The Diocese of Manchester has launched an initiative to strengthen faith formation in our parishes and schools.  It is called “Restore, Renew, Proclaim the Hope that Is Christ.”  The goal of this initiative is to make lifelong faith formation a priority and a reality in all our parishes.
 
To accomplish this, we will be looking at ways to strengthen our youth ministry and adult faith formation processes, as well as reimagining our sacramental preparation programs.  At the heart of all this is a desire to form disciples of all ages. Exciting things will be happening in all our parishes as we look forward with hope and with confidence that the Holy Spirit will guide all our efforts. Our parish will continue to be a place where disciples are formed in the faith and sent out on mission.

Over the next few years, the standard age of Confirmation is going to be third grade throughout the Diocese of Manchester, and Confirmation will be celebrated before, not after, First Communion. This practice restores Confirmation to its original place. 

Through this process, the three Sacraments of Christian Initiation return to the logical order in which they were designed to be received: first Baptism, then Confirmation, then Eucharist. It also restores the practice of administering the Sacraments of Christian Initiation to young children as early as possible.

Our parish has a plan for an implementation schedule, as well as a renewed vigor for implementing this change within the context of Lifelong Faith Formation. This will help us to provide an enriching experience of God's love through the sacramental life of the Church.

Through the waters of Baptism, we are incorporated into the Body of Christ through the Spirit.  We die to sin and become new creations in Christ. Confirmation is a special outpouring and strengthening of the Holy Spirit.  This sacrament permanently seals us to Jesus Christ. Through the sacrament of the Eucharist we receive Christ—Body, Soul, and Divinity—in the bread and wine.  Eucharist completes our initiation and unites us as one body in Christ.

In the early church, people were initiated into the community at one single event.  They were baptized, anointed with chrism, and shared in the Eucharist.  The sacraments, over time, have been separated from one another and this happened for a variety of reasons.

The Second Vatican Council asked the Church to make it more clear that Confirmation is intimately connected with Baptism and the whole of Christian initiation.  This also helps us to see that Eucharist completes our initiation into the Church. 

For quite some time, many Catholics have referred to the sacrament of Confirmation as kind of a rite of passage in the faith.  Confirmation is, and has always been, a sacrament of initiation, not transition or graduation.  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this: “Although Confirmation is sometimes called the ‘sacrament of maturity,’ we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth…St. Thomas reminds us of this: Age of body does not determine age of soul. 

Even in childhood one can attain spiritual maturity.” (CCC 1308) We do not confirm our faith in the sacrament of Confirmation.  It is not about what we do, but it is about the work of God.