Strengthened by the Spirit

Celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation

Focal Point: A small table covered in a white cloth is placed at the front of the altar.
Sitting on top the white cloth is a lit candle and a crucifix.

Introduction

Reader 1: Today we gather to celebrate the strength and courage given by the Holy
Spirit to Saints and Blesseds, and heroic Christian men and women
throughout the world. We will listen to the story of one of the early
Christians who was a follower of Jesus. His name was Stephen and his
courage and bravery made him a very special person. Stephen was killed
because he taught the Good News of Jesus.

Reader 2: As followers of Jesus, people are strengthened by the Holy Spirit, which they
receive in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Jesus calls his followers to open
themselves to the Spirit within, by living out the Beatitudes. The word
‘beatitude’ means a special kind of happiness - the happiness of being with
God. This is the happiness of heaven. We start to experience this happiness
now by living out the Beatitudes.

Reader 3: Today, we make a commitment to continue to live a life of faith and to

always strive to keep the Holy Spirit alive within us. We endeavour to live
out Christ’s teachings and to actively participate in the Mission of the
Church. In class, we have explored the different ways that we can live out
the Beatitudes in our own lives. Today, we bring to the altar painted stones
which symbolise what the sacrament of Confirmation means to us.

Please stand to for the opening procession.

Processional Song: ‘Hearts on Fire’ by Michael Mangan

Entrance Procession: Students process in holding a painted stone which symbolises what the
Sacrament of Confirmation means to them.

Students place the stones next to a candle and crucifix, on a small table
displayed in front of the altar.
 Greeting and Sign of the Cross

Bishop/Celebrant: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Bishop/Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All: And with your spirit.

Penitential Rite

Bishop/celebrant: Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves
to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

All: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters that I have
sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have
done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all
the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to
the Lord our God.

Bishop/celebrant: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to
everlasting life.

All: Amen.

Bishop/celebrant: Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Bishop/celebrant: Christ, have mercy.

All: Christ, have mercy.

Bishop/celebrant: Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

The Gloria

All: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you
thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty
Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of
the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;you take
away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right
hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the
Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.
 Opening Prayer

Bishop/Celebrant: Let us pray.

God of love, you sent us your Son Jesus, who showed us his great inner
spiritual strength. Bless us and help us develop our own spiritual strength by
trying to live as Jesus taught.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading

Reader 1: A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (6:8-7:60).

Stephen was one of the members of the early Church. Stephen had great
faith. He worked miracles in Jesus’ name. He healed the sick. He spoke to
the crowds about Jesus’ teachings and his love for Jesus.
Reader 2: The leaders became very angry and were jealous because lots of people
were listening to Stephen and his message about Jesus. They made up lies
about Stephen. They arrested him for something he did not do. Stephen was
not afraid of them but spoke of his love for God with great courage and joy.
He wanted the people to believe in Jesus. This made the leaders even
angrier with Stephen.
Reader 3: Because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen was happy and not
afraid. He looked up, ‘Look!’ he cried out, ‘The heavens are opened, and I
can see Jesus standing with God’. The leaders could not bear to hear this
talk. They put their fingers in their ears. They grabbed Stephen, dragged him
outside the city and threw stones at him. Before he died, Stephen prayed to
Jesus, ‘Lord, receive my spirit, and forgive these people for their sins’.

This is the Word of the Lord …

All: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm: ‘Spirit Come’ from As One Voice by Willow Connection.

Response: Spirit, come, transform us.

Come be our breath, be our hope.
Spirit, come, transform us.
Come be our breath, be our hope.

Singer 1: Deep in the womb of our heart

Reveal your presence, O God.

Singer 2: Draw us to share others’ burdens,

Healing and loving with truth.

Singer 3 You are the one who unites us

In striving for justice, for peace.
 Gospel Acclamation (sung)

All: Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy the poor in spirit;

The kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Alleluia!

Gospel

Bishop/celebrant: The Lord be with you

All: And with your spirit

Bishop/celebrant: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (5:1-12).

All: Glory to you, O’Lord.

Bishop/celebrant: When Jesus* saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat
down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them,
saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be
filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all
kinds of evil against you falsely* on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for
your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Presentation of Candidates
Parish Priest: Would those to be confirmed please stand.
(The candidates to be confirmed stand in their places in the church.)
Your Grace (My Lord, Father), the parish community of St Paul’s wishes to
present to you these candidates who have been prepared to receive the
 fullness of Christian Initiation in the sacrament of Confirmation. It is my
privilege to present them to you.
Celebrant: Do you judge them to have been prepared to receive the sacrament?
Parish Priest: Yes, I believe that with the help of parents and teachers they are suitably
prepared.
Celebrant: Thanks be to God. I gladly accept these candidates to receive the
sacrament of Confirmation.

