What is Confirmation?
“Confirmation is the sacrament that gives the Holy Spirit to the baptized in order to root them more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate them more firmly into Christ and the Church, strengthen their bond with the Church, associate them more closely with her mission, and help them bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds.” (CCC 1285)
The sacrament of Confirmation is understood to complete and perfect the grace of Baptism, providing the recipient with the fullness of the Holy Spirit to live out their Christian faith more fully. It is often associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and involves a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower the individual for active participation in the life and mission of the Church.
Process Overview
Notice, the use of the word process and not program. A Sacrament is received when the recipient is ready. This is determined by a clear conversion of faith of the Candidate and a confidence of this verified by the pastor and the Confirmation preparation team.
Less is not more in any situation. At St. Christopher, the best proven practices are used to prepare the whole person to not only receive the Sacrament, but to truly understand, love, and live their Catholic faith. Please keep that in mind when learning about the process.
Families desiring the Sacraments should be registered in a Religious Education program beginning in grade 1 and continuing throughout their lifetime. Sacraments are indeed Spiritual milestones, but they carry great responsibility to be used throughout life. In other words, the Sacraments are not stopping points, like graduation, but more like a springboard to grow deeper in one’s faith.
Preparation for Confirmation requires a process of conversion that naturally progresses with the child’s mental and physical maturity. Therefore, we begin the formal process in grade 7 with the Sacrament ideally being received in grade 9 with a seamless transition into their next phase of formation, QUEST, our high school youth ministry.
If you still have questions, please reach out, and a process can be developed that’s specific to your needs if possible.
WHAT IF I MISS A SESSION?
We are grateful for your partnership in guiding your child through the Confirmation process. This journey is not simply a class requirement; it is a sacred time of spiritual formation, commitment, and growth in discipleship.
For this reason, makeup lessons are not conducive to the integrity and structure of our Confirmation program. Our sessions are designed to be experienced in community, through shared discussion, prayer, witness, and participation. These elements cannot be fully replicated through individual or isolated makeup work.
As such, students are expected to be present, engaged, and prepared for all required sessions and program expectations. Failure to complete required components of the program will result in point deductions, which directly affect a student’s progress in the Confirmation process. 80% is required to be recommended for Confirmation. Students under 80% will have their Confirmation delayed until a time that the process has been successfully completed.
This policy is not meant to be punitive, but formative. Confirmation is not something we “fit in” when convenient—it is a response to God’s call and an intentional commitment to faith formation.
We understand that life brings unavoidable conflicts and emergencies, and these will always be handled pastorally and with compassion. However, routine absences and reliance on makeup work undermine the purpose of the program and the seriousness of the sacrament.
Thank you for helping your child take this journey seriously and for supporting the expectations that form them not only as candidates for Confirmation, but as young disciples of Jesus Christ.
Any Questions – email Greg Crachiolo at 810-364-4100 gcrachiolo@stchrismi.org or Suzy DeVeny at 1000MichiganAve@gmail.com