Confirmation sponsor

The Role of the Sponsor

To show an interest in and support the developing faith of the young person.

To accompany the person being confirmed on their faith journey.

To give witness to the faith and model good Christian values.

To be a good listener and ask the questions that encourage the candidate’s
thinking.

To take an interest in the person’s religious education and take responsibility
for it should that become necessary.

http://www.dioceseofkerry.ie/media/uploads/choosing_sponsor.pdf

mrcheez wrote: »

sorry I mean, what do they need to do at the confirmation ceremony?

Is it the same everywhere or some churches do more than others etc?

It's pretty much the same everywhere (within the Catholic church, anyway).

Most confirmation ceremonies are group ceremonies; that is, there are several candidates for confirmation, not just one. Confirmation is normally celebrated during mass, with the actual rite of confirmation coming just after the gospel. Specific roles for the sponsors:

1. Fairly early on the rite of confirmation, the bishop invites the candidates to stand as group while the parish priest (or someone else) affirms that they are prepared for confirmation. He then asks the sponsors to stand, as a group, and asks them if the candidates are ready, and they all reply "they are" (or something similar). Finally the bishop will put the same question to the congregation as a whole.

2. Later on the rite, the candidates approach the bishop one by one, to be anointed. Each candidate is acccompanied by his or her sponsor. The sponsor may tell the bishop the candidate's name (or a teacher or the parish priest may do this). During the anointing the sponsor stands to the candidate's left, and slightly behind, and places his or her right and on the candidate's left shoulder.

That's about it, really. Most of the talking that has to be done is done by the candidates, not the sponsors.