What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is a sacrament in which those who have been baptized receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon His apostles at Pentecost. It is a sacrament that celebrates God’s special strengths and gifts in those who have been baptized. In 1972, the Church published The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). The RCIA stresses the connection between the three sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
- In Baptism, a person becomes a Christian​, a member of the Body of Christ, and receives grace and life from the Holy Spirit.
- In Confirmation, the baptismal vows are renewed and the sealing of the Holy Spirit strengthens the person with 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit to live a committed Christian life by
- In Eucharist, the great sign of Christian unity, the faithful experience Christ in one another, the presider, scripture and communion. Nourished anew, they are transformed and are sent forth to serve Christ in the world.
Through these sacramental rites, the faithful are officially acknowledged as Christians. They are commissioned to carry out the mission of Christ and His Church. Confirmation is a parish community celebration. It provides an opportunity for members of the parish family to renew their baptismal commitment.
It is not enough for the candidates (those eligible and preparing for Confirmation) to sit back and learn about faith from the words of a catechist or from a book. They must go out and see for themselves how the Holy Spirit is at work in the community. Confirmation preparation is the chance for them to find how the gifts of the Holy Spirit are at work every day. This also helps the candidate to be open to receiving these spiritual gifts in a special way at their Confirmation.
Confirmation Eligibility
St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School has set 8th grade as the minimum age for Confirmation. Those currently enrolled in the 8th grade during the the school year, who successfully complete religious education requirements through St. Gabriel School or St. Gabriel Religious Education Program (PREP) in their 7th and 8th grade year, will be eligible for Confirmation in the Fall.
Registration
More information coming soon