Confirmation Sponsor

Choosing a Sponsor

We do not journey alone. God created us to live in relationship with others and with Him. The person you choose as your Confirmation sponsor should demonstrate in their lives what it means to be Catholic. He or she will stand up for you, present you before the community, and witness your anointing with chrism.  The Church encourages candidates to choose, if possible, one of their Baptismal godparents as their sponsor for Confirmation because it more clearly expresses the link between Baptism and Confirmation. The sponsor’s influence continues after Confirmation. The sponsor should serve as someone you can turn to for help and guidance as you continue your spiritual journey. The qualifications for a sponsor are as follows:

• a confirmed member of the Catholic Church, in good standing (able to receive Communion), and at least 16 years of age.
• a living witness to the Catholic faith through regular participation in the sacramental life of the Church.
• someone who has an ongoing caring relationship with the candidate, not only during the Confirmation preparation process but also after the reception of the sacrament. (This person cannot be a parent/guardian/step-parent. As with a god-parent, it should be a person who acts to compliment the parent’s religious upbringing for their children.)
• someone who has a good knowledge of the candidate’s readiness for the reception of the sacrament so as to testify in the candidate’s behalf. (This presumes that the sponsor has met and discussed matters of faith with the candidate).

May the Holy Spirit be with all of you as you choose your sponsor! Pray for this person, so that, moved by the Spirit, he or she will accept the role, with a prayerful, enthusiastic response!