Confirmation:
The next Confirmation date is Friday 8th May 2026 at 4pm in Tourlestrane church.
There are seven sacraments. The Catechism divides them into three categories; initiation, healing, and those at the service of communion and the mission of the faithful.
When we come to celebrate any of the seven sacraments we are creating holy and gracefilled moments, times of healing, reconciliation, nourishment, belonging, courage and risk. They are natural moments in time with the rhythm of our lives. There are significant moments that we want to ritualise, remember, and through which we want to bring our lives into contact with God. We act and we believe that God acts too in our sacramental moments. We are graced by God and challenged to become more like God in our words and actions.
We cannot see God but in our sacramental moments we see and feel the water,we taste the bread and wine, we hear the words and smell the incense, we are comforted and challenged by the oils with which we are anointed and there is God among us.
The sacraments give us the opportunity to come together and remember that we are Church. We are the body of Christ, and it is we who make Christ present in our world today.
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments and completes our journey of initiation, our journey to become a full member of the church. Confirmation does what the name suggests: it confirms our baptism. It was never meant to do anything else.
Eleven or twelve years ago you brought your child to be baptised. You asked for them to become members of the church. You gave them the gift of faith, which you promised to nourish and encourage as they grow older. Now they are old enough to say yes to that gift for themselves and this is what they do at confirmation. This is their theology of baptism. This is what they understand it to mean.
Like all sacraments we must choose to celebrate it, we must want to celebrate it, and it is important to be sure that you and your child are ready to take this final step on the journey to become a full member of the church.
These children are still very young to be making this decision so they need the support of their parents, sponsors, and the wider faith community to help them. Confirmation is an opportunity to stand up and publicly declare that we believe in the Holy Spirit; the same spirit that was gifted to us in Baptism; the same spirit whose gifts will help us to be people of spirit, people who want to live as Jesus asked us to.
Sponsors
Sponsors are important people on the day of confirmation. They are normally the baptismal sponsor. They stand behind the candidate to affirm their decision to become full members of the church. When we choose our sponsor we should be looking for someone who is trying themselves to be a person of faith, who supports the decision of the candidate to continue their journey of faith. There is not much point in choosing someone who is no longer an active member of the church or someone for whom the church is irrelevant. The choice of sponsor is an opportunity to involve the family in preparation for confirmation.
You might draw up a list of qualities of a good sponsor, writing to invite the person chosen to be sponsor. and including the sponsor, if possible, in some of the preparation for confirmation. Sponsors should normally be at least 16 years of age and confirmed themselves.
Names
Encourage the candidates to choose a saint s name. A new name is often chosen when someone decides to start a new way of life. Think of pop stars, models, and even religious and biblical characters. Suggest that this could become a project for home. Look at the names of people you admire in your family. Are they connected to a saint s name. Research the saInt s name. Write about why the name was chosen.
The renewal of baptismal promises and the anointing with the oil of chrism make the connection between confirmation and baptism more tangible. These actions remind us that the journey of initiation that we complete at Confirmation, began at Baptism. The Holy Spirit was first gifted to us at Baptism. At Confirmation we are given the gifts of the Spirit and it is these gifts that help us to live as full members of the Christian community.
The Bishop
The presence of the Bishop at Confirmation is a visible sign that our church is the universal one. It reminds us that we are part of something much bigger than our own parish. We are members of a huge family, the body of Christ. The Bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation. In places where the Bishop does not celebrate Confirmation it might be important to mention that he has the power to delegate this responsibility to other priests.
Celebration of Faith
Confirmation is an opportunity to celebrate what we believe in. It challenges the whole community to look at how they journey with each other as people of faith. It allows us to remember who we are as followers of Christ and members of the Church. As far as possible it should be a community celebration and every opportunity should be made to include the faith community in the celebration on the day.
During The Rite of Confirmation there will be these three important parts:
Renewal of the Baptismal Promises
After Bishop Kevin's homily, the young people are asked to stand to renew
the promises made for them at Baptism by their parents and godparents.
In Baptism we became children of God, followers of Jesus Christ,
and members of the Church.
In Confirmation we publicly profess our faith in God our Father
and in Jesus Christ who sent us the Spirit to enable us to take part
in the life and mission of the Church.
