In the Anglican Church, confirmation is a sacrament by which we reaffirm our faith.
Those who have been baptized as infants or young children reach an age – typically about 13+ years, when they are capable of taking ownership of the baptismal promises made on their behalf by their families and Godparents.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is held once a year at our Cathedral and occasionally at our parish church in the Sunday morning liturgy. The Bishop is the celebrant at this service as it is in his role as chief pastor, and a symbol of the unity of the Christian community that confirmation takes place. This service is among the rites of the Anglican Church at which our Diocesan Bishop always presides.
During the service, those to be confirmed are asked to affirm their faith – as it is expressed in the Baptismal Covenant of the Anglican Church of Canada. This covenant, found in the Book of Alternative Services, expresses a commitment of belief in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, as well as a commitment to living the Christian life.
The Bishop lays hands upon the head of each candidate, offering for each a brief prayer for the Holy Spirit to support the individual in the commitment he or she is making. Then those just confirmed seal their commitments by sharing with the rest of the congregation the bread and wine of the Holy Communion.
If your son or daughter is ready for the commitment of confirmation, or if you are an adult interested in confirmation for yourself, please contact our Rector via the Parish Office.
When the number of candidates for the sacrament warrant, confirmation classes will be scheduled well in advance of Confirmation Sunday.
There is also a rite of Reaffirmation which can take place with a Confirmation. As Confirmation is celebrated only once in the life of an individual, after significant life changes, some people like to have a formal way to reaffirm their faith. The preparation for this rite is the same as for confirmation.