St. Anthony of Padua
CONFIRMATION SPONSOR GUIDELINES
It is considered an honor and privilege to be chosen as a Confirmation Sponsor.
The Sponsor will be a witness to the Confirmation Candidate’s initiation into full Christian life.
Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Candidate is strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit,
made a true witness of Christ in word and deed, and invited more deeply into the life of the Church.
“… The sponsor brings the candidate to receive the sacrament, presents him/her to the minister for the anointing, and will later help him/ her to fulfill his/ her baptismal promises faithfully under the influences of the Holy Spirit.”
(Rite of Confirmation. Introduction #5)
“ The Sponsor’s function is to take care that the person confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the duties of this sacrament.”
(Code of Cannon Law #892)
The Archdiocese of Galveston Houston sets forth the following
Requirements for a Confirmation Sponsor:
- The sponsor must be designated (by candidate or parents) and have the intention of the role. (Only one Sponsor per Candidate)
- The sponsor must have completed their sixteenth year.
- The sponsor must be a Catholic who has been Confirmed and has received the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist and lives a life of harmony with the Catholic faith and the role to be undertaken.
- The sponsor must not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared
- The sponsor may NOT be the parent of the one to be confirmed.
The Role of a Sponsor:
- The Sponsor is to be a role model of Christian living for the person you have sponsored, through daily prayer, virtue and active participation in parish life and liturgy.
- The Sponsor will nurture a close personal and spiritual relationship with the Candidate during the Confirmation preparation year and throughout their lifetime.
- Listen to and share in the Candidates maturing struggles and triumphs in living a Christian life, and keep yourself informed on Catholic Christian doctrine and values to be able to answer questions when they arise.
If a Sponsor is unable to attend the
Confirmation Mass another adult may stand in their place as a proxy.
A Proxy is held to the same Archdiocesan Conditions
and Requirements as a Confirmation Sponsor.
Confirmation Sponsor Certificate Due:
October 27, 2010