdom,” by serving others and leading pointing them to Christ.
After taking some time to ponder these questions, you may come to the conclusion that you are not ready to pursue Confirmation. Two thoughts on this:
- That’s okay! This does not make you a bad Christian or a bad son/daughter. Thank you for realizing that “your yes means yes and your no means no,” (Mt. 5:37). I appreciate your integrity and courage; we definitely don’t want you to stand before God and commit to something you have no intention of following through on.
- We’ll be here! Perhaps you aren’t ready today but you might be ready in a few months or a few years. This is not a race – and you can pursue Confirmation anytime you are ready.
STEP 4: CHOOSE A SPONSOR BY MAY 1
STEP 5: MEET WITH YOUR SPONSOR
- Sign Up For Your Kickoff Session: Once you’re ready to commit to taking the next step in Confirmation prep, you’ll be sent a link to sign up for a kickoff session. This 90 minute session is necessary for both you and your sponsor. At this meeting you will receive your materials, we’ll go through the first session together, and set you up for success this summer. Available kickoff meeting dates TBD.
- After the Kickoff session, meet with your sponsor/mentor 5 additional times between May and October. These meetings are scheduled on your own time/location. They may be done at the parish, in a coffee shop/public place, or over Zoom (if absolutely necessary). Each sponsor and student will receive a handbook that provides discussion questions and prayer prompts for each meeting. Meetings are designed to be 60-75 minutes in length.
- Other Experiences: Each duo will also receive resources to help them complete a service and a prayer experience.
- Accountability: each student is responsible for recording when they met with their sponsor and having their sponsor sign off on it. This will be turned in at the one-on-one wrap up meeting in Sept.
STEP 6: CONFIRMATION RETREAT - AUG 14-16
- At St. Vincent Pallotti Retreat Center, more details coming soon!
STEP 7: FINAL WRAP-UP
- September: Attend a one-on-one wrap up meeting with Sarah or Bridget.
- For candidates only. At this meeting, students will officially request the sacrament of Confirmation from the Church. Students should have completed all (or most) of their preparation with their sponsor and be able to make a commitment to pursue a Christian life.
- Items to turn in: Students make this commitment by filling out a formal request to the bishop and submitting their completed, signed checklist.
- What if I’m not ready? If you got behind on your meetings, or aren’t quite ready to make this big commitment, that’s okay! You’re welcome to be Confirmed in the spring at a neighboring parish, or next fall. We also have adults receive Confirmation each year!
STEP 8: RECEIVE
- Nov. 1, 4-8pm – Confirmation Vigil & Rehearsal: The day before Confirmation, candidates and sponsors will gather for final preparation. This vigil will include dinner, prayer, a talk on the Holy Spirit, reconciliation, and rehearsal for Monday.
- Confirmation Mass: Monday, November 2, 6pm with Bishop Schuerman at Christ King