“It is the responsibility of the people of God
to prepare the baptized for Confirmation.”
(Rite of Confirmation, 3)

The parish community must be called to a conscious awareness that it represents the Church for the young persons, and that initiation of new members is the concern and task of all the baptized. The parish community is therefore called to frequent evaluation of the level of true faith community alive within its membership, evidenced by the love and concern that characterized the early Christian communities.

As a sponsoring community, the whole parish needs to fulfill five basic roles:

1. EDUCATION of the whole community so that community becomes aware that new (and often young) people are willing to enter into the community in a new and involved way.
2. HOSPITALITY in welcoming members and new arrivals by creating a sense of being “at home” in the worship and fellowship of the parish.
3. PRAYER by being seen as persons who invite God into their daily lives through public and/or private prayer.
4. WITNESS by serving God and others through an obvious lived faith.
5. SUPPORT both financial and emotional so that Confirmation candidates are able to participate in retreats and celebrations in a fulfilled manner.

To effectively implement a Confirmation preparation program that accomplishes the objectives outlined above, parishes are encouraged to organize a Confirmation Team. Possible members of this team are parish priest, director/coordinator of Religious Education, school principal (where applicable), youth ministers, catechists, parents and other interested persons.

The Confirmation Team is responsible for prayer, studying, planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating the Confirmation preparation program.

Specific responsibilities of the Confirmation Team include the following:

1. EDUCATE the parish as a whole by
   • a)announcements and/or interviews of candidates to appear visibly in church, from the pulpit, and in the bulletin.
   • b) designing Sunday liturgical celebrations to heighten awareness
   • c) formal introductions of candidates at Sunday liturgy.
2. Promote parish HOSPITALITY for candidates by
   • a) publicly welcoming them at Sunday liturgy
   • b) encouraging candidate participation in liturgical celebrations that say “welcome” and/or “We pass the faith to you.”
3. Encourage private and public PRAYER for candidates by
   • a) forming 'prayer partners' for each candidate
   • b) including prayers for candidates in General Intercession Petitions in Sunday liturgy
4. WITNESS to candidates by
   • a) visitation to “Confirmation class” as witness to power of Sacrament
   • b) invite candidates to participate with laity in lay ministry
   • c) invite candidates to witness to younger members of parish community (i.e. Communion or Reconciliation candidates)
5. SUPPORT for candidates and programs can be achieved through
   • a) providing of financial support for Confirmation program
   • b) creating a program of encouragement – “Adopt-a-Candidate”.for parish members of families
   • c) providing receptions at enrollment and/or Confirmation day
   • d) inviting newly confirmed parish members to be part of parish work; i.e. music, administrative councils, lay ministry, community support
   • e) providing projects and programs for candidates and newly confirmed so they feel a part of parish community