The Sacrament of Confirmation is a mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. Confirmation is the rite in which we are strengthened for service to the Church and to others and sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Like Baptism and Eucharist, it is a Sacrament of Initiation for Catholics and a Sacrament of faith in God’s fidelity to us. It is received only once in one's lifetime; it is not a repeatable moment.
Common Questions - Confirmation
Being sealed and strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit to be a living witness to Christ
No. Catholics acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin. If you were baptized validly in a different Evangelical Christian faith tradition, you will be received to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, then you will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. This is usually done during the Easter Vigil, after the completion of the Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA) program.
Yes, we receive the Holy Spirit during Baptism. During Confirmation, the soul of a baptized Christian is imprinted with the permanent seal that sets you apart as a Christian forever. “Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:
It roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, ‘Abba! Father!’;
It unites us more firmly to Christ;
It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
It renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1303)
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are (1 Corinthians 12:8-10):
- Wisdom
- Understanding
- Counsel
- Fortitude
- Knowledge
- Piety
- Fear of the Lord
Receiving these gifts at Confirmation equips the confirmand to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ and the Gospel.