Preparing to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit
If you are a young Catholic who has been baptised and now wishes to prepare for Confirmation, you are very welcome.
Confirmation is not simply something that happens because you have reached a particular age or school year. It is the sacrament in which the grace of Baptism is completed and strengthened through a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Through Confirmation, Christ strengthens you to live as a Catholic disciple, to grow in holiness and to bear witness to him in the Church and in the world.
Preparation in our parish is therefore personal, catechism-led and based upon understanding, desire and readiness.
You do not need to know everything before beginning.
The ordinary starting point is Sunday Mass and a conversation with the parish.
Who is this pathway for?
This pathway is for baptised Catholic young people who have not yet received Confirmation.
Young people come to preparation at different stages of faith and understanding. For that reason, we do not treat Confirmation simply as a programme attached to a particular school year.
What matters is that the young person is gradually able to:
- understand what Confirmation is;
- desire to receive the sacrament freely;
- profess the Catholic faith sincerely;
- participate in Sunday Mass;
- develop a genuine life of prayer;
- prepare to receive the Sacrament of Penance;
- and show a willingness to continue living as a Catholic after Confirmation.
Preparation is not an examination and nobody is expected to know everything.
At the same time, Confirmation should not be rushed merely to meet a date.
Readiness matters more than speed.
Your preparation catechism
My Confirmation Catechism
Our parish uses My Confirmation Catechism as the main preparation resource for young people.
It contains twelve short conversations which introduce the young person to the meaning of Confirmation and the Christian life that flows from it.
The conversations explore:
- the Holy Spirit;
- Pentecost;
- Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist;
- Confirmation in Scripture and Tradition;
- the minister, sacred chrism and words of the sacrament;
- the anointing and spiritual seal;
- the effects of Confirmation;
- the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit;
- virtues, fruits and charisms;
- renewing baptismal promises;
- Christian witness, mission and spiritual combat;
- and preparing to receive Confirmation and persevere afterwards.
Each conversation follows a simple pattern:
REMEMBER → SHORT TEACHING → TALK ABOUT IT → THE ESSENTIALS → PRAYER → THIS WEEK
The catechism is designed to be simple and manageable. A normal conversation takes only about 12–20 minutes.
There are no separate worksheets or complicated lessons to prepare.
The catechism is the lesson.
The young person works through it with a parent, catechist or parish mentor, according to the arrangements made with the parish.
How preparation works
Preparation for Confirmation is not simply a set of lessons.
The catechism provides the teaching, but preparation also involves learning to live the Catholic faith more deliberately.
Young people preparing for Confirmation are therefore encouraged to:
- participate faithfully in Sunday Mass;
- pray regularly;
- work through the twelve catechism conversations;
- ask honest questions about the faith;
- become familiar with Sacred Scripture;
- prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation;
- practise charity and service;
- choose a suitable sponsor;
- and begin thinking seriously about what it means to live as a Catholic disciple.
Parents have an important role in this preparation.
Confirmation does not remove parents from the work of handing on the faith. Young people benefit enormously when prayer, Sunday Mass and conversation about faith are part of ordinary family life.
Sunday Mass comes first
Confirmation preparation belongs within the worshipping life of the Church.
The Eucharist is not simply another activity alongside preparation. Sunday Mass is at the heart of Catholic life.
A young person cannot meaningfully prepare to be strengthened for Catholic discipleship while remaining completely detached from the ordinary sacramental life of the Church.
Families who are not currently attending Mass regularly are warmly encouraged simply to begin.
You do not have to wait until everything is perfect.
Come to Mass, become familiar with the parish again and allow the life of faith to grow from there.
Confession before Confirmation
Candidates should normally receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation before Confirmation.
Confirmation should be received in the state of grace.
Young people will therefore be encouraged to make a sincere examination of conscience, approach Confession without fear and receive the mercy of Christ before receiving Confirmation.
Confession is not a punishment or an examination.
It is the sacrament in which Christ forgives our sins, reconciles us to himself and his Church, and gives us grace to begin again.
Choosing a sponsor
Each candidate should, as far as possible, have a Confirmation sponsor.
