THE CANDIDATE

III. Policies

Each baptized Catholic can and should receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The candidates may request the Sacrament if they:

1. Are baptized and able to renew baptismal promises.

2. Are open to receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

3. Have received their First Communion, are participating in the Sunday Mass and in the sacramental life of the Church. (Adults and adolescents who have not received First Communion will be catechized through the RCIA process with age-appropriate catechesis.)

4. Have reached 15 years of age.

5. Are willing to commit to active involvement in the parish Confirmation preparation process.

6. Are willing to continue to grow in faith following Confirmation and throughout their lifetime.
   
    

   THE PARISH

   Because the parish community has a responsibility to give witness of its faith to the candidates, the community should be made aware of and led to enter into the preparation and celebration of Confirmation.

7. The parish is responsible for developing and implementing a preparation process for teens and adults desiring to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.

   1. Adult preparation should be open to any person attending Sunday Mass, participating in the sacramental life of the Church and seeking a deeper relationship with God and with the parish community.

   2. Adolescent preparation can begin at 15 years of age, should not exceed six months and be a natural part of the parish youth ministry process (see section II Principles and section IV Norms for Readiness).
      Each year the parish prepares for Confirmation, it is responsible for inviting adults and adolescents who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation.
      3. The parish is responsible for involving all its members in the Confirmation preparation process including support and prayer for the confirmands.

8. Post-Confirmation: Confirmation should open the door to greater participation in the life of the Church. Parishes should continue to offer opportunities for the newly confirmed to continue to grow in their faith, share their faith and learn more about being Catholic.

9. The parish is responsible for sending Confirmation documentation to the proper baptismal parish of each candidate.
   
    

   THE SPONSOR

   Sponsors represent in a personal way the witness and support of the parish community. Opportunities for catechesis should be offered to the sponsors in order to assist them in fully understanding their role in the ongoing formation of the candidate.

   Sponsors must:

10.  Be at least 16 years of age and of either sex (e.g. a female sponsor for a male candidate).

11. Be practicing Catholics.

12. Have received all of the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist).

13. It is appropriate that the sponsor be the baptismal sponsor (god-parent) if that is possible. If that is not possible, the sponsor may be selected by the candidate with the help of their parent(s) and/or the parish community.

    Parents may not be sponsors but may present their son or daughter to the Bishop along with the sponsor.

14. Be someone that the candidate can identify with in terms of Christian living.

15. Be someone who can share the faith journey of the candidate.

16. Assist in all aspects of the candidates’ preparation and celebration of the sacrament, accompany their candidates to celebrate the sacrament, and continue to support the candidates to fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit after the reception of the sacrament. 

    
     

    THE PARENT(S) OR GUARDIAN OF THE ADOLESCENT CANDIDATE

    Parent(s)/guardian are called to be actively involved in the Confirmation preparation process. The role of the parent(s)/guardian is an extension of the commitment they undertook at their child’s Baptism. The family serves as the primary community of faith. As children grow in faith, the parental role lessens in regard to decision-making and becomes one of support and witness. For the Sacrament of Confirmation for adolescents, the parental role is very much one of spiritual companion and advisor, that is, both parents and adolescents learning and growing in understanding of Catholic traditions and beliefs. This points to the understanding that forming faith is a lifelong process and that parents, as well as adolescents and children, should continue their own faith growth. It is in this way that parents will be able to share their own faith journey, thereby helping the candidates to make decisions about their faith.

    Parents must:

• Continue their own faith growth.

• Indicate a willingness to support the candidate’s faith journeys.

• Support their adolescent candidates in choosing sponsors.

• Support their adolescent candidates in prayer throughout the preparation process