The Sacrament of Confirmation

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a moment of initiation into the Church, for the purpose of mission to the world. As a sacrament of initiation, Confirmation completes baptismal grace and enables candidates to live the mission of the Church more readily.

Preparation for Confirmation should be a separate and distinct program from Adolescent Catechesis within parishes. Those tasked with Confirmation preparation for our young people should reference the Diocesan Policy and Guidelines for Preparation of Baptized Adolescents to Receive the Sacrament of Confirmation for details on this immediate preparation program and its requirements. Pastors and lay employees can access this document via the Diocesan Extranet.

By virtue of the authority granted by the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Richmond has set the appropriate age for preparation and reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation to be when an individual is both at least 15 years of age and enrolled in at least the tenth grade in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. This new norm was made effective as of July 1, 2010.