What is Confirmation ?
Many people see Confirmation as a “graduation” from religious education—but it’s much more than that. Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation in the Catholic Church, along with Baptism and the Eucharist. It is not the end of faith formation, but a deeper beginning.
What happens in Confirmation?
In this sacrament, a baptized person receives the fullness of the Holy Spirit, strengthening them to live their faith with confidence and purpose.
Deepens the grace received at Baptism
Seals the individual with the Holy Spirit
Marks them fully as a member of the Church
Why It Matters
Confirmation empowers young people to move forward in faith—not away from it. It is the moment the Church calls them to be stewards of the faith.
The Heart of Confirmation
Confirmation is not about finishing a program. It’s about stepping into a lifelong mission.
Looking to Register?
Register for Youth Formation
Both Year 1 and Year 2 are required unless you are attending an approved Catholic high school. Keep in mind that attendance counts, and you must maintain a minimum of 70% attendance rate.
Register for Confirmation Preparation
Only Year 2 needs to enroll in Confirmation Preparation (even if enrolled in a Catholic high school). This means you have met all the Confirmation Preparation requirements and have also completed Year 1.*
* Please do not register for Confirmation preparation if your teen does not meet these requirements.
FAQ's
High school teens must be in 11th grade or above, have completed Youth Formation Year 1 (unless enrolled in an approved Catholic high school in year 1) and have completed Youth Formation Year 2.
Yes! Youth formation is religious education. High school youth formation includes:
- 9th grade, Youth Formation Year 1, Youth Formation Year 2.
Confirmation Preparation is separate from Youth Formation.
Youth Formation Year 2 & Confirmation Preparation enrollments are required at the same time unless your teen is not seeking the Sacrament of Confirmation.
These are mandatory meetings that teens in Year 2 must attend throughout the year. These are not to be confused with youth formation. These meetings will sometimes include Confirmation parents and Confirmation sponsors.
The practice of service hours with the church is intended to help candidates live out their faith through acts of charity and service, reflecting the call of the Gospel to love and serve others as Christ did.
Volunteering at the church is a great way to earn service hours while practicing acts of charity and service. Some acceptable ways to earn these service hours include:
- Altar serving, Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW), Mass greeter, serving meals during Lenten dinners, assisting in youth formation, various monthly service opportunities, etc.
Please visit School Finder – Choose Catholic Schools – Galveston-Houston, TX to see the approved Catholic high schools for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
No. However, they are always welcome to enroll and spend time with their fellow Confirmation candidates.
Yes. As part of the requirements to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, all teens must attend a Confirmation specific retreat. If a teen cannot make arrangements to attend the Confirmation retreat that SJV offers once a year, they are welcome to join another parish’s Confirmation retreat if that parish has availability and if it takes place before Confirmation Mass.
Teens can begin year 1 in 10th or 11th grade.
If your teen is in 12th grade but also in Year 2 that is completely okay! Assuming they meet all the requirements, they will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation with the rest of the Year 2 group.
If your teen is in 12th grade and has NOT completed Year 1 yet, you may need to consider Adult Confirmation (when they turn 18). However, feel free to contact the Youth Formation Office so that we can study each situation to determine the best path forward.
The Church tells us that “the sponsor is to take care that the confirmed person behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations inherent in this sacrament.” In other words, a sponsor is to help their candidate live as an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ before and after Confirmation.
A sponsor must also have these qualifications:
- Be a Catholic who is at least 16 years old, “unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause.
- Have received the Sacrament of Confirmation
- Be an active and practicing Catholic in good standing
- Not be the parent of the candidate
Visit the Youth Formation Office Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM or give us a call at 281.497.6665
TBD. The calendar will be shared at the first meeting. The first meeting date will be emailed to those in the program at a later date.