RE News/Confirmation News

Confirmation News

CONFIRMATION IMPORTANT REMINDERS 

DISCUSSED AT FAITH NIGHT 

Becoming Catholic Confirmation - A practical guide for Families’.  By Kathy Horan

This book aims to assist you as parents in helping to prepare your child at home and building on your faith formation in partnership with conversations that will also be taking place at school. Please take time in the weeks leading to Confirmation to complete the book with your child.

Venue 

The Sacrament of Confirmation will commence at 2:30 pm on the 15th of October at St Patrick’s Cathedral. We encourage you to get to the Cathedral no later than 2:10 pm. There will be a rehearsal for students on Wednesday 11th October. More information to follow. 

Confirmation Card

When your child arrives, they will need to get their name ticked off by their teacher, and they will be given their Confirmation card for their sponsor to hold and hand up when it comes time for them to be anointed.   This card will have your child’s name and the Saint's name they are taking. Both your child and sponsor will then need to make their way to their allocated seat. 

Seating

Children and their sponsors will sit in the designated pews towards the front of the Cathedral, and families are asked to sit in the rows behind the student and sponsor seating. 

Sponsors 

Historically, the child’s sponsor has been a Godparent.  Anyone, however, who is over 16 years of age, has been confirmed themselves and is a good role model may be selected as a sponsor. 

The Anointing

Children will be ushered by staff up to Bishop Terry Curtin and  Fr Michael Sierkowski to be anointed by the Sacrament of Confirmation. Sponsors will go up with their child and place their right hand on the child’s right shoulder for the anointing. (Please let sponsors know this).

The Bishop lays his hand on the head of each recipient and, with his thumb, anoints the forehead with an oil called “Chrism” in the form of a cross while saying the child’s name in Confirmation and the words:

“Be sealed with the Gift of the Spirit”.  Children will respond to Presider with: “Amen”

The Bishop will then say to the newly confirmed student: “Peace Be With You”

And the newly confirmed will respond with: “And with your Spirit”. 

Booking Form for Parish

Please click on this link 

This form requires you to fill in your child’s: Baptism date and place, Parent names, Confirmation Sponsor name, Name your child will be taking for Confirmation (Saint’s name). This info will be used for Parish records and your child’s certificate. 

Dress

It is expected that the children and sponsors wear appropriate dress for a ceremony being conducted in a church. 

Stoles

Children are to wear the stole they have used for their Baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist. 

Please add the date of the Confirmation, the Confirmation name and a Confirmation symbol.

Should you require a contact for purchasing or embroidering stoles, we can recommend Kembroid https://www.kembroid.com.au/product-category/stoles/. 

Clare Bisby

Faith Leader