A sponsor plays a very important role in a candidate’s Confirmation journey. He or she:
- Gives witness to the Catholic faith and his/her personal relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, ministry, and honest sharing with the candidate.
- Spends dedicated time throughout the preparation process with the Confirmation candidate reflecting on scripture, the Catholic faith, prayer, and what it means to live out your Catholic faith as a disciple of Jesus
- Serve as a faith-filled mentor to the candidate to help him/her process thoughts, concerns, and questions about Confirmation and the Catholic faith.
Sponsors do not know all the answers, but they know how to listen and guide.
Who can be a sponsor?
The Church has a few official requirements regarding sponsors. They:
- Must be a registered parishioner and practicing member of the Catholic Church
- Must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation
- Must regularly participate in the Sunday Mass and regularly receive Holy Communion
- Must be sixteen years of age or older
- If married, must be in a valid marriage
- Must actively strive to live his/her commitment to Christ and to the community of the Church
- Cannot be a parent of the Candidate
- Must commit to praying for the Candidate he/she is sponsoring
- Must be living daily a Catholic, Christian, moral lifestyle
Sponsor Events
Sponsors stand with their candidates as they receive the sacrament of Confirmation. If your sponsor cannot attend the Confirmation Mass, you may have a “proxy” stand in for your sponsor.
All sponsors must fill out a Verification Form and mail it to the Cathedral (directions on the form) with his/her pastor’s signature and his/her parish’s official Seal.