Plan twelve to eighteen months ahead
Bishop Mark Davies' diary is set well in advance. Confirmation dates across the diocese are planned twelve to eighteen months ahead. If your parish is hoping to celebrate Confirmation in spring or summer of next year, the email asking for a date should be in by autumn of the current year at the latest.
Earlier is better. Cathedral, Cathedral parish, and diocesan events take precedence in the Bishop's calendar, and once those are placed, the parish slots fill quickly.
Step one: write to the curia
Send a short email to curia@dioceseofshrewsbury.org with:
- Parish name and address.
- Parish priest and, if relevant, the catechist leading preparation.
- Three preferred dates in the season you are aiming for, with the Sunday Mass time you want the Bishop to come to.
- An estimate of candidate numbers and ages (typically Year 6 or older, depending on parish practice).
- Whether you are also requesting Confirmation for adults received outside the Easter Vigil.
The curia will confirm the date in writing. Hold the date in the parish diary the moment it is given. Avoid printing dates in newsletters until written confirmation has come back.
Step two: prepare the candidates
Most parishes run a programme of around six months. Speak to neighbouring parishes about resources you can share. The diocesan Education team can advise on materials and is contactable on education@dioceseofshrewsbury.org.
Plan rehearsals close to the date. Walk the candidates through the entrance procession, the renewal of baptismal promises, the laying on of hands, the anointing with chrism, and the dismissal. Most nerves come from not knowing what happens next.
Step three: submit the candidate list four weeks before
The curia will request a final list of candidates no later than four weeks before the celebration. The list should include:
- Each candidate's full baptismal name.
- Date and parish of Baptism.
- Confirmation name chosen.
- Sponsor's name.
Send this in a single document to curia@dioceseofshrewsbury.org. The Bishop's office will use it on the day, and the names go into the diocesan register.
Cathedral protocol and chrism oil
Bishop Davies celebrates the Chrism Mass at Shrewsbury Cathedral, Town Walls SY1 1UE, every Holy Week. He blesses the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of the Catechumens, and consecrates the Oil of Chrism. All Confirmations in the diocese should be celebrated using the chrism from the most recent Chrism Mass. Parish priests collect the new oils after Holy Week. If you have run out, contact the Cathedral parish on 01743 290000.
The Bishop normally vests in the sacristy. Have a server ready to receive his crozier and mitre at the appropriate moments. The parish priest will concelebrate. If the parish is large or there are multiple priests, plan the procession in advance and tell the Bishop's chaplain on arrival.
The day itself
- Welcome the Bishop on arrival. The parish priest meets him at the door.
- Give him the candidate list and the order of service.
- Offer water, tea, or a quiet space before Mass begins.
- Brief readers, servers, and music ministers on cues.
- After Mass, allow time for photographs with the candidates and families. The Bishop is generous with this and parishioners value it for years afterwards.
Hospitality after Mass
A simple reception in the parish hall is the usual practice. Tea, coffee, a cake, and time for the Bishop to meet candidates' families. He often stays for half an hour to forty minutes if the schedule allows.
If something changes
If the date needs to move, contact the curia immediately. Diary changes ripple through the year, so the earlier the better. Small details (numbers, sponsor names, music choices) can be updated up to a week before. Major changes need more notice.
Practical contacts
- Bishop's diary and Confirmation dates: curia@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
- Curial Offices: 0151 652 9855, 2 Park Road South, Prenton, Wirral CH43 4UX
- Cathedral parish (chrism oils, sacristy questions): 01743 290000
- Education team (preparation resources): education@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Confirmation is one of the high points of the parish year. Plan early, communicate clearly, and the day itself usually looks after itself.
