GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING A SPONSOR

A sponsor serves as a model of Christian living for an individual as that person is renewed and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit. When selecting a sponsor, keep these criteria in mind:

 A sponsor must:

1. Be a member of the Roman Catholic Church who has received the 3 Sacraments of initiation:  Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation. 

2. Be a person mature enough to undertake the responsibility of sponsorship (minimum 14 years of age).

3. Not be the father or mother of the candidate.

4. Be living a life of faith that befits the role to be undertaken, that is, regularly attends Sunday Mass, participates in the sacraments and, if married, is validly married in the Roman Catholic Church. 

5. Get a Certificate of Sponsorship signed by his or her parish priest stating he or she is living a life of true faith and is qualified to undertake this role. 

6. Pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance.

LETTER TO SPONSOR

 Dear Sponsors:

Welcome and thank you for taking on this very important responsibility of being a sponsor.  As a Confirmation sponsor you have an important role in the Confirmand’s life.  Your commitment to your teenager as a role model and sponsor will play an integral part in helping them to understand what being a Catholic Christian all is about.

While being a sponsor has always been an honor, it is not an honorary position.  At the beginning of the year, each student was asked to select a sponsor, it was explained to them that a sponsor should be someone who fulfills the requirements listed above.

The candidate who chose you believes you fulfill these requirements.  You should be honored that your life has spoken to them in this way.  It is our hope that the candidate will find in you a model of how to live and struggle and be faithful as a Catholic Christian.

With this in mind we ask that you read the Certificate of Sponsorship very carefully, sign it, bring it to your parish church and have it signed by a priest of your parish. We ask that you send the Certificate back to your candidate so they can return it to the school no later than Monday, January 9, 2023. 

On behalf of all the priests, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary community, I want to thank you for taking on this role this year.  We look forward to meeting you.