ST. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church

14908 Main Street

Upper Marlboro, Maryland  20772

email:  rectory@stmarysum.org

Business Hours for the Rectory 10am - 5pm Monday through Friday

Confirmation

As a sacrament of initiation, Confirmation is intimately related to Baptism and the Eucharist. Christians are reborn in Baptism, strengthened by Confirmation and sustained by the Eucharist. Specifically, in Confirmation, they are signed with the gift of the Spirit who conforms believers more closely to Christ and strengthens them so that they may bear witness to Christ for the building up of his body in faith and love.

The sacrament is conferred by anointing with chrism on the forehead which is done by the imposition of the hand and through the words prescribed in the approved liturgical books. The whole rite has a two-fold meaning: the laying on of hands is the biblical gesture by which the gift of the Holy Spirit is invoked; the anointing with chrism and the accompanying words express clearly the effects of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Confirmation, baptized Christians receive an indelible character, the seal of the Lord, together with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which confirms them more clsoely to Christ and gives them the grace to spread the Lord’s presence among others.

Confirmation is to be seen as a part of the triad of Christian initiation, not as a sacrament to mark the coming of age of the candidate. Students in the 8^th grade are confirmed at St. Mary’s as well as adults and older teenagers who missed it earlier.

The sponsor at Confirmation must fulfill the same requirements as those for Baptism.

The Bishop is the ordinary Minister of Confirmation. A priest can validly confer this sacrament only if he has the faculty to do so, either from the general law or by way of a special grant from competent authority.

In addition to thorough catechesis, opportunity is made for the Sacrament of Penance prior to Confirmation. The confirmed chooses a name of a Christian saint by which to be called. The candidate should be mindful that this custom places him/her under the special patronage of the saint on whose intercession the confirmed Christian will call. It provides, at the same time, a role model for living the Christian life. The baptismal name may be used if the candidate wishes.

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