Homily

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

(The Confirmation candidates are invited to stand)

Bishop/celebrant: Do you renounce Satan, and all his works and empty promises?
Together Candidates: I do.
Bishop/celebrant: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?
Candidates: I do.
Bishop/celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the
Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is
seated at the right hand of the Father?
Candidates: I do.
Bishop/celebrant: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who today
through the Sacrament of Confirmation is given to you in a special way just
as he was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost?
Candidates: I do.
Bishop/celebrant: Do you believe in the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
Candidates: I do.
Bishop/celebrant: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen.

The Laying on of Hands

Bishop/celebrant: Dearly beloved, let us pray to God the almighty Father, for these, his
adopted sons and daughters, already born again to eternal life in Baptism,
that he will graciously pour out the Holy Spirit upon them to confirm them
with his abundant gifts, and through his anointing conform them more
fully to Christ, the Son of God.

(All pray in silence)

Bishop/celebrant: (The Bishop/celebrant lays hands over all those to be confirmed)

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who brought these your
servants to new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, freeing them from sin:
 send upon them, O Lord, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; give them the spirit
of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit
of knowledge and piety; fill them with the spirit of the fear of the Lord.
Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.
Anointing with Chrism
(Gentle, instrumental music plays in the background as each Candidate
approaches the celebrant with their sponsor by their side. They pass the
celebrant the card containing their Confirmation details. Sponsor places their
right hand on the candidate’s shoulder and says the name of the one to be
confirmed to the Bishop/celebrant. The Bishop dips the tip of the thumb of
his right hand in the Chism and, with the thumb, makes the sign of the Cross
on the forehead of the one to be confirmed, as he says…
Bishop/celebrant: Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit
Candidate: Amen.
Celebrant: Peace be with you.
Candidate: And with your spirit.

Prayers of Intercession
(Students may choose to use prayers of intercession written in class)
Response: Holy Spirit, give us your strength and courage.
Reader 1: We pray for our Pope. May he continue to remind us how we should always
reflect our God who is good. We pray …
Reader 2: We pray for our Archbishop (or bishop), our priests and all in religious life.
May they continue to show strength and courage, being good models for
how we should live the Beatitudes. We pray …
Reader 3: We pray for all the sick and dying known by members of our school
community. May all be strengthened by the Holy Spirit and continue to be
courageous. We pray …
Reader 4: We pray for all those present. Sometimes it is hard to choose between right
and wrong. At times we become afraid and lack courage because of what
others might think of us. May the Holy Spirit deepen our inner strength and
help us to stand up for others who are treated unjustly. We pray..
Bishop/celebrant: O God, who gave the Holy Spirit to your Apostles, and willed that through
them and their successors the same Spirit be handed on to the rest of the
faithful, listen favourably to our prayer, and grant that your divine grace,
which was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, may now spread
through the hearts of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
 Liturgy of the Eucharist

Offertory Procession: Presenting the Bread and Wine

Offertory Hymn: ‘Eat this Bread’ by Jacques Berthier

Preparation of the Altar

Bishop/celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we
have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human
hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed by God forever.
Bishop/celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we
have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human
hands, it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God forever
(The congregation are invited to stand)
Bishop/celebrant: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to
God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of
his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church
Prayer Over the Gifts
Bishop/celebrant: God our father, may the bread and wine we bring to this Table become for
us the Body and Blood of Christ. We make this prayer through Christ our
Lord.
All: Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
Bishop/celebrant: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Bishop/celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Bishop/celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
Holy, Holy
All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
(The congregation are invited to kneel)
Amen
All: Amen, Amen.
 The Lord’s Prayer
All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Bishop/celebrant: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days
that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe
from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our
Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Peace
Bishop/celebrant: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Bishop/celebrant: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Lamb of God
All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
(The congregation are invited to kneel)
Holy Communion
Bishop/celebrant: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the
word and my soul shall be healed.
Communion Hymns: ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ by Graham Kendrick
‘Our Hearts Burn Within Us’ by Andrew Chin
Reflection Hymn: Sung by the Confirmation Candidates
‘Still’ by Hillsong United
Prayer After Communion
Bishop/celebrant: Lord God, we have come to your table to be nourished by your life giving
food. Remain in us as we now leave to do your will.
All: Amen.
Concluding Rite
Bishop/celebrant: Bow down for the Blessing
May God the Father almighty bless you, whom he has made his adopted
sons and daughters reborn from water and the Holy Spirit, and may he keep
you worthy of his fatherly love.
 All: Amen.
Bishop/celebrant: May his Only Begotten Son, who promised that the Spirit of truth would
abide in his Church, bless you and confirm you by his power in the
confession of the true faith.
All: Amen.
Bishop/celebrant: May the Holy Spirit, who kindles the fire of charity in the hearts of disciples,
bless you and lead you blameless and gathered as one into the joy of the
Kingdom of God.
All: Amen.

Bishop/celebrant: And may almighty God bless all of you, who are gathered here, the Father, +
and the Son, + and the Holy + Spirit.
Amen: Amen.

Recessional Hymn: ‘Lord I Lift Your Name on High’ by Rick Founds