Sacrament of Confirmation

At Confirmation, Christ seals us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we can be better equipped to spread the Gospel like the Apostles at Pentecost. But it’s not enough to just receive these gifts. We have to accept them and choose to use them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about the Rite of Confirmation in the Diocese of Des Moines

What is the age for Confirmation?

Confirmation requires two years of preparation in the 9th and 10th grades, with the Rite of Confirmation being received during 10th grade.
What are the requirements for Confirmation sponsors?

The Code of Canon Law stipulates requirements for sponsors.

  • Can. 892 Insofar as possible, there is to be a sponsor for the person to be confirmed; 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.
  • Can. 893 §1. To perform the function of sponsor, a person must fulfill the conditions mentioned in can. 874. 2. It is desirable to choose as sponsor the one who undertook the same function in baptism.
  • Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:
    • 1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
    • 2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
    • 3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
    • 4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
    • 5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
  • 2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.