Confirmation.

The third holy sacrament that Catholics experience. It completes the sacrament of Baptism - it is the candidate confirming their belief in the Holy Trinity and promising to continue to believe and follow the faith. It is the moment in which the candidate chooses a sponsor to help guide them in continuing to live a Catholic life.

I had been preparing for my confirmation in the eighth grade when I realized I had to choose a sponsor. It wasn't whether I wanted a sponsor or not—I had to have a sponsor. The only issue was that the person I had in mind to be my sponsor was no longer around. She had passed away two years beforehand. I didn't want anyone else to be my sponsor. Ergo, I no longer wanted to do my confirmation.

I mean, what was the point in standing up in church restating the lines that my godparents recited at my Baptism, especially if I didn't believe them? What was the entire point of following a faith that is supposed to reward those who do good and follow the sayings of God, if my aunt had suffered a death she didn't deserve? What was the point in following a God that clearly doesn't exist?

13-year-old me was having a crisis of faith. 13-year-old me, who had believed in all the teachings and recited the prayers my mother taught me every morning and night, was lost.

Sure, I had questioned things beforehand, but I had never abandoned the faith.

It wasn't until the then director of the religious education program, Mrs. O, sat down with me and just talked. She wanted to hear me out - she wanted to hear why I had lost interest in completing my confirmation. I remember her saying that if I didn't want to do my confirmation that year that it was okay, that I could do it the following year if I was ready.

My mother preferred I do it that year, despite my constant refusal. Giving in to her request, I continued with my confirmation studies. But I still needed a sponsor. Slowly I came to realize that it was Mrs. O that I wanted for my sponsor. She too had had a moment of crisis in the past, but instead of refusing to continue to follow the faith, she asked for a sign.

Mrs. O is the most spiritual person I have ever known. She carries the faith within her and has so much strength - I wanted that same spirit within me. I wanted to stick by my faith despite everything that has been and will be thrown at me.

If it wasn't for Mrs. O, I wouldn't be able to say that I am honored to have been chosen as the sponsor of a family friend, who will be known as J. J came to me a few months ago and asked if I would be her sponsor at her confirmation at the end of this month.

All giggly and nervous, she reminded me of myself when I asked Mrs. O. Without Mrs. O, I would have completely abandoned Catholicism, despite my mother and her entire family being devout Catholics. I would have stopped believing and would not have the privilege of being able to guide J in continuing her Catholic studies and keeping the faith in God and everything good he does alive.

So thank you to my mom and Mrs. O for encouraging me to go through and receive my confirmation. And thank you to J for choosing me as the person who will see that the Catholic faith will continue to live within you.