Religion gives people sets of beliefs, it can benefit them in a variety of ways. It gives individuals a sense of inspiration, or it can give them hope in certain situations. Here, in Glen Rock, New Jersey, almost half of the population practices christianity, 47.5% practice it.  The other 52.5% in Glen Rock can be seen as 4.2% Jewish, 9.4% Protestant, 1.6% Orthodox, 0.8% Hindu, and more. To be able to be more in touch with God, kids from the ages of 14-17 go through confirmation. Confirmation can allow kids to progress in maturity, and it marks a significant step in a child’s life. In Glen Rock it is apparent that religion is almost a right of passage.

In a nutshell, confirmation is a process where The Holy Spirit increases a kid’s capacity to live out their Catholic faith in all aspects of their lives and to represent Christ in all circumstances. To receive this, kids have to perform 15 or more community service hours, write a letter to their priest, find a christian name, complete a workbook, and more. The process takes a span of one year to complete, and the actual ceremony takes place in the fall. 

For confirmation of 2022-2023 candidates, the person that orchestrates the event is Annmarie Snedeker. She organizes schedules for kids, and speaks at events to guide the candidates. The confirmation is taking place in St. Catharine Church on Maple Avenue. For this year’s candidate, the ceremony is in the Fall of 2023. 

The process is fairly easy to receive confirmation. Many kids want to receive confirmation because their faith is bolstered, increased, and sealed within by the Holy Spirit.

Two students in the ninth grade are currently going through the process of completing confirmation. I asked them the question, “Why’d you do confirmation and what does it mean to you?” One student said “My mom and dad really encouraged me to do it, and I’m really enjoying it because I get to talk to other candidates in my grade.” Another candidate said, “I am doing confirmation because it is something that my family has done and it allows me to take the next step in my journey throughout faith.” These two students are enjoying confirmation. The students think of it as genuine fun. Plus, it’s beneficial as to when families 

To conclude, it can be important to be in touch with one’s religion. It can provide certain individuals with sets of beliefs, and allows others to connect with others. It is a huge opportunity that numerous family generations get to experience.