Confirmation for Adult Catholics

Diocesan Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

Upcoming Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

Formation for the Celebration of the Sacrament

Diocesan Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

What Is This?

This celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation is intended for any person who has received the Catholic Sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Eucharist and is prepared to receive Confirmation through formation at their parish. Reception of Confirmation completes the Sacraments of Initiation. Adults who meet all requirements are generally confirmed by the bishop at one of two celebrations held in the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire each year. This celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation includes teens, age 13 years and older, as well as adults.

When Does This Occur?

Each Fall and Spring the bishop celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Joseph Cathedral in Manchester, NH.

What If I Have Not Received 1st Eucharist?

In some cases, Catholics have not been confirmed and have not received their 1st Eucharist. If this is your situation, you can be prepared for both Confirmation and 1st Eucharist at your parish. You must also be prepared for and receive 1st Reconciliation in advance of the other two sacraments. Since the Diocese of Manchester celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation within the context of the celebration of the Mass, you would be confirmed and receive your 1st Eucharist at that same Mass.

Residency

To be eligible for these celebrations of the Sacrament of Confirmation, you must be a resident of the state of New Hampshire, and therefore a resident of the Diocese of Manchester, NH. If you live outside of New Hampshire, you must address your sacramental need with your local pastor and your local diocese.

Contact Your Parish First

You must first contact your pastor (or his representative) at your parish. Your pastor will determine the best means to prepare you for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Ideally, you will be prepared by the parish because that is the place where you live out your faith, worship, and serve your neighbor. If you do not know which parish you fall within, you can find your parish using this diocesan directory. Your pastor or his parish representative will advise you of the process for preparing for and receiving the sacrament. They will guide you in all the requirements. Parish formation for confirmation processes will vary from parish to parish. Each pastor determines what serves his parish best.

To Whom Does This Not Apply?

If you are baptized in another Christian denomination but are interested in being received into the Catholic Church and want to receive the other sacraments, this process does not apply to you. The process that will better serve you is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). You should contact your nearby Catholic Church. If you do not know which Catholic Church to contact, you can find your parish using this diocesan directory. The pastor or his designee will assist you in starting the process. More information regarding the RCIA process is available here.

What Is Necessary for a Catholic Sponsor for Confirmation?

To be eligible to be a sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation, the individual must meet these requirements:

• they must be at least 16 years of age,
• they must be a fully initiated Catholic having already been baptized Catholic and received Confirmation and 1st Eucharist,
• If married, they must be in a valid Catholic marriage.

What Is Necessary for Catholics Who Are Married?

If married, you must be validly married in the Catholic Church in order to receive any other sacraments. If you were prepared by a Catholic priest or deacon for marriage and then married in a Catholic Church according to the laws of the Church, you should be validly married. If this is not the case, you can meet with your pastor who will be able to assist you in addressing this.

Upcoming Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

The Fall 2024 celebration is scheduled for Sunday, November 10th, 2024, from 2-4 p.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral in Manchester, NH. All participants in this celebration are to be referred to the diocese by their parish.

To register parishioners for this celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, please complete the registration form that was sent out to parishes in August. Baptismal certificates must be attached to the registration form and submitted by October 28th, 2024, to the Office of Adult Faith Formation.

Formation for the Celebration of the Sacrament

If your parish pastor determines you are not able to be prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation via the parish or deanery process, he may determine that your needs would best be filled by your participation in the diocesan preparation process for the Sacrament of Confirmation. These diocesan preparation sessions for the sacrament are only intended for Catholic adults, ages 18 years and older. The Fall 2024 schedule for these sacramental preparation sessions is Wednesday evenings, September 25th, October 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th, from 6-8 p.m. Participants in these sessions must be registered by their parishes using the link that was sent out in August 2024 via the Diocesan Digest and a Flocknote to parish leadership. The sessions will be held virtually. Participants will need a copy of a Catholic bible and a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for these sessions.  The sessions will be held virtually. If you are registered for this preparation process through your parish, you will receive a link for the online sessions from the Office of Adult Faith Formation. Any participant guides and handouts will be emailed to you prior to each session. To participate in this preparation process, you must be a resident of the state of New Hampshire and thus a resident of the Diocese of Manchester, NH.

Questions regarding the upcoming diocesan celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation or the diocesan preparation sessions for the Sacrament of Confirmation may be directed to the diocesan Director of Adult Faith Formation at (603) 663-0172 or mdrennan@rcbm.org.