The Sacrament of Confirmation is the Sacrament in which the gift of the Holy Spirit received at Baptism is confirmed, strengthened, and perfected in us. Confirmation helps us live the Christian life courageously and spread the faith to others.
Anointing
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Anointing is rubbing or marking with oil. Holy oil is spread on our foreheads in Baptism and Confirmation, and again in the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
Laying on of Hands
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Laying on of hands is placing hands upon another person’s head. In Confirmation, the bishop places his hands on the head of the person receiving the Sacrament as a sign of being chosen.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
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The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are seven gifts of grace given to us in an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at our Baptism and again in Confirmation. They make us more like Christ and help us to respond to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They are wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord.