Confirmation

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Sacrament of Confirmation

The 2024-2o25 Confirmation Students/Candidates of Saint Eugene Church are scheduled to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday, March 8th, 2025 at 10:00 A.M. at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, R.I.

The Most Reverend Bishop Robert C. Evans-Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Providence-will be the Celebrant of the Ceremony.

Please keep our Confirmation Students/Candidates in your prayers as they do their final preparations to receive this great Sacrament in their lives!

 

 Thank you and may God bless you!

 

Confirmation Preparation Program

The Confirmation Preparation Program is for youth who have received the Sacrament of Baptism and have undergone Faith Formation Grades K-8 or its equivalent in Catholic School and are able to demonstrate a working knowledge of the basic teachings of the Catholic Faith.  In order to be admitted/accepted into the Saint Eugene Church Confirmation Preparation Program, Students/Potential Confirmation Candidates must register for St. Eugene Church Faith Formation and pass an Confirmation Program Entrance Exam given each year in the early Autumn.  Upon acceptance into the Confirmation Program, Students/Candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

  1. Actively practice the Catholic Faith by attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, live his/her life according to the 10 Commandments, teachings of Christ, & teachings of the Catholic Church-i.e., the values of the Gospel.
  2. Attend a 1 week intensive class, Monday-Friday (each class session is about 1.5 hours), and, or make up for any sessions missed.
  3. Commit to some type of ongoing service for St. Eugene Church or the local community.  If the service is not for St. Eugene Church, it must be reviewed and approved.
  4. Attend the Parish Lenten Mission, the Easter Triduum, or another approved retreat/retreat equivalent.
  5. Choose a qualified Confirmation Sponsor
  6. Choose a Confirmation Name
  7. Compose a Letter to the Bishop celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation explaining the reasons the Student/Candidate wishes to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.*  This last requirement is done as part of the Confirmation Program Class

Confirmation Sponsor Requirements

  1. Sponsor must be at least 16 years old
  2. Sponsor must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist
  3. Sponsor must faithfully practice the Catholic Faith by: attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation; receiving the other Sacraments when necessary/appropriate; being committed to following the 10 Commandments, the teachings of Christ, & the teachings of the Catholic Faith.
  4. If the Sponsor is married, he/she must be in a marriage that is recognized/approved by the Catholic Church.
  5. The Sponsor must be able to fulfill the commitment of guiding the Confirmation Candidate in the practice of the Catholic Faith.
  6. If a Sponsor is not a member of Saint Eugene Church, he or she must obtain a form called a “Sponsor Certificate” from the Catholic parish where he/she currently practices his/her faith.

 


Clarification About Meaning of Confirmation
Many young people and sometimes, even their parents think of the Sacrament of Confirmation as a graduation ceremony.  The reality is, Confirmation is not the end, it is only the beginning of a life committed to Christ and His Church.

Let us look at what the Church teaches us about the Sacrament.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “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)

“Every baptized person not yet confirmed can and should receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Since Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist form a unity, it follows that “the faithful are obliged to receive this sacrament at the appropriate time,” for without Confirmation and Eucharist, Baptism is certainly valid and efficacious, but Christian initiation remains incomplete.” (CCC 1306)

Young people who have not yet been confirmed should enter the parish Religious Education Program and adults who have never received the Sacrament can enter the R.C.I.A. program.  More information about the preparation process is available through the Religious Education office.