Did you know that 80% of Catholic young adults are unconfirmed? For many young adults, the confirmation program was offered when they were in high school when after-school jobs and extra-curricular activities made attendance in programs and classes difficult. Are you a young adult, out of high school and interested in emerging into an adult Catholic faith?

The Newman Center offers a nine-week program of preparation for the reception of gifts of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation. This program is for persons baptized Catholic who have received First Communion.

While many Confirmation programs last a year or two, this one has been condensed into a format that fits the busy lives of college students and young adults. Because of its brevity, attendance is essential. Those who must miss more than one session will be invited to consider taking part in the program later, when their schedule makes regular attendance possible.

Our spring Confirmation classes are now in progress, so please check back in late summer/early fall for information on our fall classes.

Here are some things you can do to get started:

• Obtain a new copy of your baptismal certificate from the church where you were baptized and bring it with you to the first class. (If you were baptized in another country, a copy of your original baptismal certificate will be sufficient.)
• Married persons must be in a valid sacramental Catholic marriage in order to be confirmed. Please bring a copy of your church marriage certificate with you. (If you’d like to have your non-sacramental marriage blessed, please call ahead to schedule an appointment with the director of marriage preparation. We’ll do all we can to help you, but please be aware that this process normally requires 6 months of marriage preparation.)
• Invite a Catholic whom you admire, and who has already been confirmed, to be your Confirmation sponsor. It is best to choose someone who is willing and able to attend the sessions with you. A proxy can stand in for a sponsor who is unable to be present at your Confirmation.
• Think of a saint you would like to ask to be your patron. You may choose to take this saint’s name as your Confirmation name. The Patron Saints Index provides information on patron saints and profiles of those saints.
• Check back in August to register for the fall classes.
• Pray for the Lord to come deeper into your life and your heart.

Last fall 20 students and young adults received the Holy Spirit. They and our Confirmation team invite you to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

With Love,
Father Fred, O.P.