Confirmation

The 2025-2026 year will be the final year of our "standard" Confirmation program. After this year, we will begin transitioning down to Age 9 Confirmation, as is happening across the Archdiocese of Baltimore. If you would like to learn more about this Archdiocesan decision, click here.

Any youth in 7th-8th grade or high school who is also participating in a separate faith formation program (typically Faith Formation at St. Alphonsus or Catholic school) is eligible for Confirmation preparation. High school students who are not enrolled in a faith formation program will be accommodated as needed. 

Adults (18+) looking to receive Confirmation should contact Dee Papania at dee@stalchurch.org for information regarding the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).

Families with an eligible child will receive a Welcome Email in August of the year their child will begin preparation for the sacrament. If you believe you have an eligible child and do not receive this email, contact Clare Kinsey.

The program runs September to May. The full schedule is available at the bottom of this page. Key components of the program are once a month sessions, retreat experiences, service, and participation in select youth ministry events.

Registration for Confirmation 2025-2026 is available below.

There is a sacramental prep fee of $100 per candidate due at the time of registration. This fee covers the cost of each child's Fall Retreat Day, preparation workbooks, and materials needed for our monthly sessions. An additional fee (not yet determined) will be due in the spring for our Spring Retreat.

Service cannot be viewed as simply reaching a set number of hours. Reaching a certain number of hours often doesn't help our Confirmation candidates understand what it means to have a servant's heart. So, we count service as experiences! All service must be completed directly through St. Alphonsus.

Each Confirmation candidate is required to participate in:

• One long term service opportunity at St. Alphonsus (VBS, altar serving, youth choir, etc.) 

OR 

• Five short term/single day service opportunities at St. Alphonsus

Candidates can begin earning credit towards service opportunities on June 1 of the year they will begin the preparation program (for example, those who will be participating in the 2025-2026 program are eligible to begin receiving credit on June 1, 2025).