Archbishop William E. Lori of of the Diocese of Baltimore has decided to lower the age of confirmation to 9 years old in a move designed to strengthen the formation of Catholic youth by increasing family involvement.
Amid growing disaffiliation from the US Church, Catholic leaders across the country are striving to better catechise young people by lowering confirmation age requirements, reports the Catholic News Agency (CNA).
The move by Archbishop Lori is part of a trend emerging in other dioceses across the country. The dioceses of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Salt Lake City both lowered confirmation age requirements in December 2024. Other archdioceses including Seattle, Boston and Denver have lowered their confirmation ages in recent years as well.
