For on him the Father, God, has set his seal. (John 6:27) At Confirmation, we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm our baptismal promises. Greater awareness of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred through the anointing of chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop.

Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds. (CCC 1316)

Through the Sacrament of Confirmation we renew our baptismal promises and commit to living a life of maturity in the Christian faith. As we read in the Lumen Gentium (the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church) from the Second Vatican Council:

Bound more intimately to the Church by the sacrament of confirmation, [the baptized] are endowed by the Holy Spirit with special strength; hence they are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith both by word and by deed as true witnesses of Christ. (no. 11)

Preparation for Confirmation

Our preparation program for the Sacrament of Confirmation focuses on a series of transformative retreats in place of weekly classes. These retreats are designed not only to cover all the essential topics required by the Archdiocese of Seattle for Confirmation, but also to provide our youth with profound opportunities to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ. Through this immersive retreat experience, our 7th graders who are ready to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation will engage in:

  • In-depth Exploration: Each retreat will delve into specific components of our faith, guided by our Catholic teachings and tradition.
  • Community Building: Each confirmation candidate will be placed into a small group at our first retreat with a small group leader that will walk with them for the entire year. Small groups will have at least 3 additional meetings outside of the retreats and they aim to strengthen friendships and provide additional opportunities for spiritual growth and encouragement with other people in the same stage of life as them.
  • Personal Encounter: We aim to create an atmosphere where each participant can encounter Christ personally, through prayer, reflection, and the sacraments. Building this relationship with Christ is a key part of Sacrament preparation as this is the most important relationship one will have in their life.

2025-2026 Program Information

The key dates and requirements for our 2025-2026 program year are provided below. Please note, that attendance at all retreats and small group meetings is mandatory in order to meet the Sacrament requirements for Confirmation. More information regarding paperwork will be sent out to those who register.

  • Sunday, October 5, 2025: Registration Deadline
  • Saturday, October 18, 2025: Retreat 1 @ St. Monica (9:30AM-5PM)
  • By November 14, 2025: Submit their Baptism Certificate (if they weren’t baptized at St. Monica’s or Sacred Heart), their Confirmation sponsor forms, and their Confirmation Saint project.
  • Sunday January 11, 2026: Retreat 2 @ Sacred Heart (9AM-6PM) (Confirmation sponsors will also need to attend a portion of this retreat)
  • Saturday, March 28-Sunday, March 29, 2026: Retreat 3 @ TBD
  • By April 1, 2026: Submit their Confirmation elect form and eight volunteer hours .

(If your student attends St. Monica School, they will still need to submit all the same paperwork, Saint project, and volunteer hours, however they will have their Confirmation class in school with Mr. Lewis. They will be required to attend our third retreat in March, but they do not need to attend our other retreats.)

Click here to register for Confirmation.

For more information, please contact:

Kelsey Heintz, PA for Middle School Youth Ministry

kelsey@stmonicami.org or 206-232-2900.

Scriptural Foundation for Confirmation

In the Acts of the Apostles we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. While baptism is the sacrament of new life, confirmation gives birth to that life. Baptism initiates us into the Church and names us as children of God, whereas confirmation calls us forth as God’s children and unites us more fully to the active messianic mission of Christ in the world.

After receiving the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostles went out and confirmed others, showing Confirmation to be an individual and separate sacrament: Peter and John at Samaria (Acts 8:5-6, 14-17) and Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6). Also the Holy Spirit came down on Jews and Gentiles alike in Caesarea, prior to their baptisms. Recognizing this as a Confirmation by the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded that they be baptized (cf. Acts 10:47).

An overview of the Sacraments of the Catholic Church and our parish's offerings of these Sacraments can be accessed via our Sacraments page.