Confirmation
Confirmation is the second stage in the initiation process. Young people in the Archdiocese of Toronto are ordinarily confirmed in their grade seven year.
“...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).
In the Archdiocese of Toronto, the Cardinal Archbishop has recently delegated authority to pastors to confirm their parishioners due to the large size of the diocese and to enable young people to be confirmed on or close to the Feast of Pentecost.
Sponsors for this sacrament are ideally, the same persons who served as one’s baptismal sponsors. They are intended to be models of faith and so must be Confirmed themselves, be practising their faith, and be mature enough (usually sixteen years or older) to carry out the role of sponsor. A sponsor can be either male or female. Parents cannot be sponsors for their own children (canons 874 and 893).
Requirements:
- Candidates must be a young adult between the ages of 12-18. If you are over 18 years of age and would like to be confirmed you are required to attend the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) process.
- Candidates must have been baptized in or have been received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Tradition and provide appropriate documentation.
- Candidates need to have celebrated the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. If you have not received these sacraments, you must attend the Rite of Christian Initiation for Children (RCIC) in conjunction with the Confirmation Program.
- Candidates must come to Sunday Mass regularly.
What’s Involved – How Does It Work?
- Parents are required to attend an Explanatory Meeting at the Church.
- An online Registration Form must be submitted for each Candidate (see link below) together with a copy of their official Baptismal Certificate.
- Candidates will be expected to attend an Enrolment Ceremony during one of the Sunday Masses.
- Candidates are required to attend Preparatory Classes and Retreat (attendance is mandatory).
Fees: Please note that there will be a fee of $120 for catechism booklets, materials, gown rental, administration and coordinator expenses, and a small gift to our volunteer teachers.
Click on the links to download the documents below:
Confirmation Registration Form (To be activated October 21, 2019)
Confirmation Letter September 2019
