Confirmation continues the Christian path begun at baptism, enriching Christians by the gift of the Holy Spirit and binding them more perfectly to the Church. The recipient receives the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit [Isaiah 11:2-3]. The ecclesial effect and sacramental grace of the sacrament give the recipient the strength and character to witness for Jesus the Christ.
In the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, children celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation as a high school junior. They are involved in continued formation from the time of their First Communion.
Who do I need to contact?
There is a high school confirmation program that starts in 9th grade. It is a self-paced program. Two years must be completed by 18 years of age in conjunction with the Life Team (Youth Group). Please contact Beth Chavez for more information.
For adults who seek the sacrament of Confirmation and who are Baptized Catholic and have had the sacraments of reconciliation (confession) and Holy Eucharist, please contact the parish office at 505.839.7952.
For adults who are Baptized Catholics seeking the sacrament of Confirmation and have not had the sacraments of reconciliation (confession) and Holy Eucharist, please get in touch with the parish office at 505.839.7952 through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).
Confirmation
If you are interested in participating in Confirmation, please contact the parish office at 505.839.7952. After speaking with a member of the parish office team, you will schedule a follow-up interview with her to discuss the Confirmation process. At that appointment, please bring all the completed forms in the package below.
If you have additional questions about this process, please give the parish office team a call.
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ADULT CONFIRMATION PREPARATION
The Archdiocese offers a special Confirmation service for adults who were not confirmed in their youth. In previous years our parish has offered sessions to help these candidates prepare for reception of Confirmation, and we are planning to do so this coming Lent.
In preparation for these sessions, we ask that any person wishing to attend these sessions enroll early for participation, in order that all requirements will be met before sessions begin. To start the process, interested persons can call the Parish Office at 839-7952. Please include your e-mail address with your inquiry.
There are basic requirements that must be met before completing enrollment.
1– Eligible Candidate must be a practicing Catholic, age 21 or older
2 – Must have made First Confession and First Communion
3 – If married, must be validly married in the Catholic Church
4 –If not married, may not be cohabitating.
5 - Candidate must provide official documentation of these Sacraments from the Church of their Baptism.
6 - Candidates who are not registered at St. Joseph on the Rio Grande parish must have a letter of permission to participate from the pastor of the parish in which they are registered.
7 - Fee for participating is $50.00
8 - Participants must attend every session, as well as the retreat. There will be no makeup sessions.
9 - Confirmation Sponsors must attend the retreat, along with the candidate.
Topics that will be covered in our sessions include Sacraments: Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation. The Paschal Mystery. Eucharist. The moral life of the Catholic. The role of the Holy Spirit in our Faith life. Confirmation and our role in the Catholic Church.