When teens receive the sacrament of Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston, it is frequently offered within a faith formation ministry. In the Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative,prerequisite discipleship formationprecedesimmediate Confirmation sacramental preparation. Together, this is Faith Formation.
Usually Confirmation takes place at the conclusion of these preparations in the spring. Anyone in grades 8 and higher who seeks to commit himself or herself to being a life-long follower of Jesus is encouraged to prepare for Confirmation.
Teens attendingCatholic Schoolsshould speak with Tony Carbrello, Coordinator of Youth Ministry, about participating only in the immediate Confirmation sacramental preparation process, though the teen would be encouraged to participate throughout all of the collaborative's Faith Formation and Youth Ministry.
Prerequisite - Attend scheduled faith formation sessions and complete Home Faith Reflections (online forms) to make up missed sessions. All teens receiving Confirmation are expected to complete the specific sessions related to Confirmation preparation.
Schedule meetings with Tony for Confirmation Conversations. These conversations are meant to discuss where each teen is at in his or her own faith journey, and happen once near the beginning of the process and also in the time immediately prior to receiving Confirmation.
Participate in opportunities for ministry and mission
Confirmation Mass 2026 for both Holy Family and St. Irene candidates will be held on Friday, May 8 at 7:00pm, celebrated by Bishop Reed (Auxiliary Bishop for our region) at St. Bernard Church of Holy Family Parish. Candidates and sponsors should arrive at 6:15pm.
A Confirmation rehearsal for candidates and sponsors is held beforehand (day/time to be determined). The rehearsal may be be followed by a dinner for candidates and sponsors, organized by the group of teens who will receive Confirmation in the spring of 2027.
Logistics at the Confirmation Mass:
Candidates and sponsors will sit together in reserved pews, with most pews in the church available as open seating for family, friends, and guests.
Due to the timing of the Confirmation Mass, candidates and attendees are advised to have some food prior to attending.
Please note that St. Bernard Church is air-conditioned.
Parking is somewhat limited in the parking lot behind the church. Additional public parking is located around the Church. Please allow extra time to arrive, park, and get to Church.
What Should I Wear for Confirmation?
Candidates for Confirmation and their families often ask about what clothing is appropriate for the ceremony. It is suggested that you think of what you would wear for Easter Mass, than be one step more dressy. Hair should be prepared to keep the forehead open, as the Bishop will be making a cross with oil on the forehead. Please do not wear a hat, as even dress hats often get in the way. There should be no gum or food in the church.
Guys’ Details:
Suits are fine, sport jacket is good, neither is necessary.
Nice pants, can be khakis, but no jeans, no cargo pants.
Collared shirt, better if it’s a dress shirt.
Ties are fine (with appropriate content).
Dress shoes – no sneakers.
Girls’ Details:
Comfortable dress shoes, but with no big heels, as they are too easy to trip on.
Skirts and dresses are fine, but not required, and please be mindful of modesty.
Phases of Reception Age in the Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative:
2025-2026 School Year: teens in Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, with some 8th graders*
2026-2027 School Year and after: teens in Grades 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
*Teens who are already experiencing a life of discipleship (regular prayer, Mass, participation in ministry and missions) are invited to complete their preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Learn more in Preparation Process tab.
Age of Confirmation Reception to be Phased In Through 2027
In January 2024, Cardinal Sean O’Malley (then Archbishop of Boston, now retired) announced that the age for the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston would be changing from around age 16 (or 10th grade) to around age 13, or 8th grade. Many factors led to this decision: to decrease the gaps between the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation); to increase and strengthen the role of families in the faith formation of their young teens; and to make the grace of the Sacrament of Confirmation available to more young people at a critical time in their adolescence. Many studies show that teens today are making decisions to associate - or disaffiliate - with a faith tradition in early adolescence.
The Archdiocese of Boston is allowing each parish / collaborative to phase in the Confirmation reception age as they think is best in their community. After much discussion, we have decided in the Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative to take a gradual approach, in order to best ensure that our teens have a good foundation of discipleship as they receive God's grace in the sacrament of Confirmation.
Candidates for Confirmation will be expected to have past experience in Faith Formation before they begin Confirmation Preparation.
The Code of Canon Law (Church Law) specifies the requirements for serving as a sponsor at Confirmation (Canon 893) are the same as those for godparents at Baptism (Canon 874): a sponsor may not be the parent of the person being confirmed, a sponsor must be at least 16 years old, a sponsor must be fully initiated (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) in the Catholic church, a sponsor should live a life of active faith in the Catholic Church, and if married a sponsor needs to be in valid Catholic marriage.
It is preferred that a baptismal Godparent will be the Confirmation sponsor, although ultimately the choice of sponsor is that of the candidate, who may choose someone who meets the qualifications above. While it is preferable that sponsors attend the Confirmation liturgy, it is possible to have a “proxy” stand in for the absentee sponsor (this "proxy" could be a parent). This has always been the case, but has been more common due to the pandemic.
Confirmation sponsors will be communicated with directly by the Coordinator of Youth Ministry, Tony.
Your name gives you your identity. It tells others who you are. When you were baptized, your parents chose your name.
It is a common custom, though not required, for someone to choose to be Confirmed under the name of a Saint or figure from the bible at the time of their Confirmation. This occurs in the bible when a significant change happens in a person: Abram becomes Abraham, Jacob becomes Israel, and Saul becomes Paul, to name a few.
How you use this Confirmation name is up to the candidate, though it would be the name by which a candidate is presented to the Bishop during the Rite of Anointing portion of the sacrament of Confirmation.
Below are a couple of websites listing many saints, to enable your choosing a name. Past generations had to look at books.
Tony offers the following videos for information, perspective, and some humor. Enjoy!
The first video (from the Diocese of Syracuse) explains some of the meaning behind the sacrament of Confirmation, but also gives plenty of visual examples of teens coming forward to be anointed by the Bishop. In our case, Bishop Reed will ask for only a name and offer peace to the candidate – there will be no handshake or conversation before or after the anointing.