Peter and John, while visiting the Christian community in Samaria, found that the people there “had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” and had not received Confirmation.  So Peter and John “imposed hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:16-17)

️Our Confirmation Class of 2024❤️‍

Confirmation is celebrated as the sacrament of the Holy Spirit, the completion of baptism, and a Christian’s witness to a mature faith.   In the sequence of the sacraments, Confirmation was placed after Reconciliation and Communion.  Religious education and service projects allow the confirmands to become more aware of the social dimension of Christian responsibility.
 
 Confirmation takes place in the parish in the presence of the assembly and the whole community is enriched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The assembly symbolized the presence of the kingdom of God on earth.
 
 The bishop, serves as a symbol linking the local church to the Church Universal, is the minister of Confirmation.  A priest may be authorized to confirm. The celebration usually takes place at a Eucharistic liturgy where the confirmands renew their baptismal vows.  During the Easter Vigil, confirmation takes place after the baptismal rite.
 
 The bishop anoints each confirmand on the forehead with chrism and seals the confirmed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.  He then extends the sign of peach to the confirmed.
 
 Isaiah 11:2-3 lists the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and wonder in God’s presence (also called fear of the Lord).  St. Paul lists the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness generosity, tolerance, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, continence, and chastity.

If you have any questions, feel free to call Holly Schwartz at (985) 248-0931. You can also send an email to: [email protected].