Sealed with the Spirit

The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. If you are baptized and have received your First Eucharist but have not yet been confirmed, you may want to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.  The goals preparing candidates for Confirmation are:

• To develop a deeper understanding, appreciation and active participation in the Eucharist.
• To understand the major symbols of the sacrament and their meaning: laying on of hands and anointing with sacred chrism.
• To foster personal spiritual growth as well as participate in communal worship.
• To encourage a sense of discipleship and life of service both within the parish community and the wider community.

Here in Bayonne, Confirmation is usually celebrated when a student is in the 9th grade.  Being a 2 years process, the preparation during the course of our Religious Education program, begins when a student enters the 8th grade.  In the first year we celebrate a special Rite of Inscription in December when the candidates attend a Mass and formally enter their names into the parish book.  If someone has been baptized as a Catholic, but not completed this last of the Sacraments of Initiation, the person would join our RCIA program.