Confirmation for Youth

Archbishop Lori announced the lowering of the age of Confirmation to age 9 by the Spring of 2030. St. Mary’s is using a step-down approach by grade over the next four years to meet the lower age threshold.  The transition plan for St. Mary’s can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/Confirmation-Transition

For the 2025-2026 school year, St. Mary’s invites Grade 8 and high school students who have been baptized and have received their First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in the Catholic Church to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation.  The candidate must desire to grow in faith and seek Confirmation of their own free will.  Furthermore, the candidate must understand that Confirmation demands an ongoing response to be nurtured in a life-long spiritual formation. 

To accommodate the large number of candidates, two groups (or “cohorts”) have been established. Students in Grade 8 (Cohort A) will begin preparation in September 2025 and be Confirmed in January 2026. High school students (Cohort B) will begin preparation in February 2026 and be Confirmed in September 2026.  Students must register for their respective grade cohort.  If an exception needs to be granted for siblings or other pressing extenuating circumstances to join the other cohort, please contact Teresa Yao, Coordinator for Sacramental Preparation to discuss your family's circumstances.

Use the links to learn more information about the preparation process and the calendars for each cohort.