Confirmation – the end or the beginning of the way?

Abstract

An important pastoral and pedagogical task is not only to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation, but also to continue the formation of youth after the reception of the sacrament. Confirmation is the end of the period of preparation, determined by knowledge, faith and the Christian attitude of the youth. In this sense, it is the culmination of the preparation for Confirmation and the so-far way of life of the youth. But simultaneously, it is a new beginning of life in the Holy Spirit, which the young receive in the sacrament of Confirmation. In Poland, official and informal ways of preparing young people for Confirmation have been developed, which generally function well. However, a challenge today is the development and implementation of youth formation ideas, especially in the parish, after the reception of the sacrament as a new beginning of the way of life. The program, which can be prepared by any priest and religion teacher, should combine the theological (pastoral) and educational dimensions, and manifest itself in a committed form of young people's activity, according to their personal and social preferences. Therefore, innovative activity of priests and religion teachers is necessary so that the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation is not a farewell to the Church, but the beginning of a beautiful way of life in the Holy Spirit.