Confirmation Study Guide Bring this study guide with you to every class. Name Class
1. Who is a Christian? A Christian is a follower of Christ. 2. When did you become a Christian? I became a Christian at Baptism. 3. What is a sacrament? A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ that gives grace. 4. What is the purpose of the sacraments? Sacraments sanctify us (make us holy/give grace), build up the Body of Christ (the Church), and give worship to God. 5. Do sacraments always give grace? Yes, the sacraments always give grace if we receive them with the right disposition (attitude). 6. Why can Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders be received only once? These sacraments can only be received once because they imprint a spiritual mark on the soul, called character, which lasts forever. This is why these sacraments are called character sacraments. 7. What are the seven sacraments? The seven sacraments are Baptism, Reconciliation (also called Penance or Confession), Eucharist, Confirmation, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick. 8. What is the sacrament in which you would hear the words I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit? The Sacrament of Reconciliation 9. What is the sacrament in which bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus? The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist 10. What is the sacrament in which the Church reaches out to anoint those who are ill? The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick 11. What is the sacrament that celebrates the love of a man and a woman? The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony 12. What is the sacrament is which a man is ordained to the priesthood? Holy Orders 13. What are the Sacraments of Healing? The Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick 14. What are the sacraments that celebrate choices of how we might live our lives (they are called the vocation sacraments)? The Sacraments of Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony 15. What are the Sacraments of Initiation? The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
16. How are the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) visible signs of initiation into the Body of Christ (the Church)? It is through the visible actions (the sacraments) that a person becomes a member of the Body of Christ (the Church). Catholic Christians are reborn in the waters of Baptism, sealed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, and nourished by the Body of Christ in the Eucharist. 17. What is Confirmation? Confirmation is the sacrament in which we are sealed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way when we are confirmed and helps us to witness to Jesus Christ both in word and deed as committed Catholic Christians. 18. What does the word Confirmation mean? The word Confirmation comes from the Latin word, firm meaning strong. It means to be made strong in our faith so that we can really live it out in everyday circumstances. 19. Why should all Catholics be confirmed? All Catholics should be confirmed to strengthen us against the worldly dangers to our salvation and to be better prepared to live and defend our Catholic faith. 20. What is the character of Confirmation? The character of Confirmation is a spiritual and permanent mark that signifies that the person confirmed is a witness to Christ and a defender of the faith. 21. How often may Confirmation be received? Confirmation can be received only once because this sacrament imprints a spiritual character which lasts forever. 22. What special preparation should we make to receive Confirmation? We should pray, develop a life of service to others (by performing the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy), and study our faith. 23. What are the effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation? The effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation are an increase in sanctifying grace (God s life in us) and a spiritual character (active power) that helps us to publically profess and defend the faith. 24. What is Pentecost? Pentecost is called the birthday of the Church. It is celebrated each year 50 days after Easter and recalls when the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles. 25. In what form did the Holy Spirit come upon those gathered? The Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles at the First Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire. The First Pentecost is described in the New Testament of the Bible in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2, Verses 1 to 13 (Acts 2: 1-13). 26. Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. 27. Is the Holy Spirit equal to the Father and the Son? Yes, the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God in Three Divine Persons.
28. When do we first receive the Holy Spirit? We first receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism. 29. Why does the Holy Spirit come again at Confirmation? The Holy Spirit comes again at Confirmation to unite us more firmly to Christ and to give us strength to be true witnesses to Christ in the world. 30. What are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit? There are seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. understanding, fortitude, and fear of the Lord. They are wisdom, counsel, knowledge, piety, 31. What are the Fruits of the Holy Spirit? There are twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. They are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. 32. What are the outward signs of Confirmation? (the outward signs that we see, hear, and experience) The outward signs include: the bishop extending his hands over the candidates, the anointing of the candidate s forehead with chrism oil, and the words of Confirmation said by the Bishop. 33. How does the Holy Spirit come in Confirmation? The Bishop extends his hands over the Confirmation candidates and prays that they may receive the Holy Spirit. He then anoints the forehead of each candidate with chrism oil with the Sign of the Cross. 34. What is chrism? Chrism is a perfumed olive oil. It is consecrated (made holy) by the Bishop of the diocese at a Mass on Holy Thursday morning (the Thursday before Easter). The chrism is used at Baptisms and Confirmations in every church in the diocese throughout the year. Chrism is a sign of the strength the Holy Spirit gives us at Confirmation to live out and proclaim our faith in Jesus. 35. Why does the Bishop anoint the forehead with Chrism in the form of a cross? The Bishop anoints the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross to remind us that we must openly profess our faith and never be ashamed of it. We must always remember that many Christians throughout history and the world have faced death rather than deny their faith. 36. Who is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation? The Bishop is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation. 37. What will the Bishop say when he confirms you? The Bishop says your Confirmation name then be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. You say, Amen. He says, Peace be with you. You respond, And with your Spirit. 38. What is a mystery? A mystery is something we cannot fully understand. It is a religious truth that we can only know through God s revelation.
39. What are the main mysteries of our Catholic faith? The main mysteries of our Catholic faith are: the Blessed Trinity (how God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God but Three Divine Persons), the Incarnation (how Jesus who is God became man), and the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus (also called the Paschal Mystery). 40. What are the precepts of the Catholic Church or what are the duties of a Catholic Christian? The precepts of the Catholic Church are: To worship God by participating at Mass every Sunday and on every Holy Day To confess your sins at least once a year in the Sacrament of Reconciliation To receive Jesus in Holy Communion as a minimum during the Easter season To strengthen and support the Church, each according to his abilities (your own parish and its priests and the world wide Catholic Church and the Pope) To do penance, including abstaining from meat on Fridays in Lent and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday) 41. What are the Corporal Works of Mercy (works of mercy that help a person physically)? The Corporal Works of Mercy are: Feed the hungry Give drink to the thirsty Welcome the stranger Clothe the naked Visit the sick Bury the dead Visit those in prison 42. What are the Spiritual Works of Mercy (Works of Mercy that help a person draw closer to Jesus)? The Spiritual Works of Mercy are: Teach the ignorant Give advice to those who need it Comfort the afflicted (those who suffer) Bear wrongs patiently (be patient with others) Forgive others who hurt you Correct those who need it Pray for others 43. What are the theological virtues (sometimes we call them the God virtues )? The theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity (love). 44. What is faith? Faith is God s gift to you. It is the ability to believe in God and give your life to him. It makes you able to trust God completely and to accept all that God has revealed and teaches through the Catholic Church. 45. What is hope? Hope is related to faith. It is the desire for all of the good things God has planned for you. Hope gives you confidence that God will always be with you and that you will live with God forever in heaven. 46. What is charity (another name for charity is love)? Charity is loving God above all things and your neighbor as yourself.