Laying on of Hands
The laying on of hands is the biblical gesture by which the Holy Spirit
in invoked. In Confirmation it evokes the invisible gift of the Holy Spirit
given to us by God. Bishop Kevin will keep his hands stretched out
over the children for Confirmation during the prayer:
Anointing with Chrism
The sacramental sign of Confirmation is the anointing with Chrism
and the words ‘Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
This anointing is a sign that our whole being has been filled by
the power of the Spirit. The oil used for this anointing is Chrism,
which is used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders:
the head of the newly-baptised is anointed with chrism,
the forehead of the person confirmed,
the head and hands of a bishop at his consecration,
and the hands of a priest at his ordination.
It is used in the consecration of churches, chalices, patens and altars.
The Holy Spirit of the Risen Jesus
was communicated to the fearful group of Jesus' disciples,
who were gathered in the Upper Room, with Mary his mother,
entrusting to them his mission.
Though not present physically with them, Jesus is in the midst
of this little community filling them with his peace and his joy.
A mission awaits them - to make Jesus present in the world.
The Risen Lord 'sends' them. He doesn't tell them concretely
to whom they have to go, what they have to do, and how they have to act
''As the Father has sent me, so I send you.''
Their task is the same as that of Jesus ... as he received from the Father.
Preparation
1. Belonging: How do I belong?---- Being a member of the parish, the Church, The Body of Christ.
2. Believing: What do I believe?---- The Creed.
3. Being a Christian: How can I be a Christian?------ The Gifts of the Spirit.
4. Becoming a Witness: How do I share the Good News?----- The Fruits of the Spirit.
Service of Light before the Sacrament of Confirmation
Child: We are called to be a Spirit-filled people, a Christian people.
We are called to live our lives in the light of Christ,
the light in which the world may come to see true Christian
Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Right Judgement, Courage,
and Wonder at God's presence all around us,
as the gift of a truly Christian life.
Child: We are called to live our life in the light of Christ,
the light by which the world may come to see true Christian
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
Gentleness and Self-control as fruits of a Spirit-filled life.
Priest: We are all called to live our lives in the light of Christ,
so that the world may see God's kingdom come.
Young people, you have heard this call as you were growing up at home.
You have also heard the call of the Risen Jesus in your school.
Let us listen to a reading from the Gospel of St. Matthew.
You are the light of the world. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub;
they put it on a lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.
In the same way your light must shine in the sight of everyone, so that
seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.
Child: God our Father, may your Spirit help us to bring
the light of your Truth into all our relationships with others.
Help us to speak and stand only for what is true.
May your Spirit help us to bring the light of your Peace
into our homes, our schools, to our friends, and to our community.
Parent: God our Father, we ask you to bless these young people.
We thank you for giving them to us as your gift.
Be with them through their teenage years
and keep them in your care all through their lives.
At the Sacrament of Baptism parents received their child's Baptism candle
that was lit from the Paschal candle. The Paschal candle is a sign of our faith in the Risen Jesus, who is present with us, through his Holy Spirit,
who helps us, to live as faithful followers of Jesus. We light Baptism candles
Parents, you might recall how, at your child's First Holy Communion,
the Baptism candle was given to you, and the priest saying -
Keep the flame of Christ's friendship burning for ......
now, Parents, please take a lighted Baptism candle and,
as you hand it to your child, you can say -
Let us together keep the light of faith burning in your life. Amen.
In doing this you are saying to your child
I will be with you to help you and support you
as you strive to live out the call of your Confirmation,
to work for a better world, a world of Truth, Justice, Peace and Love,
and as you try to live a Spirit-filled life.
Parent: The candles we have given you
are a sign of the faith we are passing on to you.
It is the most precious gift that we have to give you.
We will be there to help you as you try to keep the light of faith
burning in your life.
Child: God our Father, bless our teachers who have helped us
to hear your call to us, to live a Spirit-filled life.
They, too, have shown us the meaning of truth, love,
justice and fairness, in how we might treat others.
The Confirmation Pledge
Priest
Loving and life-giving God,
we thank You for these young people
who will shortly receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Now, they are going to make a promise
to care for the gift of life You have given them —
to stay free from alcohol until adulthood,
and to avoid forever the harm of drugs, vapes, and
cigarettes.
