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Children & Youth

Sponsor & Candidate Questions from Nov. Session

Sponsor-Candidate Conversation

For the Sponsor:

• Take a few minutes to share your faith story with your candidate.

• How have your come to know God more personally in your life?

• How have you seen God working in your life through the years?

• What was your Confirmation experience like? Etc.

For the Candidate:

• How do you want this Confirmation program to make a difference in the way you relate to God?

• Do you feel close to God right now? Why?

• What more do you think you can learn about your faith?

For the Sponsor:

• What do you feel is the call of Christ on your life as an adult member of our Church, and how do you live out that call?

For the Candidate:

• When you are Confirmed, you become a fully initiated member of the Catholic Church. What does that mean to you?

• How do you think you want to live that out in your life?

For the Sponsor:

• What are you looking forward to most about this preparation year with your candidate?

For the Candidate:

• What are you looking forward to most about this year of preparation for Confirmation?

Sponsor Conversations

Dear Sponsor,

During the preparation time between November and June, we encourage you to spend time with your candidate. While there should be some formal time to review and reflect on the preparation the candidate is doing through our program, we also recommend you spend some time informally with your candidate.

Going to get ice cream or doing a recreational activity together can provide a space for the candidate to be very honest and candid with you. Times such as these can be extremely fruitful, even if you do not talk with your candidate about anything "religious". It is important for the candidate to feel loved and supported by your presence and attention to them.

Please review the red Handbook with your candidate. Make sure that they understand what is being asked of them. We ask that you support them in their journey by offering to volunteer with them. Doing service with your candidate is an opportunity for a shared experience. We hope this will be enjoyable and spiritually satisfying.

Below are three different topics that we would like you to speak with your candidate about at three different times. Please reflect during one session on the Service Actions they did, and one session on the Spiritual Actions in which they engaged. At another time, share about the candidate's relationship with Jesus and His Church.

Here are some conversation starters:

Meeting I-SERVICE ACTIONS

• Have you started your service?

• How did the service you did make you feel?

  •  Why do you think that is the case?

• Did you have to make any sacrifices to do this service?

• What did you learn about yourself, and others, while participating in this Christian service?

• Do you feel that your relationship to the community you served has changed in any way?

Meeting II- SPIRITUAL ACTIONS

• Which prayer/event actions did you try?

  • Why did you pick those?

• What did you experience?

  • Would you do any of the spiritual actions again?

• How did you feel before, during, and after the spiritual actions you chose?

• Why do you think other people choose to make spiritual and service actions part of their daily lives?

Meeting III- FURTHER CONVERSATION REFLECTIONS

• Do you feel like you know Jesus?

• When do you feel close to Him?

• What makes you feel far away from Him?

• Do you want to know Jesus more?

• Have you ever told Him that?

• How do you think that the Church can help you in your life?

• Is there anyone who inspires you to grow in your faith life?

• Is there anything that is hard for you to believe about the Catholic-Christian faith?

• Where do you think you can go to find help understanding or believing what you struggle with? Is there a person who can help?

• Have you ever told Jesus about your struggles to believe or understand something in the Church or the Bible?

• What does the Bible and Catechism say about the questions you have or the things we have been discussing?

Homeless Retreat

homelessA Weekend to Serve and Respond to the Needs of the Poor and Hungry

Y.E.S. Homeless Retreat

Open to 8th-12th Grade Students

Saturday, November 19th– Sunday November 20th

We will meet at Espiritu Santo at 2:30pm and go to Metropolitan Ministries to serve Thanksgiving baskets to those in need.

When we return, we will spend the rest of the retreat learning about, praying for, and reflecting upon Matthew 25:31-46

 

 

Think about how you will give food to the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, greet the stranger, and give shelter and clothes to those who are in need.

Download Permission Slip

      

Service & Spiritual Actions

This is a time for you to develop your relationship with the Lord. You do this mainly through prayer. The sacraments can be prayer and engaging in the life of the Church also leads us into prayer. Hearing about others' experiences of God can help us in our own relationship with him. Please take the time to look over the different ways to pray and choose 10 different types of prayer to try over the next 7 months. During the times you meet with your sponsor, keep them updated on the different ways you are praying. You may share as much as you want to about how your relationship is going with the Lord. At the least you will need to tell them which ways you are praying. Please keep track of this record it on your form as well. You should bring this form to your interview and then submit the completed one at the final Confirmation session in May.

