Preparing for Confirmation

Dear Families, Parishes, Schools and Confirmation Candidate Chaplains,

Come Holy Spirit is a new initiative designed to support families and Confirmation Candidates in the run up to their Confirmation ceremonies. It consists of three 30-minute video segments covering elementary catechesis on the Sacrament of Confirmation. There is an accompanying worksheet for each video. It is envisaged that where possible, while respecting public health advice, the Confirmation Candidate, family and Sponsor would come together to watch these videos and complete the worksheets before the Confirmation Ceremony.

by iCatholic Showcase | Aug 12, 2020 | All New, Come to the Table of the Lord, Sacraments, Schools

Come Holy Spirit

This series was produced for the Catechetics Council of the Irish Bishops Conference by iCatholic.

Episode 1

In this first episode, Eleanor and Johanna focus on the Holy Spirit and the difference it makes in our lives.

Worksheet for Episode 1

Episode 2

In this second episode, Eleanor and Johanna look at the seven gifts and the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit

Worksheet for Episode 2

Episode 3

In this final episode, Eleanor and Johanna look at choosing Confirmation names and sponsors and the Confirmation ceremony itself.

Worksheet for Episode 3

Guidance in how to use Come Holy Spirit and other helpful information

Before Receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation

1) Make use of our Family Prayer Book

2) Make three separate occasions over the coming days and weeks, to sit down as a family, inviting the Confirmation Candidate’s Sponsor to join you. Watch each video in an atmosphere of prayer by lighting a Candle and saying some prayers together. Download and complete the accompanying worksheet each time you meet. This will be good fun with everybody gathered together – young and old – participating in it.

3) Bring the Confirmation Candidate to the Sacrament of Reconciliation in your parish before the Confirmation ceremony. Please take the opportunity to avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation yourself also. A relationship with Jesus is for the whole of life.

4) The Grow in Love website remains accessible to parents and students at this time. Simply login to the www.growinlove.ie website with the following details:

Note: This doesn't work!

  • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Password: growinlove
    The following E-books are available on the Grow in love website and are relevant to the Sacrament of Confirmation. You can read parts of them together in the time ahead and chat about what you find there:
    • Grow in Love 3rd Class Book Pentecost (Pages 64-66)
    • Grow in Love 4th Class Book The Holy Spirit, Giver of Gifts (Pages 64-66)
    • Grow in Love 5th Class Book
      • The Holy Spirit (Pages 82-85)
      • The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Pages 86-89)
      • Come Holy Spirit (Pages 90-93)
      • Living a Spirit-Filled Life (Pages 94-97)
    • Grow in Love 6th Class Book
      • The Power of the Holy Spirit (Pages 102-105)
      • The Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Pages 106-109)
      • The Liturgy of Confirmation (Pages 110-113)
      • Making a Difference after Confirmation (Pages 114-117)

5) The Sponsor

a) Role

  • Encourages the growth of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the person confirmed
  • Shows an interest in and supports the developing faith of the young person
  • Takes an interest in the young person’s religious education
  • Gives concrete witness to the faith and models sound Christian values
  • Strives to be a good listener and to ask the questions that encourage the young person to mature into adulthood

b) Requirements

The Church requires that a sponsor meet certain requirements in order to serve as the sponsor of a candidate for Confirmation. Essentially whoever is chosen as a sponsor needs to be concretely practicing and engaging with their faith:

  • Must be over 16 unless, for a just reason, an exception can be made by the parish priest or by the minister of the sacrament
  • Must be a catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken
  • It is desirable that the sponsor be one of the candidate’s baptismal godparents because Confirmation continues and deepens the grace of Baptism

6) Choosing a Confirmation Name

  • Each child is to choose a Christian saint’s name
  • It is important that they know how that saint answered God’s call and was a sign of hope to others. This saint becomes a role model for life
  • From this, children can then reflect on the ways they themselves will respond to God’s call and be signs of hope.