Baptised Catholic but never confirmed?
If you were baptised Catholic but have never received the Sacrament of Confirmation, you are very welcome to prepare for it as an adult.
There is no need to feel embarrassed because Confirmation was missed earlier. People come to the sacrament at different stages of life. What matters is that you now freely desire to receive it and are willing to prepare for the grace and mission it gives.
There is no fixed annual course. Preparation begins with a personal conversation and continues at a pace suited to you.
What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Christian Initiation, together with Baptism and the Holy Eucharist.
In Confirmation, the grace received in Baptism is completed and strengthened through a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Through this sacrament, you are:
- united more firmly to Jesus Christ
- strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit
- bound more closely to the Church
- given particular strength to live and defend the Catholic faith
- sent to bear witness to Christ through your words and actions
Confirmation leaves a permanent spiritual seal and is therefore received only once.
It is not a graduation, a reward for reaching a certain age or simply a ceremony that was missed earlier. It is God’s gift for a life of Catholic faith, holiness, witness and service.
Is this the right pathway for me?
This pathway is for an adult who:
- has been baptised in the Catholic Church
- has received First Holy Communion
- has not already received Confirmation
- now desires to live and practise the Catholic faith
Please speak to the priest if:
- you are unsure whether you have already been confirmed
- you were baptised outside the Catholic Church
- you were baptised or chrismated in an Eastern Catholic Church
- you have not received First Holy Communion
- you cannot obtain details of your Baptism
- your marriage or family circumstances may raise a sacramental question
There is no need to work everything out alone. The first conversation helps us understand your circumstances and find the correct pathway.
How preparation works
1. Begin with a conversation
Contact the parish or speak to Fr John after Mass.
We will listen to your story, check your Baptism and previous sacraments, and make sure that Adult Confirmation is the correct pathway for you.
You will normally be asked to obtain a recent baptismal certificate.
If you have been away from the Church
If you were baptised Catholic but have not been practising the faith for some time, you are very welcome.
Confirmation does not need to be the first thing you do.
It is usually better first to begin or renew the ordinary life of faith — coming to Sunday Mass, beginning to pray again, asking questions and, when appropriate, returning to the Sacrament of Confession.
This is not about proving yourself before you can receive Confirmation. It is about allowing your preparation for the sacrament to grow from a real relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church.
If you are not yet sure what you believe, or would simply like to explore Christianity before taking another step, begin here:
As your Catholic life is renewed, Fr John can help you discern when to begin the specific preparation for Confirmation.
2. Take part in Sunday Mass
Sunday Mass and prayer are at the heart of preparation.
Confirmation is not only about learning Catholic teaching. It is preparation to live more fully as a member of Christ’s Church.
You will therefore be encouraged to take part faithfully in Sunday Mass, develop a regular life of prayer and become more involved in the worship and life of the parish.
3. Work through the preparation companion
Our parish uses Preparing for Adult Confirmation, Catholic Preparation Companion.
It contains twelve short conversations covering:
- Baptism and Christian initiation
- the Holy Spirit and Pentecost
- Confirmation in Scripture and Tradition
- sacred chrism and the Rite of Confirmation
- the spiritual seal and effects of the sacrament
- the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
- virtues, fruits and charisms
- renewal of baptismal promises
- Christian witness and vocation
- preparing for the sacrament
- living the grace of Confirmation afterwards
You may work through it with a priest, your sponsor or a parish mentor. It may also be read at home between conversations.
There is no prize for finishing quickly. Understanding, prayer and readiness matter more than speed.
DOWNLOAD THE ADULT CONFIRMATION COMPANION
Activity and conversation guide
The Adult Confirmation Mentor Activity and Conversation Guide accompanies the preparation companion.
It provides simple activities, questions and conversation prompts to help the adult explore the teaching and relate it to ordinary Catholic life.
It can be used by a priest, sponsor or parish mentor. Everything needed is included, so no teaching experience or advance lesson preparation is required.
The guide supports personal conversation. It does not replace the adult’s companion, Sunday Mass, prayer or participation in parish life.
DOWNLOAD THE MENTOR ACTIVITY AND CONVERSATION GUIDE
App for extra help
The Adult Confirmation app contains the teaching in a simple digital form, with questions to help you remember and understand what you have learnt.
The app is an additional help. It does not replace personal accompaniment, Sunday Mass or prayer.
OPEN THE ADULT CONFIRMATION APP
You may also download our short guide explaining the whole parish pathway:
DOWNLOAD THE ADULT CONFIRMATION PATHWAY GUIDE
Preparing to receive Confirmation
Before receiving Confirmation, you will be helped to:
- understand what the sacrament is and what grace it gives
- renew your baptismal promises sincerely
- participate faithfully in Sunday Mass
- establish a regular life of prayer
- receive the Sacrament of Penance
- choose a suitable sponsor
- approach the sacrament freely and in a state of grace
- consider how the Holy Spirit is calling you to live and witness as a Catholic adult
Preparation is personal and based upon readiness, not simply upon completing a certain number of meetings.
Choosing a sponsor
Your sponsor accompanies and encourages you as you prepare for Confirmation and afterwards.
A sponsor should normally be:
- a practising Catholic
- at least sixteen years old
- baptised, confirmed and receiving Holy Communion
- living a life consistent with the Catholic faith
- able and willing to support you
- someone other than your father or mother
It is often appropriate to choose one of your baptismal godparents. If you are unsure whom to ask, the parish will help you.
Confession before Confirmation
Confirmation should be received in a state of grace. You will therefore be encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Penance before the celebration.
If it has been many years since your last Confession, please do not worry. The priest will guide you, and you do not need to remember every prayer or formula.
What happens at Confirmation?
The bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation, although a priest may also confirm when the Church gives him the necessary faculty.
During the celebration:
- You renew your baptismal promises.
- The Church prays for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
- The minister lays his hand upon you and anoints your forehead with sacred chrism.
- He says:
“N., be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
You answer:
“Amen.”
You then exchange the sign of peace.
Life after Confirmation
Confirmation is not the end of Catholic formation.
The Holy Spirit strengthens you to live your Catholic faith in your family, work, friendships, decisions, service and witness.
The life strengthened through Confirmation continues through:
Sunday Mass · Holy Communion · regular Confession · daily prayer · Sacred Scripture · charity · parish life · Christian witness and service
The celebration is not a finish line. It strengthens you for the Christian life and mission that follow.
Ready to begin?
You do not need to know everything before getting in touch. We will help you establish your sacramental record, talk about where you are in your Catholic life and discern the right next step. For some, that will be to begin Confirmation preparation straight away; for others, it may be helpful first to spend some time returning to Mass, prayer and the ordinary life of the Church.
When the time is right, we will provide the preparation companion and accompany you towards the sacrament.
