According to the Code of Canon Law, a sponsor must:

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Be a practicing Catholic, leading a life in harmony with the Roman Catholic faith.
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation.
• Not be a parent of the candidate.

A sponsor must provide proof of both Baptism AND Confirmation in order to be a sponsor; this can easily be obtained by contacting the church the sponsor was baptized at and asking for a copy of the sponsor’s updated sacrament record.

A sponsor is not expected to attend sessions, however they are welcome to attend if they would like to go alongside their candidate in the preparation process. They should plan to attend the rehearsal as well as the Confirmation Mass itself.

If they were baptized at our church, we can look up their sacrament record here. If they were baptized at a different church but can’t find their certificate(s), we recommend calling their church of baptism as soon as possible and asking for an updated sacrament record (it can be helpful to the process if you’re able to give their full name, date of birth, and even their baptism date to the church when you request the record). This record can be sent directly to our church, or you can send us a copy when you receive it.

This program is meant for young people who have been baptized Catholic, received their first Reconciliation and first Holy Communion, and are in grades 7-12. For anyone 18 years or older, you should enter our RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program; contact Hanna (office@stalphonsus.net) for more information if you fall in that older age range or have not been baptized/received your first sacraments.

A few years ago, the diocese determined through prayer and discussion with the school board that a parish-based sacrament prep program was the way to go. This is primarily because the sacraments stem from the faith relationship found within the community of the Church, not membership in a school. Eventually, students graduate from school; but a parish is a family of faith that someone never graduates from. Their school will not be the place they go back to for healing in a moment of crisis, for sacramental care in a time of sorrow or joy, or for direction and encouragement when they are called to grow and mature in life. Through the Sacraments one declares, “I want to be a member of this community of faith for life”. Through our community, the faithful, including our children, grow and become who God wants them to be!

Normally, sacraments should be received in one’s home parish, usually the closest parish to where you live or the parish where you regularly worship. For a serious reason, however, an exception may be made for a candidate to receive Confirmation in a different parish. If you’re from a parish other than ours, we ask you to obtain a letter of permission from your own parish pastor and provide it to us before beginning our preparation program.

Candidates will be partaking in sessions directly following the 11am Sunday Mass, and are strongly encouraged to participate in Mass regularly – every weekend. (Our Mass schedule is Saturday at 4pm and Sunday at 9am or 11am.) At baptism, parents promise to raise their children in the practice of the faith. Through Confirmation, young Catholics are strengthened to take personal responsibility for building good faith habits and become adults in the eyes of the Church. It is important that our actions match our inner thoughts, so, candidates looking to receive this sacrament who intend not to enter a church again for some time afterwards should question whether this is the appropriate time in their lives to receive Confirmation. The most significant way parents can help their children prepare for any sacrament is to participate regularly with them at Mass, to model their own regular participation with the sacraments – and it’s never too late to start!