Confirmation
"In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit..." - Ephesians 1:13
Sealed With the Gift of the Spirit
“The sacraments of Christian initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist - lay the foundations of every Christian life…The faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and receive in the Eucharist the food of eternal life”
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1212
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ.
The prophets of the Old Testament foretold that God's Spirit would rest upon the Messiah to sustain his mission. Their prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus the Messiah was conceived by the Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus on the occasion of his baptism by John. Jesus' entire mission occurred in communion with the Spirit. Before he died, Jesus promised that the Spirit would be given to the Apostles and to the entire Church. After his death, he was raised by the Father in the power of the Spirit.
Confirmation deepens our baptismal life that calls us to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in our families, neighborhoods, society, and the world. . . . We receive the message of faith in a deeper and more intensive manner with great emphasis given to the person of Jesus Christ, who asked the Father to give the Holy Spirit to the Church for building up the community in loving service.
You can learn more about Confirmation, prayers and preparation on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s website.
Changing The Age of Confirmation in Our Diocese
For information and frequently asked questions regarding changing the age of confirmation within the Diocese of Jefferson City, please visit the Office of Youth Ministry and Religious Education’s confirmation page.
Confirmation at Holy Spirit
The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the initiation Sacraments in our Catholic Faith. It is often misunderstood, as it is Jesus Christ who confirms our faith rather than “us choosing to be Catholic.” This Sacrament helps to mature us into Adult Catholics, as it is one of the Sacraments of Initiation.
Arranging for Confirmation in our parish
Previously, our the Diocese of Jefferson City, typically conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on those individuals who had reached the age of 16 and were at least juniors in high school.
Moving forward, our Diocese has presented a three-year plan to lower the confirmation age to 12 years of age, or 7th grade. To learn more about this change, you can download the "Frequently Asked Questions" sheet above, or visit the "Renewing Confirmation" page on the Diocesan website.
The length of the our formal preparation program is August through May. Please contact the parish office for more information on enrollment in the program.