Confirmation Age Change

Confirmation Preparation Program 2024-2025 Age Change Information

Classes begin September 22 (Grade 9) and October 20 (Grade 10)

May 2024

Dear Religious Education families,

In January 2024, Cardinal Sean O’Malley announced that the age for the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston would be changing from 10^th grade to 8^th grade. Many factors led to this decision: to decrease the gaps between the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation); to increase and strengthen the role of families in the faith formation of their young teens; and to make the grace of the Sacrament of Confirmation available to more young people at a critical time in their adolescence. The phase-in period will happen over the next three years (finishing by May 2027).

Since the change was announced, our staff has been thinking through the best way to adapt our robust Confirmation program to the new diocesan policy. We have attended diocesan meetings, conducted a parent focus group, and collected survey data from our Collaborative families. After much discussion and consideration, we would like to share our plan for the 2024-2025 Confirmation Preparation Program. For the next two years, we will offer two “tracks” of Confirmation Preparation each year to accommodate two different grade levels. This will allow us to gradually move to an 8^th grade Confirmation age without “leaving behind” any 9^th and 10^th graders.

Teens who will be in 10^th grade during the 2024-2025 school year will finish out the two-year Confirmation Program that they began in 9^th grade. This includes 9 classes on Sunday nights at Our Lady’s after the 6pm Mass (7-8:15pm), regular Mass attendance, 12 service hours, and a retreat on Cape Cod. Classes will be held at Our Lady’s. They will be confirmed in May 2025.  

Teens who will be in 9^th grade during the 2024-2025 school year will enroll in a new, one-year Confirmation Program. They will be confirmed in May 2025. The 9^th grade program will meet on Sunday evenings at Our Lady’s before the 6pm Mass (5-5:50pm) for a total of 20 classes. It will also include regular Mass attendance, service hours, and a retreat on Cape Cod. This is our first time holding classes at 5pm on Sundays, so we ask for your flexibility and patience as we work to accommodate such a large group of Confirmation candidates. We will continue to discern the best option for future years.

If your child is in 11-12^th grade and hasn’t been confirmed yet, we invite them to join the 10^th grade track next school year. You are welcome to contact us to discuss options for teens in late high school.

Our Collaborative has requested an extra Confirmation date (two total) for May 2025 in order to accommodate what we expect to be a very large group of candidates. We will share those dates with families as soon as the diocese gives them to us.  

If your child will be in 8^th grade during the 2024-2025 school year, they will participate in regular religious education classes at Our Lady’s on Monday nights or Sacred Heart on Tuesday nights.

Looking ahead, in 2025-2026, we will once again offer two tracks of the Confirmation Program: 8^th grade and 9^th grade. We are waiting to observe how things go next year before deciding on a day and time for classes in 2025-2026. In 2026-2027, we will offer only one track for 8^th grade, at a day and time to be determined.

Zoom Meeting Recording from May 29: https://youtu.be/dZZqnuPGzYw

Wishing you a Blessed Pentecost, 

Kristina Preman, Director of Religious Education
[email protected], 617-527-7560 ext. 216 
with  
Fr. Dan Riley
Ginny Arpino
Marissa Browne
Gina Chaimanis
Nick Frega

9th Grade 2024-2025: Sundays 5:00-5:50pm at Our Lady's
September: 9/22 (Orientation with parents and kids), 9/29
October: 10/6, 10/20, 10/27 
November: 11/3 (Retreat on Cape Cod), 11/17, 11/24 
December: 12/8, 12/15 
January: 1/5, 1/12, 1/26 
February: 2/2, 2/9 
March: 3/2, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30 
April: 4/6, 4/13 (Celebration with parents and kids) 
 
10th Grade 2024-2025: Sundays 7:00-8:15pm at Our Lady's
October: 10/20, 10/27 
November: 11/17, 11/24 
December: 12/8 
March: 3/2, 3/9 (Retreat on Cape Cod), 3/23, 3/30 
April: 4/6