“And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind….Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…”
“…The reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For ‘by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.” (CCC 1285)
Just as the Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, so in the Sacrament of Confirmation, the confirmed receive a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They are sealed with the gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. Furthermore, by the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized are united more fully to Christ, who sent his Spirit as Advocate for us after his Ascension, brings them fully into the life of the Church (together with the Sacrament of the Eucharist), and strengthens them to witness to Christ in everyday life.
In the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, the Sacrament of Confirmation takes place in the third grade (simultaneously with First Communion). Children are prepared for the reception of these sacraments in the Parish School of Religion (PSR) or through their curriculum in the Catholic grade schools. If your child did not receive Confirmation in the third grade, please contact the parish office to discuss how he or she can best be prepared for the Sacrament.
If you are an adult who is interested in the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact the parish office at 217-877-4404 or inquire about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) here.
For more information or any further questions, please contact the parish offices at 217-877-4404 or see our FAQs.