Why do you need a Confirmation Sponsor?
The way the saints became saints was by learning from other holy people, namely other saints! They were individuals that wanted to do good, please God, and someday go to heaven. Your sponsor will be another person who will help you to grow in your faith, guide you in what steps you need to take to do that, make suggestions to help you in the right direction for your life, and ultimately be with you and God in heaven.
Your sponsor will also be responsible for making sure you act as a true witness to Christ and that you have prepared for this Sacrament.
Choosing a Sponsor
A good candidate is someone who strives to live a holy life and to actively live their Catholic faith. They must be in “good standing” with the Church and living a sacramental life by attending Mass every Sunday and Reconciliation frequently. It should be someone who you admire and someone who can help you better live out your Catholic faith. It is also helpful if it is someone you can talk with about your faith and things going on in your life. There may be different aspects of the Christian life that are most important to you in a sponsor. Maybe you admire their prayerfulness, commitment to service, willingness to sacrifice for others, or how they live out their vocation.
There are many things you can look for in a sponsor, but a sponsor should exhibit love for God and their Catholic faith, integrity, virtue, and a commitment to a life of holiness.
Qualifications for Sponsors
It is desirable that the one who took the role of godmother or godfather at Baptism also be the sponsor for Confirmation, if possible. Sponsors should take seriously their role in assisting with the preparation of each candidate and make every effort to attend the Confirmation mass. Like a parent, a Confirmation sponsor’s job is to be an up-close-and-personal witness of the Christian life to their candidate. The sponsor’s task does not end when the student is confirmed; rather, the sponsor is obligated to help you continue to grow in faith, to help in your Christian walk throughout life, and to seek you out if you ever go astray. The sponsor should seek to communicate the Faith to his or her candidate, who, through the Sacrament, becomes in a very real sense, that sponsor’s “spiritual child.” Sponsors should commit to praying daily for their candidates and remind candidates that they are praying for them.
- Be a practicing Catholic who has received Baptism, consistently receives the Eucharist, and be Confirmed in the Catholic Faith and at least 18 years of age
- Live a life consistent with the views and teachings of the Catholic Church by attending Sunday and Holy Day Masses and generally participating in the Sacramental life of the Church (If not an active member of our Cluster Parishes, a signed letter from the Pastor at the sponsor’s home parish must be provided).
- If married, the marriage must be considered sacramental by the Catholic Church. This includes if a person is divorced and remarried. If you have questions please double-check with your teacher.
- Does not need to be the same gender as the candidate, but cannot be the parent, guardian, or boyfriend/girlfriend of the candidate.