“The reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit.  Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.” Catechism of the Catholic Church #1285

Confirmation is a true sacrament instituted by Christ and different from the Sacrament of Baptism. It is administered by a bishop (or a delegate of the bishop) laying hands and anointing with chrism on the person (who is called a confirmandi) accompanied by prayer. The chrism is blessed by Archbishop Vigneron at a special Mass on Holy Thursday at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit.

Who can receive the Sacrament of Confirmation?

All baptized persons can and should be confirmed. Choosing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation means choosing to live one’s life as a follower of Jesus and to be an active member of the Catholic Church.

What is the purpose of the Sacrament of Confirmation?

The purpose and effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to give strength in faith so that one can both confess and defend the Catholic faith. The Sacrament of Confirmation confers or gives an indelible character on the person’s soul, which means that it cannot be repeated.

When is the Sacrament of Confirmation celebrated?

For adolescents, the Rite of Confirmation is traditionally celebrated at St. Paul in the spring of the eighth grade year, during the month of May.