Confirmation
Welcome! Wherever you are on your journey of faith, your family matters to us. We hope you experience the love and support of our community during the Confirmation process.
The Archdiocese of Boston has recently lowered the normal age of reception of the sacrament of Confirmation to around the ages of 13-14 (or 8th grade). We will be making this transition over the next 2 years. Currently, confirmation preparation at New Roads is for students in grades 9 and above.
Registration is now OPEN for the 2025-2026 preparation year. Please read the full details below and then click the button at the bottom of this page to register.
The Archdiocese of Boston has recently lowered the normal age of reception of the sacrament of Confirmation to around the ages of 13-14 (or 8th grade). We will be making this transition over the next 2 years. Currently, confirmation preparation at New Roads is for students in grades 9 and above.
Registration is now OPEN for the 2025-2026 preparation year. Please read the full details below and then click the button at the bottom of this page to register.
Information about our Confirmation Process
What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is a sacrament, which is a concrete or visible sign that makes God’s grace especially present to us. As a “sacrament of initiation,” Confirmation completes the initiation into the Catholic church that begins with baptism. In the sacrament of Confirmation we receive a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live more intentionally as a disciple of Jesus within the church.
Why get confirmed?
At New Roads, we’d like to invite you to consider this “why” for Confirmation: a commitment to following Jesus within the church community is the best, surest way to what Jesus calls an “abundant life” (John 10:10), a life of meaning, passion, and most of all, love.
What does it mean to be prepared?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which summarizes many of the Church’s official teachings, shares two essential results of Confirmation preparation: The candidate is “prepared to assume the role of disciple” (1319) and embraces “a sense of belonging...to the parish community” (1309). In other words, being prepared for Confirmation means the candidate has already started to take steps as a disciple of Jesus within our local church community.
Preparing for and being confirmed is about a loving relationship with God and the church community. We’ll ask candidates--in the form of a written reflection--how they have each prepared to be confirmed, how it has affected them, and if they feel ready to present themselves to the bishop for Confirmation, allowing each candidate to demonstrate their integrity and commitment.
Program Requirements 2025-26
Workshops: The purpose of the workshops is to help your family reflect on your membership in our community. We want you to feel like you belong here and we hope the workshops help with that. All orientations and workshops are mandatory and held in person at St. Joseph on Sundays from 7:00 to 8:30pm.
Orientation: Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 7:00pm *Candidate and at least one parent/guardian required to attend*
Serve Team Meeting: Sunday, December 7, 2025 after the 11:00am Mass at St. Joseph
Workshop 1: Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 2: Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 3: Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 4: Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 5: Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 7:00pm
Service: Options for service ideas and opportunities during the year of preparation will be discussed at our orientation meeting on November 2, 2025.
Written reflection: Due in September 2026, by candidate and parent
Candidate: A 500-word statement about what the candidate did to prepare.
Parent: A 500-word statement about how the parent supported the teen’s preparation.
Sponsor: All candidates should choose a sponsor who models what it’s like to live as a disciple within the church. We ask that sponsors be chosen at least 2 months before Confirmation.
Confirmation Mass and rehearsal: October 2026 (dates TBA)
If you have any questions about our process or problems filling out the registration form, please email Veronica Groom.
Confirmation is a sacrament, which is a concrete or visible sign that makes God’s grace especially present to us. As a “sacrament of initiation,” Confirmation completes the initiation into the Catholic church that begins with baptism. In the sacrament of Confirmation we receive a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live more intentionally as a disciple of Jesus within the church.
Why get confirmed?
At New Roads, we’d like to invite you to consider this “why” for Confirmation: a commitment to following Jesus within the church community is the best, surest way to what Jesus calls an “abundant life” (John 10:10), a life of meaning, passion, and most of all, love.
What does it mean to be prepared?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which summarizes many of the Church’s official teachings, shares two essential results of Confirmation preparation: The candidate is “prepared to assume the role of disciple” (1319) and embraces “a sense of belonging...to the parish community” (1309). In other words, being prepared for Confirmation means the candidate has already started to take steps as a disciple of Jesus within our local church community.
Preparing for and being confirmed is about a loving relationship with God and the church community. We’ll ask candidates--in the form of a written reflection--how they have each prepared to be confirmed, how it has affected them, and if they feel ready to present themselves to the bishop for Confirmation, allowing each candidate to demonstrate their integrity and commitment.
Program Requirements 2025-26
Workshops: The purpose of the workshops is to help your family reflect on your membership in our community. We want you to feel like you belong here and we hope the workshops help with that. All orientations and workshops are mandatory and held in person at St. Joseph on Sundays from 7:00 to 8:30pm.
Orientation: Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 7:00pm *Candidate and at least one parent/guardian required to attend*
Serve Team Meeting: Sunday, December 7, 2025 after the 11:00am Mass at St. Joseph
Workshop 1: Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 2: Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 3: Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 4: Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 7:00pm
Workshop 5: Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 7:00pm
Service: Options for service ideas and opportunities during the year of preparation will be discussed at our orientation meeting on November 2, 2025.
Written reflection: Due in September 2026, by candidate and parent
Candidate: A 500-word statement about what the candidate did to prepare.
Parent: A 500-word statement about how the parent supported the teen’s preparation.
Sponsor: All candidates should choose a sponsor who models what it’s like to live as a disciple within the church. We ask that sponsors be chosen at least 2 months before Confirmation.
Confirmation Mass and rehearsal: October 2026 (dates TBA)
If you have any questions about our process or problems filling out the registration form, please email Veronica Groom.
Fee
The fee for our program is $100 per candidate. Click here to pay online with a credit card, ApplePay, Venmo, PayPal, or ACH. Or please make your check payable to your parish (“St. Joseph” or “St. Luke”) and mail it to: New Roads Catholic Community, 130 Common St, Belmont, MA 02478. Please include the candidate’s name on your payment. Financial assistance is available if needed--just let us know on the registration form.
The fee for our program is $100 per candidate. Click here to pay online with a credit card, ApplePay, Venmo, PayPal, or ACH. Or please make your check payable to your parish (“St. Joseph” or “St. Luke”) and mail it to: New Roads Catholic Community, 130 Common St, Belmont, MA 02478. Please include the candidate’s name on your payment. Financial assistance is available if needed--just let us know on the registration form.
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