Celebrating the Gift of the Holy Spirit and a Young Person’s Growing Christian Faith
Celebrating a Young Person’s Growing Faith and Their Call to Live as a Disciple of Christ
Confirmation is a joyful and significant milestone in a young Christian’s journey of faith.
It is a time to celebrate, but it is also an invitation.
An invitation to grow closer to God, to welcome the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to take greater responsibility for living out the Christian faith in everyday life.
For Catholics, Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments and, together with Baptism and the Eucharist, forms part of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation.
It builds upon the grace received at Baptism and strengthens the person through the gift of the Holy Spirit for a life of Christian discipleship.
What Is Confirmation?
The word confirmation can help us understand something of the meaning of the sacrament.
At Baptism, we are welcomed into the Christian community and begin our sacramental journey of faith. In Confirmation, that baptismal grace is strengthened and deepened through the Holy Spirit.
For many young people, Confirmation also comes at an important stage of life.
As children grow and begin making more decisions for themselves, Confirmation encourages them to consider what their faith means personally and how they will choose to live it.
It is not a graduation from faith or the end of religious formation.
In many ways, it is another beginning.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is at the very heart of Confirmation.
Before His Ascension, Jesus promised His disciples that they would not be left alone. The Holy Spirit would come to guide, strengthen and empower them.
We see this dramatically at Pentecost, when the disciples were gathered together and the Holy Spirit descended upon them.
Scripture tells us:
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:4)
The frightened disciples were transformed. Filled with courage, they went out and began proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.
That same Holy Spirit remains at work in the Church today.
Through Confirmation, Christians are strengthened by the Spirit and encouraged to live their faith with courage.
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Those preparing for Confirmation will often learn about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Traditionally, these are:
Wisdom – helping us see our lives through the eyes of faith and recognise what truly matters.
Understanding – helping us grow in our knowledge and appreciation of God and our faith.
Counsel – helping us make good and faithful choices.
Fortitude – giving us courage and strength to do what is right, even when it is difficult.
Knowledge – helping us recognise God’s purpose and presence in our lives and creation.
Piety – nurturing our love for God and our desire to worship and serve Him.
Fear of the Lord – not fear in the ordinary sense, but a deep reverence and awe for the greatness and goodness of God.
These gifts are not simply ideas to learn for a sacramental program.
They are gifts to be lived.
A young person will need wisdom when making difficult decisions, courage when standing up for what is right, understanding when encountering people with different experiences, and reverence when recognising God's presence in their life.
The Symbols of Confirmation
Confirmation is rich in Christian symbolism.
One of the most important symbols is oil.
During the sacrament, the bishop or priest anoints the candidate with Sacred Chrism, making the Sign of the Cross on the forehead.
Chrism is a perfumed oil blessed by the bishop and is also used in other important sacramental celebrations.
Anointing has deep biblical roots. Throughout Scripture, people were anointed and set apart for a particular purpose.
The Sign of the Cross made with Chrism reminds the newly confirmed person that they belong to Christ and are called to carry their faith confidently into the world.
Another familiar symbol of Confirmation is the dove, recalling the Holy Spirit descending like a dove at the Baptism of Jesus.
Fire is also frequently used to represent the Holy Spirit, particularly because of the tongues of fire associated with Pentecost.
These symbols remind us that the Holy Spirit is not something distant or abstract.
God's Spirit is alive and active.
Choosing a Confirmation Saint
In many Catholic communities, candidates choose the name of a saint as part of their Confirmation preparation.
This can be a wonderful opportunity for a young person to discover the extraordinary variety of people who have lived lives of Christian faith throughout history.
Saints were not all the same.
Some were courageous leaders. Others quietly served the poor. Some were teachers, missionaries, parents, priests, religious sisters, young people or ordinary men and women who lived their faith extraordinarily well.
A Confirmation candidate might choose a saint because they admire their courage, identify with their story, share their interests or feel inspired by the way that person followed Christ.
Learning about a chosen saint also provides the young person with a spiritual role model and someone whose example can continue to inspire them throughout life.
The Role of a Confirmation Sponsor
Confirmation candidates are also commonly accompanied by a sponsor.
The role of a sponsor is much more than simply standing beside the candidate during the ceremony.
Ideally, a sponsor is someone who can encourage the young person in their Christian faith, pray for them and provide an example of faithful Christian living.
That relationship need not end when Confirmation Day is over.
A sponsor can continue to be someone the young person turns to for encouragement and guidance as their faith develops.
Confirmation Is Not the End of the Journey
It can sometimes be tempting to think of Confirmation as the completion of a child's sacramental education.
But Christianity isn't something we complete.
Faith continues to grow throughout our entire lives.
After Confirmation comes the challenge of putting that faith into practice.
How will I treat people who are different from me?
Will I forgive when forgiveness is difficult?
Will I stand up for someone being treated unfairly?
Will I make time for prayer?
Will I use my gifts to help others?
Will I have the courage to live according to my Christian beliefs when doing so isn't popular?
These are the places where Confirmation begins to move from the church ceremony into everyday life.
The Holy Spirit strengthens us not simply so that we can believe differently, but so that we can live differently.
Choosing a Meaningful Confirmation Gift
Confirmation is an important occasion for families, sponsors, godparents and friends to celebrate the young person's growing faith.
A meaningful Christian gift can become a lasting reminder of both the day and the promises associated with it.
A Bible can encourage a lifelong relationship with God's Word, while a prayer book or devotional can help establish regular habits of prayer.
Crosses and crucifixes provide a visible reminder of Christ, while religious jewellery, saint medals and Holy Spirit jewellery can be worn as a personal expression of faith.
Rosary beads, plaques, photo frames and Confirmation keepsakes can also provide lasting reminders of this special sacramental occasion.
When choosing a Confirmation gift, consider something that will continue to encourage the recipient's faith long after the celebration itself has passed.
Celebrating Confirmation with Christian Supplies
At Christian Supplies, we would love to help families, sponsors, schools and parishes celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Our Confirmation collection includes a range of Bibles, books, crosses, rosary beads, jewellery, medals, plaques, photo frames and meaningful Confirmation gifts and keepsakes.
But the greatest gift received at Confirmation cannot be wrapped.
It is the gift and strengthening presence of the Holy Spirit.
As each young person celebrates their Confirmation, may they understand that God has given them gifts for a purpose.
May they have wisdom when choices are difficult.
May they have courage when faith requires courage.
May they recognise God's presence throughout their lives.
And above all, may they allow the Holy Spirit to guide them as they become the person God is calling them to be.
“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.”
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