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CONFIRMATION
 The Sacrament of Confirmation confers an indelible character on the soul of the recipient and produces a growth in the grace given in Baptism. God places His seal of ownership on the candidates and they are enriched with the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit, and are more closely linked to the Church. It gives them a special strength to witness to the Christian faith.
Candidates for Confirmation
Only those already baptised can, and should, receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, which can be received only once. In the Archdiocese of Sydney it is the usual practice to confer the Sacrament on children who are in Year 5 or 6, after they have made their First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
Adult Catholics who have been baptised but have not received the Sacrament of Confirmation, can be prepared for the Sacrament, which is administered by the Bishop at St Mary’s Cathedral.
The children of the Parish are prepared for the Sacrament through a special school programme in the parish primary school and other candidates are prepared through a special parish programme.
Sponsors for Confirmation
 The Church requires the person to be confirmed to have a sponsor. The sponsor’s function is to take care that the person confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfils the duties inherent in the Sacrament. It is desirable that the sponsor chosen be the one who undertook this role at the candidate’s Baptism.
One sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex. The sponsor chosen should be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the Blessed Eucharist and who lives a life of faith, which befits the role to be undertaken.
The sponsor should not be less than sixteen years of age, unless, at the discretion of the Parish Priest, he or she is considered mature enough to undertake the responsibility of the role.
Name for Confirmation
It is time-honoured tradition in the Church that the candidate assumes a new name for Confirmation. This should be the name of a Saint whose life and virtues the candidate would wish to emulate.
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