“It is God who gives us, with you, a sure place in Christ and has both anointed us and marked us with His seal, giving us as pledge the Sprit in our hearts.”
2 Corinthians 1:21-22

 
Confirmation is the sacrament in which the Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way to join us more closely to Jesus and his Church and to seal and strengthen us as Christ’s witness.  Through the sacrament our faith is deepened. We become full-fledged members of the Church.  The Catechism teaches, “The effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.” 
 
In Confirmation, a Christian receives a second spiritual seal, which lasts forever.  The first lasting spiritual seal was received at Baptism.  Any baptized Catholic who has not been confirmed my receive Confirmation.  
 

Confirmation Preparation

A candidate for Confirmation should prepare by learning more about the Holy Spirit—His actions, His gifts, and His biddings—in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. (CCC 1309)

Normally in our diocese, children receive this Sacrament from the Bishop in or around 8th grade. In order to receive either First Holy Communion or Confirmation, if students are not in our Catholic Schools system, they must attend two full years of religious instruction in our Parish School of Religion (PSR).  
 
If the candidate for Confirmation was not baptized at Our Lady of Good Counsel, a copy of his/her baptism certificate is required.
 
Candidates for Confirmation must have a sponsor who is a Catholic in good standing with the Church, who is at least 16 years of age and who is not the child’s parent.
 
Adults who did not receive this Sacrament as a child and who would like to receive this most important gift of God, may enroll in a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program.  Please contact the office for more information.