Bless their courage, and their desire, to live with integrity
and joy
as they say this prayer…
Confirmandi ( All together say... )
Dear God,
because I want to live a good and happy life with You,
I promise not to drink alcohol until I am at least 18 years of
age.
Help me not to use drugs, vapes, cigarettes,
or anything that could harm my body or mind.
I will listen to and respect my parents and guardians
who care for me and want to keep me safe.
I will support my friends and peers
in making good and healthy choices too.
O Holy Spirit, give me the strength, courage, and joy
to keep this promise every day.
Amen.
Holy Spirit, I want to do what is right. Help me.
Holy Spirit, I want to live like Jesus. Guide me.
Holy Spirit, I want to pray like Jesus. Teach me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Priest
Lord, we thank You also for their parents and guardians,
who have guided them to this moment with love and faith.
Bless them as they renew their own commitment
to be examples of goodness, moderation, and care.
Parents and Guardians ( Let us say it, all together )
We thank You, Lord, for the gift of our children
and for the promise they are making here this evening.
Bless them with courage to live their pledge
with faith, honesty, and joy.
Help us, as parents and guardians,
to be good examples to our children;
to look honestly at our own choices, habits, and vices,
and to live in ways that encourage health, moderation, and
hope within our family, guided always by Your Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Priest
Heavenly Father, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and Venerable Matt Talbot,
we ask you to help all Irish people, and especially the young,
to practice temperance and to make choices
that are always for the good of body and soul.
May the saints whose names these young people have
chosen
walk beside them as their friends and guides,
The Sevenfold Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom - helps us to love people more than things.
Understanding - helps us to understand how people are feeling inside.
Knowledge - helps us to know God better and what God wants of us.
Right judgement - helps us decide how to act in difficult circumstances
Courage - helps us do the right thing, even when others oppose us.
Reverence - helps us to love God as Jesus did.
Wonder and Awe in God's presence - helps us to see God all around us.
The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Love when we treat ourselves and others with respect
Joy when we try to bring happiness into people's lives
Peace when we try not to harm people
Patience when we are tolerant of others
Kindness when we show love and care to those around us
Goodness when we think of others before ourselves
Trustfulness (Faithfulness) when others can depend on us
Gentleness (Humility) when we are Christian towards others
Self-control when we control our feelings
The Symbols of the Holy Spirit:
A Dove, Wind, Breath, Fire, Oil of Chrism.
Holy Spirit Prayer
Spirit of Jesus enlighten the eyes of our hearts.
Lead us to recognise you in each other and in our home.
Help us to appreciate the signs of hope that are all around us.
And make us sensitive to all that is in need of healing.
Spirit of Jesus poured out like flames of fire upon your disciples
at Pentecost, inflame our hearts.
We pray that we, your body in this place on earth,
may brighten each other's lives with the brightness of Christ,
as we face forward with new faith, new hope and new love. Amen.
Preparing for Confirmation
Preparing for Confirmation on www.icatholic.ie go to Come Holy Spirit. In this three part series Eleanor and Johanna along with Fr Chris help young people prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Bishop Paul Dempsey recorded a video message about the Sacrament of Confirmation and how it is linked to the Sacrament of Baptism. Recording was made in Kilmovee Church by Fr Vincent Sherlock.
Available on https://achonrydiocese.org and on the facebook page of the Diocese of Achonry. https://facebook.com/achonrydiocese
The Holy Spirit of the Risen Jesus was communicated to the fearful group of Jesus’ disciples, who were gathered in the Upper Room, with Mary his mother, entrusting to them his mission. Though not present physically with them, Jesus is in the midst of this little community filling them with his peace and his joy. A mission awaits them - to make Jesus present in the world.
The Risen Lord tells them. He doesn’t tell them concretely to whom they have to go, what they have to do, and how they have to act.
“As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Their task is the same as that of Jesus ... as he received from the Father. They have seen to whom he has reached out, how he has treated the helpless, how he has carried on his project of humanising life, how he has sown seeds of liberation and forgiveness. The wounds in his hands & side remind them of his total commitment.