Youth Confirmation

Are You Ready for Confirmation?

There are three typical misconceptions about Confirmation:

Misconception #1: You Become an Adult in the Church with the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Sacrament used to be celebrated at birth and now varies in age as to when someone is confirmed. It marks a sign of spiritual maturity, but not being an “adult” in the eyes of the Church.

Misconception #2: The Sacrament of Confirmation is about “choosing to be Catholic” by “confirming” your faith. The Sacrament of Confirmation is about strengthening and completing the grace given at Baptism. While you must discern if you are ready for this sacrament, you are not “choosing” to become Catholic or making your faith your own. Your baptism made you a Catholic forever. The Lord gives us free will every day to “choose” if we are going to be Catholic or not.

Misconception #3: You graduate from religious education once you are confirmed and can now choose what is right for you in your faith. Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation. Our faith is a lifelong journey. We can always experience deeper conversion, and Jesus is continually calling us to a deeper relationship with Him.

What is Confirmation?

Confirmation is the Sacrament that completes the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, the Eucharist and Confirmation)

It’s transformative: This is the last of the Sacraments of Initiation. This sacrament leaves an indelible mark, which means it’s unremovable. You are marking your soul for eternity. You are activating the grace you received at your baptism and becoming the person Christ created you to be.

It’s missionary training: By being Confirmed, you are taking the mission of the Catholic Church on as your own: “to go and make disciples of all nations” – Matthew 28:20
It can be life-changing: This process has the power to change your life. Many teens have begun the Confirmation process unsure if they wanted to be Confirmed or even wanted to remain Catholic after being Confirmed. Many have ended up falling deeper in love with the Lord despite their initial reservations.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." - Acts 1:8

This Sacrament enriches and strengthens the grace received at baptism and brings us into a stronger bond with the Church - through the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit [Read about this in Isaiah 11:2]. As confirmed Catholics, we have the responsibility to share the faith, defend the faith and help lead other people closer to Christ.

"Jesus invites us to build His Kingdom: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit." [CCC 849]

Youth confirmation

Youth Confirmation meets weekly on Sundays at St. John Vianney Faith Formation Hall from 3:00pm - 4:30pm, followed by 5:00pm Mass. St. John Vianney is located at 1650 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, CA 94598.

For questions, please contact Marlene Lee, Director of Youth Minister at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (925) 891-8934.