Confirmation

Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation. During the celebration of this sacrament:

We are anointed with Holy Chrism oil as a symbol to strengthen us in our faith journey. The bishop lays hands over the candidates calling the Holy Spirit down upon them. Candidates receive a deepening of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. We renew our baptismal promises for ourselves because Confirmation is a reaffirmation by both the candidates and the church of the commitments already made at baptism.

In Confirmation the Holy Spirit comes and strengthens those gifts we received at baptism so that we can contribute our own special gifts and talents to the family life of our church and the world.

In the Diocese of Pittsburgh those who were baptized into the Catholic Church as infants are normally confirmed when they reach the 8th grade or during their first semester of 9th grade.