Confirmation
Welcome! Wherever you are on your journey of faith, your family has a seat at our table. Our goal is to move beyond "classroom learning" and into a meaningful experience of the love and support of the New Roads community. Registration is now open for the 2026-27 preparation year. Please read the full details below before completing the registration form linked at the bottom.
The Transition to 8th Grade
Following the new guidelines from the Archdiocese of Boston, we are transitioning the age of Confirmation to 8th grade. This shift is an invitation for our students to step into a more active role in their faith at a pivotal time in their lives.
Our Commitment to the Process
Confirmation at New Roads is more than a graduation or a "checkbox"—it is a year of intentional discipleship. Because this is a journey of the heart, our process is designed for families who are ready to engage, ask big questions, and grow together. The process includes the expectation that families will worship and serve here at New Roads Catholic Community.
The Essentials:
If you have any questions about the process or the registration form, please email Veronica Groom at [email protected].
The Transition to 8th Grade
Following the new guidelines from the Archdiocese of Boston, we are transitioning the age of Confirmation to 8th grade. This shift is an invitation for our students to step into a more active role in their faith at a pivotal time in their lives.
Our Commitment to the Process
Confirmation at New Roads is more than a graduation or a "checkbox"—it is a year of intentional discipleship. Because this is a journey of the heart, our process is designed for families who are ready to engage, ask big questions, and grow together. The process includes the expectation that families will worship and serve here at New Roads Catholic Community.
The Essentials:
- Eligibility: Currently open to all students in Grades 8 and above.
- Timeline: This is a one-year process beginning in October 2026 and concluding with the Confirmation Mass in October 2027.
- Requirements: Please ensure you have read the full program details below. Our preparation focuses on active participation in the life of the Church; please review the dates and expectations carefully to ensure your family can commit fully to this journey.
- Parish Connection: If your family is not yet registered with the parish, please Register with New Roads before completing the form below.
If you have any questions about the process or the registration form, please email Veronica Groom at [email protected].
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.
Preparation Requirements 2026-27
Workshops: Confirmation at New Roads is not a graduation or a "checkbox"—it is a journey of the heart. We are looking for families ready to engage, ask big questions, and grow together. Our workshops are designed to help your family reflect on your membership in our parish and build lasting connections within our community. To support this, all orientations and workshops are mandatory and held in person at St. Joseph on Sundays from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. By registering, you are committing to prioritize these Sunday evenings, as well as our shared life of worship and service at New Roads, as a foundational part of your family’s year.
Orientation: Sunday, October 18th 7pm (Both parent and candidate required to attend)
Serve Team Meeting: Sunday, November 15th 12pm (after 11am Mass in South Worship Space)
Workshop 1: Sunday, January 10th, 2027
Workshop 2: Sunday, February 7th, 2027
Workshop 3: Sunday, March 7th, 2027
Workshop 4: Sunday, April 11th, 2027
Workshop 5: Sunday, May 16th, 2027
Workshop 6: Sunday September, 12th, 2027
Teen Living Stations of the Cross: Friday, March 26, 2027
Rehearsals TBA
Service: The process includes the expectation that families will worship and serve here at New Roads Catholic Community. Options for serving both in the church community and greater community the year of preparation will be discussed at our orientation meeting on October 18, 2026.
Written reflection: Due in August 2027, 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 2027 (dates TBA)
If you have any questions about our process, 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.
Preparation Requirements 2026-27
Workshops: Confirmation at New Roads is not a graduation or a "checkbox"—it is a journey of the heart. We are looking for families ready to engage, ask big questions, and grow together. Our workshops are designed to help your family reflect on your membership in our parish and build lasting connections within our community. To support this, all orientations and workshops are mandatory and held in person at St. Joseph on Sundays from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. By registering, you are committing to prioritize these Sunday evenings, as well as our shared life of worship and service at New Roads, as a foundational part of your family’s year.
Orientation: Sunday, October 18th 7pm (Both parent and candidate required to attend)
Serve Team Meeting: Sunday, November 15th 12pm (after 11am Mass in South Worship Space)
Workshop 1: Sunday, January 10th, 2027
Workshop 2: Sunday, February 7th, 2027
Workshop 3: Sunday, March 7th, 2027
Workshop 4: Sunday, April 11th, 2027
Workshop 5: Sunday, May 16th, 2027
Workshop 6: Sunday September, 12th, 2027
Teen Living Stations of the Cross: Friday, March 26, 2027
Rehearsals TBA
Service: The process includes the expectation that families will worship and serve here at New Roads Catholic Community. Options for serving both in the church community and greater community the year of preparation will be discussed at our orientation meeting on October 18, 2026.
Written reflection: Due in August 2027, 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 2027 (dates TBA)
If you have any questions about our process, please email Veronica Groom.
Fee
The fee for our program is $150 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 $150 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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