Before Confirmation, you get to choose two people to walk with you and support you on your faith journey - both leading up to Confirmation and for your lifetime after Confirmation. One of these will be a person living on Earth (a sponsor) and the other will be a person living in Heaven (a saint). Below are instructions on choosing a Confirmation Sponsor and a Confirmation Saint. Take your time prayerfully discerning who you would like to fulfill these roles in your life.
Instructions
1. Choose a Confirmation Sponsor (due March 14)
What is a Confirmation Sponsor?
A sponsor is a person who encourages and assists a candidate to embrace and actively practice the Catholic faith both before and after Confirmation. The sponsor also presents the candidate to the Bishop (or his delegate) at the celebration of Confirmation.
According to the Code of Canon Law, "Insofar as possible, there is to be a sponsor for the person to be confirmed; the sponsor is to take care that the confirmed person behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations inherent in this sacrament." (Can. 892)
Who can be a sponsor?
Being a sponsor is not just an honor. The sponsor must be an active, practicing Catholic who can be a role model for the candidate. Ideally, you should choose one of your godparents from Baptism, provided he or she meets the guidelines below. If it is not possible to choose a godparent as your sponsor (e.g. they are deceased, live too far away, or are no longer a practicing Catholic), then you might ask someone else whom you see as an example of a committed, practicing Catholic. This could be a grandparent, aunt or uncle, other relative, family friend, parent of one of your friends, a teacher, etc.
The Catholic Church says that a sponsor:
- may be either a man or a woman. (Sponsors do not have to be the same sex as the candidate.)
- must be a fully initiated Roman Catholic. (Baptized, Confirmed and received First Communion.)
- is a person who regularly comes to Sunday Mass and celebrates the other sacraments.
- must be at least 16 years old.
- may not be the parent of the candidate.
- must be willing and able to take on the role of sponsor.
(See Can. 892-893 and Can. 874 for more info.)
2. Choose a Confirmation Saint Name (due March 14)
When you were born, your parents chose your name. They may have chosen your name in honor of a special person in their lives: a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or close friend. They may have chosen your name for the meaning behind it. They may have chosen your name because they felt a close connection to a holy man or woman of our faith - one of the saints. Or maybe they just really liked your name! Most likely, it was a combination of many factors. (If you do not know why your parents chose the name they did for you, this is a good opportunity to ask them about it!)
Your name gives you an identity; it tells others who you are. Throughout our lives, we will identify ourselves with many names - the name of the mascot of our school, the name of the region of the country we live in, the title of the career we choose. However, there is a name above all names that, through our Baptism, we should strive to be known to the world by. That name is Catholic Christian.
At your Baptism, you were called by name, and christened to become a child of God. You entered into the Catholic community by name.
Now it is your turn!
As a part of your preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, you have the privilege and responsibility, just like your parents did when you were born, to choose a name.
- Your Confirmation name should reflect your closer identification as a member of the Catholic Christian community.
- The name you select can be associated with someone in your life, your parish, or your community whom you respect and admire. Many Confirmation candidates select a name from a parent or grandparent, honoring them for their example of love and holiness.
- Your Confirmation name should be the name of a saint.
- You can choose your baptismal name (as long as it is the name of a saint) or you can choose a completely new name.
- Your Confirmation name follows your middle name (First Name, Middle Name, Confirmation Name, Last Name)
- PRAY! Just as you should pray about any decision you have to make, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you choose a saint as your patron/patroness.
Resources:
These websites will help you find a saint whose name you'd like to take at Confirmaiton.
3. Write a Letter to Bishop Hennessey (due March 21)