The work of the Office of Sacred Liturgy encompasses a variety of tasks including assisting the Bishop in his role as the chief liturgist as he establishes norms and directives for common worship in the Diocese of Birmingham.

The formation (and delegation) of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, and Altar Servers are also under the auspices of the Office of Sacred Liturgy.

For Clergy, the office provides training workshops for deacons, priests, and Masters of Ceremonies. The office also facilitates liturgical planning between the diocese and individual parishes, particularly with regard to Confirmation and the Bishop’s pastoral visitations.

2024 - 2025 CONFIRMATION INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION

DICOSEAN CONFIRMATIONS:
For the 2024 - 2025 season, Diocesan Confirmations outside of Mass will be celebrated on: 

* Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 10:00am, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish
* Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 9:00am, Cathedral of St. Paul

We request that the Director of Religious Education register each confirmand who will be confirmed at a Diocesan Confirmation to please register them three weeks prior to the Confirmation Date. Online registration form, underFORMS.
 

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS:
To ensure the valid reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation, the home parish of the candidate is responsible to investigate and help individuals resolve any possible situations that would cause them to be ineligible.   The candidate’s pastor should verify and affirm that the candidates have been adequately catechized and are baptized Catholic adults who have celebrated First Holy Communion and only lack the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Pastor should also verify that there are no other impediments to receiving the Sacraments (such as irregular marriage/need for annulment).
The diocese does not require the submission of baptismal certificate. However, pastors should verify that one has been baptized through their own parish processes, which does normally require the acquisition of a baptismal certificate.
  

SPONSOR QUALIFICATIONS:
Each candidate must have a sponsor, and it must only be one (1) person. Sponsors must meet the following requirements at the minimum, but should be fully active in their own parishes, and must be able to validly receive Holy Communion each Sunday.

• Must be at least 16 years old;
• Must be fully initiated in the Catholic Church (Baptized, Confirmed, Holy Communion);
• Must not be parent/guardian of the adult;
• If married, marriage must be recognized by the Catholic Church;
• Is not the spouse or fiancé of the candidate

PARISH CONFIRMATIONS for YOUTH:
For parishes which have at least 15 persons to be confirmed: Bishop Raica is generally available to celebrate Confirmation on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings at 6:00pm as well as Saturday mornings at 10:00am at your parish throughout the year.  Additional dates may be added as necessary.

For parishes, with less than 15 confirmands the following two options are available:

• Combine with another parish in the region to form 15 persons and request Bishop Raica for a joint celebration. 
• Register for one of the two bilingual Diocesan Confirmations as noted above.

Registration Information
Pre-registration to select a date for Parish and Diocesan Confirmation is now closed (The last day to request a date was October 15, 2024.) Please contact the Office of Sacred Liturgy should you have any questions. Thank you.

Parish Confirmation Planning Packet
Please view below and select the links for information for the 2024-2025 Confirmation Season: 

•  Confirmation Schedule for the Season - the Office of Sacred Liturgy notified those parishes who have requested a "Parish Confirmation" of their date. If your parish was not assigned a Confirmation date this year, please either attach with another parish in the region by contacting the 'hosting' parish or register for one of the Diocesan Confirmations by contacting the Office of Sacred Liturgy. 
  
  * Please note: Confirmation Masses held on a weekday are celebrated at 6:00pm; Saturday celebrations, 10:00am.
  
•  Confirmation Procedures and Protocols
•  Universal Prayer Petitions
•  Liturgical Mass Planning Forms and Instructions, also available on our website, under "FORMS." 

ADULT CONFIRMATION for BAPTIZED CATHOLICS:

Please Note!

• Bishop Raica's calendar is subject to change as unforeseen priorities emerge. In the event of his absence, his delegate will be sent so that the date of your Confirmation can be preserved insofar as possible.
• Delegation to confirm those Adults who were baptized as infants is only be granted on Pentecost, not for the Easter Vigil.
• When receiving a validly baptized person into the Catholic Church by Reception of Faith, the priest already enjoys the faculty by virtue of the law to confirm in that instance. No delegation is required in that instance.
• All other circumstances require delegation from the Office of the Bishop.
  
  

  Rite of Election | Call to Continuing Conversion
  
       March 8, 2025 - Northern Division at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Huntsville, AL - 10:00 am |  1:00 pm
       March 9, 2025 - Birmingham at the Cathedral of St. Paul - 2:00 pm | 4:00 pm
  View Planning Guides and Liturgical Directives for these under our Diocesan Resources!