Confirmation is the one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and First Holy Communion. According to Catholic doctrine, in the sacrament of Confirmation, the faithful are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and are strengthened in their Christian life. Just as bodies and minds grow, we believe that the soul also needs to grow in the life of grace. The sacrament of Confirmation builds on the sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and Holy Communion, completing the process of initiation into the Catholic church.
The sacrament of confirmation completes the sacrament of Baptism. If Baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, Confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age. The real confession of Christ consists in this - 'that the whole man submits himself to Truth, in the judgement of his understanding, in the submission of his will and in the consecration of his whole power of love . . . To do this, poor-spirited man is only able when he has been confirmed by God's grace'
This confirmation in the power of the Holy Spirit leading to a firm profession of faith has always been the particular effect which Catholic tradition has ascribed to the sacrament. It is effect which complements and completes that of Baptism. Being confirmed in the Church means accepting responsibility for your faith and destiny. Adulthood, even young adulthood, means that you must do what’s right on your own, not for the recognition or reward but merely because it’s the right thing to do.
Confirmation is a true sacrament instituted by Christ and different from Baptism. It is administered by laying-on of hands and anointing with chrism accompanied by prayer. The chrism is blessed by the bishop and the bishop administers the sacrament. All baptised persons can and should be confirmed. The effect of the sacrament of confirmation is to give strength in faith and for the confession of faith and to impress an indelible character.
The Confirmation ceremony may take place at Mass or outside of Mass, and the presiding bishop wears red vestments to symbolise the red tongues of fire seen hovering over the heads of the apostles at Pentecost. Each person wishing to be confirmed comes forward with his or her sponsor, who may or may not be one of the godparents chosen for Baptism.
Please email the church office for an application form.
St Marks with Holy Family Brantham and St Mary Magdalen Parish
Welcome to St Marks and St Mary Magdalen Catholic Parishes. In our parishes we are committed to supporting one another in becoming disciples of Jesus Christ, fully alive to God and to one another. We welcome all people, of all ages and backgrounds to encounter the living God who comes to us most especially in the sacraments and above all in our Sunday celebration of the Eucharist (Mass). We are a parish committed to renewal, believing that the beautiful gift of faith is too precious to be taken lightly and too important not to be encouraged to grow and flourish. We therefore approach the preparation for the sacraments in a way which may be different to what you may have been used to in the
past.
Confirmation is a pivotal moment in the life of a Catholic Christian. To be a full member of the Catholic Church, a person is required to receive the three Sacraments of Initiation, these are: Baptism, Confirmation and the Holy Communion. These three sacraments are usually received during childhood, so it is imperative that parents and families are resourced to journey with their children as they are brought into the full life of the Church. Sacraments are gifts from God, they are visible signs and gestures that confer invisible graces on the person receiving them. They are not, however, magic. The person receiving them still needs to receive and cooperate with the gifts being given in the sacraments. Just like a seed planted in soil, if it is not nurtured, watered and protected, it will die, so too, if the person receiving the sacrament is not nurtured, watered by faith and protected from those things that endanger the life of faith, then the graces given in the sacrament will weaken, wither and die. Therefore, the role of parents and family is critical, and in fact the Church teaches that it is the parents, before anyone else who are responsible for educating their children in the faith;
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2223 Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.
2226 Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child's earliest
years….The parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life
of Christian families; it is a privileged place for the catechesis of children and
parents.Catechism of the Catholic Church
At St Mark’s and St Mary Magdalen we are committed to a family centered approach to the sacraments which supports parents in bringing up their children in the faith.
Preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation is a shared journey between the candidate, the candidate’s parents/family and the parish. The young person being confirmed needs to be supported by parents who are journeying with their child in the knowledge and understanding of the faith. For this reason, we ask that in normal circumstances at least one of the candidates (if under 18) parents/guardians participates in an Alpha course, whilst their child with participate in “Youth Alpha.”
The main preparation for Confirmation is above all participation in Sunday Mass. Since Confirmation is the celebration which completes full initiation into the church, candidates must be serious about attending Mass and participating in parish life. In summary Confirmation preparation in our parish looks like this:
Fr Luke Goymour VF
Parish Priest
November 2024
*The parish priest reserves the right to adapt or dispense with the course in certain limited
circumstances as maybe needed i.e. candidate is close to 18 and is only person of faith in family.
