Certainly Jesus' disciples received grace before his Resurrection, but on Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to strengthen them with new graces for the challenges of their apostolic life (Acts 2: 1-21). They then went out and preached the gospel fearlessly and carried out the mission Christ gave them (Acts 8: 14-17). The Father anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit to do good work and heal the oppressed (Acts 10: 38). Through confirmation we too are strengthened to meet the challenges of our journeys.

The essential rite of Confirmation is anointing the forehead with sacred chrism, along with the laying of the Bishop's hands on the head, and the uttering of sacred words. Anointing is rich in biblical symbolism: oil is a sign of healing, it cleanses, it soothes wounds, and makes radiant the recipient's beauty. Confirmation is given only once because it imprints on the soul the seal of the Holy Spirit, an indelible spiritual mark, which is the sign that the Confirmand is enrolled in Christ's service forever and is promised divine protection for the Christian journey.

St. Rita's Guidelines for Confirmation
Confirmation at St. Rita's occurs every two years at a special Confirmation liturgy in the spring.

• Candidates are high school juniors or seniors.
• Candidates must attend classes, a retreat, and participate in community service.
• Sponsors are confirmed Catholics and accompany their confirmand in some of the classes.
• Baptismal godparents are encouraged to serve as Confirmation sponsors for their godchild.
• Adults who want to be confirmed are advised to do so through the R.C.I.A. process.