The Sacrament of Confirmation is an important step in the faith development of our young people.  We have designed an innovative and interactive program that helps our teens learn how to nurture the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The combination of small group sessions, community service events and youth ministry together with the care and insight of our catechists makes our program one of the best around.

For our eighth grade candidates we will have four (4) 2 hour class sessions plus an additional session* for the ACRE survey.  They will be large group youth ministry style events.  All four sessions will be MANDATORY.  Each session will be unique and cannot be made up.

All class sessions will take place in Memorial Hall.

Class Days and Times:

Sunday 1/8/12 - 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM         or           Tuesday 1/10/12 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Sunday 1/22/12 - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM       or           Tuesday 1/31/12 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Sunday 1/29/12 - 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM       or           Tuesday 2/7/12 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

*Sunday 2/12/12 - 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM     or          *Tuesday 2/14/12 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
ACRE Survey                                                           ACRE Survey

Sunday 2/26/12 - 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM       or           Tuesday 2/28/12 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

For all incoming 8th grade students:

Requirements for Candidates - (All activities are required and attendance will be taken)

• Attend Rite of Invitation Mass (9/18/11) at 5:30pm
• Attend two (2) prayer services: (for parents/candidates 9/17/11 or 9/18/11 at 4-5pm) & (for candidates only 3/24/12 or 3/25/12 at 4-5pm)
• Attend all Four (4) classroom sessions
• Attend Dance-A-Thon 2012 (4/21/12) at 7:00-11:00pm, Memorial Hall 

For all returning 9th grade students:

Requirements for Candidates - (All activities are required and attendance will be taken)

• Attend one (1) parent/candidate prayer service: (9/24/11 or 9/25/11 at 4-5pm) that will focus on receiving the sacrament, and picking a name and sponsor
• Attend one (1) retreat as outlined by the parish: (10/20/11 at 4-9pm or 10/22/11 at 10am-3pm)
• 9^th Grade will have two options coming up for their last required 'service commitment' for their program.  Both service commitment events will be held the weekend of October 22nd.  They will be able to choose from either Saturday, October 22nd 'Light the Night Walk' or Sunday, October 23rd 'Bake Sale Bingo Afternoon'.  All details for these two service commitment will be outlined during the parent/candidate prayer service (9/24/11 and 9/25/11)
• Attend the rehearsal: (11/16/11) at 6-7pm (for 11am celebration) or 7:30- 8:30pm (for 2:30pm celebration)
• Attend the Rite of Confirmation: (11/19/11) 11:00AM or 2:30PM

Picking a Sponsor

It is important to pick a sponsor who will guide you on your faith journey.  At baptism your Godparents were witnesses to your entry into the Church.  Please talk with your parents about who can best support you during your time of preparation as well as after.  A sponsor should:

• 1. be sufficiently mature in his or her faith commitment,
• 2. belong to the Catholic Church and be fully initiated, having received Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist,
• 3. not be prohibited by law from exercising the role of sponsor,
• 4. be either male or female for any candidate,
• 5. be at least 16 years of age, preferably 18 years or older,
• 6. Although they may not be sponsors, parents themselves may present their children for Confirmation. by "present" is meant the simple fact of bringing or accompanying the candidate to the bishop. Parents and sponsors have different functions at Confirmation.

Picking a Name

It is important to choose a Confirmation name.  This is not an opportunity to rename yourself.  Rather, choose your baptismal name or the name of a saint that has meaning in your life.  Please take time to think about your confirmation name.

The Confirmation name is chosen by the Candidate and imposed by the Bishop during the Rite of Confirmation.  Added to the Christian name, it gives the Confirmed a heavenly patron with whom to identify and imitate.

You can go online and search famous saints and how they lived their lives.  Some online resources are: http://www.catholiconline.com/, http://www.newadvent.com/. And http://catalog.americancatholic.org/

Role of the Parish Community

The parish community must be conscious that it represents the Church for the young person and that initiation of new members should be the concern and business of all the baptized.  Accordingly, it should review and renew its spirit and life as a faith community.  As the candidates freely discern their coming to faith and conversion within the Catholic Church, so also the parish should prayerfully discern:

• 1. its spirit of renewal,
• 2. its quality of faith,
• 3. its willingness to enter into the on-going process of conversion called for in the Gospel, and
• 4. its willingness to guide, to catechize and to prayerfully support these candidates.

 

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