The sponsor is not merely someone who stands beside the candidate during the ceremony.
A sponsor is a Catholic who can encourage the young person in faith, pray for them and help them continue living as a Catholic after Confirmation.
A sponsor should be:
- a practising Catholic;
- confirmed and already receiving the Holy Eucharist;
- mature enough to undertake the responsibility;
- living in a way consistent with the Catholic faith;
- and willing to support the candidate spiritually.
A parent does not normally act as the Confirmation sponsor.
Where possible, choosing one of the candidate’s baptismal godparents is especially appropriate because it expresses the close relationship between Baptism and Confirmation.
If you are unsure whom to choose, please speak with the parish.
Choosing a Confirmation saint
Candidates are often invited to choose the name of a saint or blessed as part of their preparation.
The purpose is not simply to choose a name you like.
The saints show us what it looks like when ordinary human beings allow the grace of God to shape their lives.
Choose someone whose faith, courage, charity or vocation can inspire you.
Learn about their life.
Ask:
What did this person love about Christ?
What virtues did they show?
What can I learn from them?
How can I ask for their prayers?
Your baptismal name remains an important part of your Christian identity, and keeping it as your Confirmation name is also a good and meaningful choice.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
During preparation, candidates learn about the traditional seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Wisdom · Understanding · Counsel · Fortitude · Knowledge · Piety · Fear of the Lord
These gifts help us become more ready to recognise and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
They are not magical powers.
They strengthen the Christian to know God more deeply, love what is good, choose wisely, persevere when faith is difficult and live more faithfully as a child of God.
Preparing for the celebration
Before Confirmation, the parish will make sure that the candidate is properly prepared and understands the sacrament according to their age and ability.
The final preparation normally includes:
- completion of the catechism conversations;
- participation in Sunday Mass;
- prayer and reflection;
- Confession;
- choosing a suitable sponsor;
- practical preparation for the celebration;
- and a final conversation about readiness.
The purpose is not to catch anyone out.
It is simply to make sure that the young person knows what they are asking for and sincerely wishes to receive the sacrament.
What happens at Confirmation?
Confirmation is normally celebrated by the bishop, although another priest may sometimes be given the faculty to confirm.
During the celebration, candidates renew the baptismal promises which were first made at their Baptism.
The Church then prays for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The candidate approaches with their sponsor and is anointed on the forehead with sacred chrism.
The minister says:
“N., be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The candidate answers:
“Amen.”
Through this sacramental anointing, the candidate receives the permanent spiritual seal of Confirmation and is strengthened by the Holy Spirit for Christian life and mission.
After Confirmation
Confirmation is not the end.
There is no graduation from being a Catholic.
The grace of Confirmation is given so that the newly confirmed can continue to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ through:
Sunday Mass · Holy Communion · regular Confession · daily prayer · Sacred Scripture · charity · service · parish life · Christian witness
Young people are encouraged to ask after Confirmation:
Where is God asking me to serve?
How can I use the gifts he has given me?
How can I live my Catholic faith at school, at home, with friends and eventually in my vocation and work?
The Holy Spirit is given not only for one day, but for a lifetime.
For parents
Parents remain the first educators of their children in the faith.
The best support you can give during Confirmation preparation is not complicated.
Come to Mass together.
Pray together.
Take an interest in the catechism conversations.
Allow questions.
Speak naturally about faith.
Encourage Confession.
Show through ordinary family life that Catholic faith is something to be lived, not merely something to be completed.
You are not expected to know the answer to every question. If something comes up that you cannot answer, bring it to the priest or catechist.
Ready to begin?
If your son or daughter would like to prepare for Confirmation, please contact the parish.
The first step is not simply filling in a form.
It is a conversation about where the young person is now and how we can help them take the next step in faith.
Preparation can then begin using My Confirmation Catechism, together with Sunday Mass, prayer, Confession and parish accompaniment.
Where: St Mary’s, St John Bosco or St Edward’s
Contact: Fr John — john.owens@dioceseofnottingham.uk
DOWNLOAD MY CONFIRMATION CATECHISM
“Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Confirmation strengthens the grace of Baptism so that we can live as disciples and witnesses of Jesus Christ.
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 