For Those Who Wish to Receive Confirmation from Fr. Joseph Evinger
Bishop David Kagan is scheduled to come to St. Joseph’s in Killdeer on November 26, next month to give the sacrament of Confirmation to those who are ready, children or adults.
Who can receive the sacrament of Confirmation? Those who have not yet been confirmed, who have reached the use of reason (age 7-8), and who are ready. I would like children to be confirmed before their sophomore year assuming the person wants to receive this sacrament.
Parents, if you see in your child a longing to live a Christian life, even if the child is 8, I would highly recommend you present your child for confirmation. In the culture that we live the sooner a child receives the grace of this sacrament the better.
Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For many years now, some have thought that this sacrament is graduation in the Catholic faith and, therefore, often waited till even late high school to offer this grace to their children. It’s quite the opposite. This sacrament like baptism is the beginning stage of living a Christian life and provides the necessary grace, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit needed to live as a follower, servant, and friend of Christ to the fullest (See Catechism 1285-1321). The sooner this sacrament is received the better.
I have decided, as the Church requires, that in order for someone to be confirmed one must know the bare minimum of what it means to be a Catholic Christian. I have provided a study guide on our parish website (Click on Sacraments, then Confirmation). I know every child can memorize the answers to these questions. There will be an examination written or oral to see the readiness of each child. These examinations will need to be completed by the week of November 12th. Parents, please help your children as is necessary.
On this website there is an online form to submit if you would like your child to be confirmed. Please fill it out.
Each child needs a Sponsor, a good Catholic Christian man or woman, not a part time practicing Catholic, but a Catholic who meets the minimum requirements laid out on the Sponsor Form on the website.
Also, each child is asked to choose a saint whom they look to as a role model (not a family member or movie star, but a canonized saint). This saint name will be given to the person upon receiving confirmation by the Bishop or his delegate. If you have any questions contact Fr. Joseph, Katlyn Steffen, or Darci Schettler.