Confirmation

For on him the Father, God, has set his seal. (John 6:27)

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of initiation, along with Baptism and Eucharist. While baptism is the sacrament of rebirth to a new and supernatural life, confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age. It is conferred by the anointing of Chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop. The Sacrament of Confirmation draws us into a greater awareness of the Holy Spirit, which we received at Baptism. Through this sacrament, we confirm the presence of the baptismal gifts we have already received; we are sealed with the undeserved and unearned gift of the Holy Spirit.


At the parishes of the Blue Hills Collaborative, the sacrament of Confirmation for teen and adult Catholics is held annually in the spring. In 2021, it will be celebrated on Sunday, April 11, at St. Anne Church at 11:30 a.m. Please be aware that the date may change depending on status of COVID at the time. Practice date & time to be determined. All those who will be receiving the sacrament are expected to attend with their sponsors. For more information:



For non-Catholic parishioners seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, the sacrament of Confirmation is traditionally conferred at the Easter Vigil mass the night before Easter. Those confirmed at this time will have gone through the RCIA program. For more information about becoming Catholic and the RCIA program, please click here.


At confirmation we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm our baptismal promises. Greater awareness of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred through the anointing of chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop.
Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds. (CCC 1316)

Through the Sacrament of Confirmation we renew our baptismal promises and commit to living a life of maturity in the Christian faith. As we read in the Lumen Gentium (the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church) from the Second Vatican Council:

Bound more intimately to the Church by the sacrament of confirmation, [the baptized] are endowed by the Holy Spirit with special strength; hence they are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith both by word and by deed as true witnesses of Christ. (no. 11)

Below you will see some photos from the Sacrament of Confirmation which took place on April 29, 2022. For more photos, follow this link, courtesy of Nicole Curran Photography.

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Frequently Asked Questions about the Sacrament of Confirmation

  • How is the Sacrament of Confirmation connected to Baptism and Eucharist?

    These three sacraments are called the Sacraments of Initiation. Through Baptism, our new life in Christ is begun; through Confirmation, that life is strengthened; and through Eucharist, the receiving of the body and blood of Christ, our Christian lives are nourished and transformed. 

  • Who can be confirmed?

    Any Catholic who has been baptized, has reached the age of reason (around the age of 7), has been properly instructed in the Catholic faith, has never been confirmed, is in a state of grace, and freely desires to receive the sacrament may be confirmed. 

  • Who administers the Sacrament?

    The ordinary minister of Confirmation is the bishop in order to underscore a connection to Pentecost. In certain circumstances, a bishop can delegate the power to confirm to a priest. 

  • What are some of the effects of Confirmation?

    Confirmation brings to perfection the grace received at Baptism. Confirmation is God’s self-giving love through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation also deepens our bond with the Church, calling us to participate more deeply in the life of the Christian community

  • Is Confirmation just a moment in time or is it an ongoing reality?

    Both Baptism and Confirmation may be received only once but in a very real sense we are always being baptized and always being confirmed just as Marriage and Holy Orders are lived realities for those who receive them. 

  • Is a sponsor necessary for Confirmation?

    Yes. The sponsor offers spiritual guidance and support. The sponsor must be a confirmed, practicing Catholic who is at least 16 years of age. In order to strengthen the unity between Baptism and Confirmation, a baptismal godparent is often chosen as a Confirmation sponsor. A parent of a candidate or a fiancée should not be a sponsor. The sponsor stands as a witness to the faith of the candidate and his or her readiness to receive the sacrament and as a representative of the ongoing support offered to the candidate by the wider community of the church. 

  • What is the Scriptural Foundation for Confirmation?

    In the Acts of the Apostles we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. While baptism is the sacrament of new life, confirmation gives birth to that life. Baptism initiates us into the Church and names us as children of God, whereas confirmation calls us forth as God’s children and unites us more fully to the active messianic mission of Christ in the world.


    After receiving the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostles went out and confirmed others, showing confirmation to be an individual and separate sacrament: Peter and John at Samaria (Acts 8:5-6, 14-17) and Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6). Also the Holy Spirit came down on Jews and Gentiles alike in Caesarea, prior to their baptisms. Recognizing this as a confirmation by the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded that they be baptized (cf. Acts 10:47).

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By a signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ.

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