What is Confirmation?
Baltimore Catechism No. 2 Answer

What is Confirmation? Can you and your children give a concise answer? Here's what the Baltimore Catechism No. 2 teaches as the definition of Confirmation:

"Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Ghost comes to us in a special way and enables us to profess our Faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ." 

Many of the questions for Confirmation are related to the Blessed Trinity and the Holy Ghost. You need to know the main prayers like

  • The Apostles' Creed, 
  • The Our Father, and 
  • The Hail Mary 
  • As well as a brief statement of each of the seven sacraments,
  • the Ten Commandments, and 
  • The effects of Confirmation.
What is Confirmation? Pentecost - Symbol of Confirmation - The Holy Ghost Descends Upon The Apostles and MaryWhat is Confirmation?
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Confirmation is very important since it is the sacrament that gives us the extra sacramental graces necessary to persevere and get to Heaven.

If you have the opportunity to be confirmed, treasure it and prepare well! If you're looking to have your children confirmed, you'll like these ideas.

The classic Catholic answers are definitive and easy to remember. Generally you learn the most about the sacraments of Baptism, Penance and the Holy Eucharist when you are studying for First Communion.

What's next? You study the doctrines about the Holy Trinity for Confirmation.

What Is Confirmation? Learn the Easy Way.

If you're at the beginning of this journey, you'll want to know that after:

  1. Receiving the sacrament of Baptism 
  2. And studying the basics truths, 
  3. The best preparation for Confirmation is receiving 
  4. The sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist.

Did you also know that the graces of your Confirmation can all be restored by a good Confession?

This applies to each of the Sacraments including Holy Orders and Matrimony! Think of having all of these graces restored! The booklet called Confession - Its Fruitful Practice explains that this restoration is proportional to our sorrow, according to St. Thomas Aquinas on page 18 (Tan Books).

Be sure to think of this so as to become a better soldier of Jesus Christ once you are confirmed, ordained, or married.

If you need audio downloads, printable worksheets for copy work, and a printable booklet for catechism class, you'll love these Baltimore Catechism Confirmation downloads:

  • What is Confirmation? The BC gives the definition.
  • Value? Buy and download once. Print forever.
Audio Baltimore Catechism CDs and digital downloads.Digital Baltimore Catechism Communion and Confirmation ebooks, worksheets, and coloring downloads.

Confirmation Preparation Questions

What Is Confirmation? Use headphones to listen to our downloads.

Confirmation assures us of the graces that you should dread to miss.

No other sacrament and no other activity in the world can offer such protection and assurance on your way to Heaven.

Catholic Holy Days of Obligation

When you're preparing for Confirmation it's time to learn about the Catholic Holy Days of Obligation as you'll need to know them every year.

Which are the Holy Days of Obligation in the United States? They are (Consult your local Ordo for the specifics):

  1. Christmas Day, December 25.
  2. Circumcision, January 1.
  3. Ascension Thursday, 40 days after Easter.
  4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15.
  5. The Immaculate Conception, December 8.
  6. All Saints' Day, November 1.

Use the numbers to help remember the titles and dates,

  1. "One. Christmas Day, December 25.
  2. "Two. The Circumcision", etc.

Memorize one line at a time with its number and then practice them together in order. This is a good trick with any list like the Catholic Ten Commandments. A younger student can use his fingers to keep his place till he is handy with the list. This way the number is the clue in a long list.

Another idea: Think of there being three holy days for Our Lord, two for Our Lady, and one for the Saints in Heaven.

Why is Christmas first? The reason that Christmas Day is the first Holy Day on the list. The Catholic liturgical calendar begins with Advent, four weeks before Christmas. 

Study these easily with Saint Anne's Audio Catechism (CDs or Downloads) and Catechism Worksheets.

Catholic Saints For Confirmation Names

St. Patrick Stained Glass Window - What is Confirmation?

What is Confirmation without choosing a Confirmation name? 

Choosing from amongst the many Catholic saints names can seem to be a big job, so be sure to read a general book on the lives of the saints in good time before you choose your name. This can be very early depending on how soon Sister asks for your registration.

  • Catholic Liturgical Calendars and Catholic Missals can also make the job easier. 
  • Fr. Lasance Catholic Missals tell a short story about the Saint of the day in the back of the book.
  • Tan Books sells a complete list with variations in a booklet called Is it a Saint's Name?
  • The Catholic Encyclopedia, Butler's Lives Of The Saints (not Thurston and Attwater's version), 
  • And books on individual saint's lives are a great way to get to know your favorite saint so that you can choose a patron who will suit your personality.

Find more on choosing a saint's name here.

What Are Some Confirmation Symbols?

Symbols of the Holy Ghost

What is Confirmation without learning its symbols? Many catechisms do not teach these, but they are at least interesting to know. You'll be reminded of the Holy Spirit throughout the day if you know His symbols.

The five symbols of the Holy Ghost are:

  1. Dove,
  2. Oil,
  3. Cloud,
  4. Water, and
  5. Fire.

Catholic art frequently shows the Holy Ghost as a dove or as tongues of fire, as in many beautiful pictures of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Frequently you'll also see a cloud, water or some depiction of oil. Oil is more often a verbal symbol as in speaking of the strength Confirmation confers. Remember, the base word to Confirmation is "firm".

Learn these symbols easily with St. Anne's Helper Audio Confirmation Catechism CDs and Catechism Copybooks!

What Is A Good Confirmation Catechism?

Check out these Confirmation resources:

Baltimore Catechism Confirmation Preparation: Audio, Worksheets, eBooklet - or all 3 bundled.

A. Audio

Catholic Confirmation Audio Book CD and cover.Audio Catholic Confirmation Catechism: Like having a Catholic tutor for memory work.

B. Worksheets

Catholic Catechism Quiz, Worksheets, or Copybook to download and printManuscript and Cursive Catholic Confirmation digital interactive worksheets. Paperless or printable.

C. eBooklet

Printable Catholic Confirmation Preparation eBookletCatholic Catechism Confirmation Preparation Booklet: Baltimore Catechism No. 2