future candidates

Welcome! This page exists to help parents and their children understand how our Confirmation preparation works, and what steps should be taken in order to get started.

  • Our Confirmation preparation is open to any youth in grades 7-11 who are open to growing in faith and desiring to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. This means that families can choose to begin preparation when their child is ready- rather than being required to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation in one particular grade. The preparation track takes approximately 15 months (or 1.5 school years) to complete, and consists of a combination of in-person commitments as well as activities to be completed at home.

  • At St. Patrick, our approach to Confirmation preparation is rooted in the knowledge that Confirmation imparts the grace of Pentecost to every individual who receives the Sacrament. Knowing that this is the same grace which propelled the first generation of Christian disciples to proclaim the Good News to the ends of the earth, we believe that Confirmation preparation is an opportunity to walk intentionally with youth in order to prepare them to live as the followers of Jesus that they were created to be.

    We seek to offer Confirmation preparation in a way that is flexible enough to meet the needs of each candidate and their family. That is why we allow each candidate to choose how they will grow in faith throughout their preparation (their Discipleship Commitment). We also believe that attaching Confirmation to one particular grade level fails to honor the unique faith journey of each individual. After all, Confirmation isn’t graduation from religious education or an arbitrary milestone - it is a profound encounter with the Holy Spirit that prepares us to live out our call as disciples in the world!

    To further understand our preparation process, please review the documents and or video found below.

  • The following two-page document is the best place to start in order to understand our preparation process. The page titled “The Process” captures all of the preparation requirements, while the “Confirmation Timeline” page provides a sample timeline of when the various requirements fall on the calendar.

    View Confirmation Process & Sample Timeline

Parent Information Video:

The following video was made to help parents of potential Confirmation candidates understand:

  • What our new Confirmation preparation process is

  • The reasons we’ve made significant changes to Confirmation preparation over the past few years

  • How and when different elements of preparation will occur

Ready to Get Started?

To register for youth Confirmation preparation, please complete the Confirmation Registration and Intent Form. Registration to begin preparing for Confirmation in Fall 2024 will open on May 1, 2024.

Have further questions or concerns about the Confirmation process?

Click below to schedule a phone call or meeting with Marissa Dawson.

Marissa Dawson

Youth Discipleship Coordinator
(810)-229-9863 Ext. 215
mdawson@stpatchurch.org