There are many practices of worship in the Roman Catholic religion. Worshiping could be anything: basic prayer, the seven sacraments, or public worship (Sunday mass). Each experience of worship has different meanings in Roman Catholicism, effecting people in many different ways. One of the more noteworthy practices that I have experienced is one of the seven sacraments, confirmation.
             Confirmation is said to be a time where a catholic confirms their beliefs. Through this sacrament, a person becomes a "spiritual adolescent;" that is, they mature in the way they communicate with God and in conveying his message. Confirmation involves receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In a way, it is a reenactment of when the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles and gave them strength to teach as Jesus did. I remember distinctively preparing for my confirmation. Besides reading up on how confirmation came about and what it all exactly means, I was required to perform a certain amount of community service before the date of my confirmation. I never understood why it was required until after my confirmation -- if I didn't perform that community service, I wouldn't have fully understood the gifts I had received. The whole preparation time before the mass brought me knowledge, the studying of the Holy Spirit brought me understanding, helping the elderly brought me counsel, and so on.
             A sponsor is required for someone wanting to be confirmed. The sponsor's role is essential to confirmation. The sponsor takes the role of Jesus, if we were back during the original Pentecost. To be confirmed requires a lot of guidance, so a relative or close friend is chosen to help prepare. The sponsor is present at the ceremony to "deliver" the one being confirmed just as Jesus delivered the apostles to the Holy Spirit. I had chosen my cousin as my sponsor and we have developed a close relationship ever since then. ...