"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:4)
The purpose of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be strengthened in the faith and to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. The sacrament of Confirmation is found in Bible passages such as Acts 8:14–17, 9:17, 19:6, and Hebrews 6:2, which speak of a laying on of hands for the purpose of bestowing the Holy Spirit.
The Catechism beautifully explains the purpose of this sacrament:
Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." (CCC 1285)
At St. Jude, children are confirmed in the beginning of 7th grade. Please see the Receiving Confirmation page and the Sponsor Requirements page for more details and the documents for receiving the sacrament.
If you are an adult or a student past 7th grade, please contact the rectory at 215-822-0179 so that we can work toward helping you to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit! See also our How to Become Catholic page (also called RCIA, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) for more information.
“Remember, then, that you received a spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear. Keep safe what you received. God the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you and sent the Spirit into your hearts as the pledge of what is to come.” St. Ambrose (d. 397 AD)
“O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.” St. Augustine (d. 430 AD)
“(Confirmation) unites us more firmly to Christ. It strengthens our relationship with the Church and it gives us a special strength from the Holy Spirit to defend the faith and confess the name of Christ.” Pope Francis, 2014