future candidates

Welcome! This page exists to help parents and their children understand how our youth Confirmation preparation process works, and outlines the steps to getting started.

“It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost” (CCC 1302).

At St. Patrick, our approach to Confirmation is rooted in this belief- and since we know that the disciples who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost went on to proclaim the Good News throughout the world, we believe that Confirmation preparation should aim to form our youth into Spirit-filled missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our preparation model therefore consists of opportunities to encounter God’s love in new ways and develop habits of discipleship in community with peers and adult mentors. As we seek to foster a culture of intentionality around the Sacrament of Confirmation and honor each candidate’s unique spiritual journey, our preparation is open to any youth in grades 7 through 12.

preparation details for new candidates beginning fall 2024

Below are two key documents which outline the expected requirements for Confirmation candidates beginning their preparation this Fall, along with a timeline of key dates to help you understand when the different components of preparation occur. You can click an image to enlarge and preview here, or download a PDF of both documents by clicking button below.

download the Preparation requirements and timeline for new candidates

Fall 2024 Registration

Registration is now open for any youth entering grades 7-11 that wish to begin Confirmation preparation this Fall.

Please be sure to review the preparation requirements and timeline of dates provided above. This will help you make the proper selections on the registration form. Thank you!

Click Here to Register for Confirmation

Once registered, you will be added to the list of incoming candidates and will begin receiving further instructions on next steps via email.

Frequently asked questions

Our preparation requirements consist of a combination of in-person commitments as well as activities and forms to be completed at home.

A detailed description of our requirements for the newest group of candidates may be found on the “Preparation Requirements and Timeline” document.
Our preparation track takes 15 months, or about 1.5 school years, to complete.
Youth may begin preparing for Confirmation as early as 7th grade and as late as 11th grade. We encourage parents to sign their child up for preparation whenever they feel their child is ready to begin preparing for the Sacrament. This replaces the former model in which youth were required to complete Confirmation preparation during one set grade (e.g., 8th grade).
We believe that arbitrarily attaching Confirmation to one particular grade level fails to honor the unique faith journey of each individual. After all, Confirmation isn’t just a rite of passage in which youth “become adults in the faith” or graduate from religious education- it is meant to be a profound encounter with the Holy Spirit that prepares us to live out our call as disciples in the world! As we eliminate the practice of confirming all youth at any arbitrary age, we hope to foster greater intentionality surrounding preparation and increased reverence for the Sacrament and its effects.

For what it's worth, many of our youth do still get confirmed as 8th graders by beginning their preparation at the earliest opportunity in Fall of their 7th grade year. However, we do not enforce one particular grade as the universal standard for Confirmation preparation/reception, nor are youth automatically enrolled in preparation in any set grade.
The simplest sign that your child is ready to begin preparation is that they personally desire to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please note that this is different from wanting to get confirmed because it's what their parents want. However, some teens won't express this desire, or they might not be sure what they want. In this case, we are looking for our candidates to simply be open to the possibility of being Confirmed and willing to participate in preparation activities while they explore that possibility.