The Sacrament of Confirmation confers “the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost (CCC 1302)”. As such, Confirmation is ordinarily administered by the bishop, who is the successor of the apostles.

By the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptised are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.

In the Rite of Confirmation, the bishop traces the Oil of Holy Chrism on the candidate’s forehead in the shape of the cross. This recalls Christ’s title as “the Anointed”. In the Old Testament, we also read about the anointing of priests, prophets, and kings:

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.

Want to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation?

•   You have been baptised or received into the Catholic Church.
•   Complete your parish’s Confirmation preparation for teens.
•   Contact your parish for more information.