“In Confirmation the soul of a baptised Christian is imprinted with a permanent seal that can be received only once and marks this individual forever as a Christian. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the strength from above in which this individual puts the grace of his baptism into practice through his life and acts as a ‘witness’ for Christ.” -YouCat 205
Receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation means being sent on a mission by the Church for Christ. We see examples of sending for mission throughout the scriptures. For example, Moses encountered God in the form of a burning bush (Exodus 3), and in spite of his protestations, God tasked him with a mission to serve others. Also, the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint David as the future King of Israel (1 Samuel 13), and in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John went from place to place confirming new Christians by laying hands upon those who had only previously been Baptized (Acts 8). In a similar manner, the Bishop (or a priest delegated by the Bishop) who celebrates Confirmation comes to lay hands on new Christians, praying that they would receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He then anoints them with oil that they would be strengthened for the mission God is calling each of us to.
Being confirmed is essentially a mutual ‘yes’ declared by God and by the one being confirmed. The one being confirmed asserts the faith of their Baptism, and asks for the gift of the Holy Spirit that he or she may never be separated from God. God, for his part, affirms His belief in each one of us, and gives us the gift of His very self, promising to stay with us and to help us do all that He has called us to. It takes the initial choice to follow Christ in Baptism a step further: recognizing that each Christian has a distinctive role to play in the Kingdom of God.
Registration for the 2019-20 Confirmation classes will begin in September. Registration and information times as well as other important dates are as follows:
Sunday, September 22nd: Information/Registration following the 9:00 a.m. Mass
Sunday, September 29th: Information/Registration following the 9:00 a.m. Mass
*This will be a 30 minute meeting to go over the role of candidates, parents and sponsors. Please bring a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate as well as $20 for the books.
Monday, October 7th: Confirmation classes begin
There are 8 classes to attend. (1 per month) There are 2 schedules to choose from. Your child with first need to choose to be in group A or group B. Once you have chosen a group you will attend either the Monday OR Tuesday class as it fits your families schedule. Although it may appear confusing at first, it is to give families the most flexibility possible to accommodate for other commitments you may have. Please note that all 8 classes as well as the assignments are required. The schedules are listed below, but will also be in the front of the Confirmation workbook.
- Confirmation Registration Form August 2019
- class schedule 2019-20 Group A
- class schedule 2019-20 Group B
2020 Confirmation Mass is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26th at 7:00pm
Contact Pamela Benko at 780-960-0135 for more information.
This year a Confirmation Program will also be offered for high school students enrolled at St. Peter the Apostle. Please email Mike Landry for more information mlandry@ecsrd.ca.
We also offer Christian initiation programs for children (RCIC) for children ages 6-14 who have not yet been baptized. These groups meet weekly throughout the year to learn about the faith and prepare for the Sacraments of Baptism. Please contact the parish office for more information.