To be confirmed in the Catholic Church means to receive the sacrament of Confirmation, which is one of the three sacraments of initiation alongside Baptism and Eucharist. Confirmation is a rite that strengthens and deepens the grace received at Baptism by conferring the gifts of the Holy Spirit-such as wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord-upon the baptized person

. This sacrament is considered a mature commitment to the Christian faith, where the individual accepts responsibility for living out their faith actively and courageously. It is often described as being "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit," marking the person as a full member of the Church, empowered to witness and defend their faith

. The usual ritual involves a bishop laying hands on the candidate and anointing their forehead with chrism (holy oil), while saying, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." The candidate responds "Amen," and the bishop concludes with "Peace be with you," to which the candidate replies in kind

. Confirmation deepens the baptized person's bond with Christ and the Church, increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in them, and strengthens them to live as "soldiers of Christ" who actively spread and defend the faith

. It is both a spiritual strengthening and an initiation into a fuller participation in the Church's mission. In summary, being confirmed means:

• Receiving a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit to strengthen faith.
• Deepening baptismal grace and commitment.
• Being empowered to witness and live the Catholic faith actively.
• Being fully initiated into the Catholic Church as a mature member