 

Personal Prayer

  • Adoration- Go spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Gaze upon the Eucharist and praise Him.
  • Sit in silence in a chapel or in your own prayer space and be open to receiving anything God has for you.
  • Setting time aside to tell God what is on your heart and mind. Then listening to what He has to say to you.
  • Attend a prayer service
  • Praying the Rosary and meditating on the mysteries
  • Pray through a scripture passage
  • Go on a walk by yourself or in silence and thank God for the beauty of His creation.
  • Listen to a Christian song and find some lyrics that speak to you. Use them to guide your prayer. Think about what God might be saying to you through them.
  • Journal your thoughts to the Lord. Write down anything that comes to mind.
  • Spiritual reading
  • Read the scriptures for the day. Does anything apply to your life? How does the person writing the psalm feel? Have you ever felt that way before?
  • Pray a prayer you find on a prayer card or in a religious book. Think about what the prayer means as you read it. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be aware of the grace you will receive by praying it. Read the prayer out loud as your own words.

Sacrament

  • Make an examination of conscious and then go to Reconciliation with a priest. Reflect on how you feel afterward. Do you feel refreshed, healed, lighter, joyful?
  • Attend Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Make a journal entry (to turn in) that talks about something you learned or will help you in your spiritual life. Mention a song you like or a reading that spoke to your heart.
  • Attend a Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Wedding, Ordination, Anointing of the Sick, or Last Rites. Pray for the person(s) receiving the sacrament. Ask Jesus to prepare your heart to receive the Holy Spirit in a new way at Confirmation.
  • Events in the Life of the Church
  • Stations of the Cross- Put yourself in the role of someone who was there when Christ suffered for us. How would they have felt?
  • Plan a Prayer Service with your class, for another class or by yourself, for your family.
  • Go to Youth Group
  • Attend the Mission speaker this year
  • Go to any of the Holy Week liturgies or services. Have a conversation with your sponsor about what you saw and experienced.
  • Attend a speaker or presentation on a faith-related topic.


Serving As the Body of Christ

This year you will be challenged to look through the 7 principles of Catholic Social Teaching and choose one or more to uphold through a combination of service actions.

Since your participation in service to and with the body of Christ stems from your Baptism, you will be asked to do one service hour for every year of your life. *For example if you are 13, you should do a minimum of 13 service hours. Therefore, your service actions should add up to at least 13 hours.

More important than the hours is that the candidate do a variety of deeds with a loving and willing attitude.

Christian service should reach out beyond the "family circle" to the community unless they have chosen to do something as an extension of CST principle #2. Hopefully, the candidate is already contributing to the development and responsibility within the family. Parents, you can plan an important supporting role by helping the candidate find opportunities for action service hours.

No payment or reward should be received from these service action hours, but they are to be done merely for the good that is accomplished in helping those in need.

*As you look through these principles of Catholic Social Tradition, pay attention to your thoughts and feelings about the different types of involvement mentioned. If one excites you more than some of the others, we encourage you to learn more about it and consider doing service actions in that area. You might have a natural passion for this type of work. God created you with specific interests and gifts. He made you in a special way so that you can serve His people in a way that is unique. Pay attention to this and allow it to help you learn about yourself and the way God created you!

1.Dignity of all human life

Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, each person's life and dignity must be respected, whether that person is an innocent unborn child in a mother's womb, whether that person worked in the World Trade Center or a market in Baghdad, or even whether that person is a convicted criminal on death row. We believe that every human life is sacred from conception to natural death, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it protects and respects the life and dignity of the human person. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 13

Actions:

a.Attend the Pro-Life March

b.Participate in 40 days for life by praying outside one of the clinics with the group from our parish

c.Visit some folks in a nursing home

d.Participate in a program like Best Buddies

2.The call to family, community, and participation

The human person is not only sacred, but social. The God-given institutions of marriage— a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman—and family are central and serve as the foundations for social life. Marriage and family should be supported and strengthened, not undermined. Every person has a right to participate in social, economic, and political life and a corresponding duty to work for the advancement of the common good and the well-being of all, especially the poor and weak. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 13


Actions:

a.Babysit without charge for a married couple so they can have a date night

b.Organize a family night

c.Offer to make dinner or do a project to help your family

d.Assist in the Religious Education Program

e.Help with First Holy Communion Sessions

f.Prepare a meal or a dessert for a family whose loved one is sick or has died

g.Make cards for people in hospice, in jail, in a nursing home, or homebound from our parish

h.Accompany a Eucharistic Minister as they visit the sick and homebound

i.Coach or assist with young children's sports activities

3.Solidarity

We are one human family. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they may be. Pope John Paul II insists, "We are all really responsible for all." Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that "if you want peace, work for justice." The Gospel calls us to be "peacemakers." Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we be "sentinels of peace" in a world wounded by violence and conflict. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 15


Actions

a.Go to Pinellas HOPE to serve meals and eat with the guests. Get to know their names and stories.

b.Participate in an event that raises awareness and support for an illness (Relay for Life, MS walks, etc.)

c.Visit some guests in a nursing home. Offer to read them a book or play a game with them.

d.Organize for your choir or dance group to perform at a nursing home during the holiday season

e.Prepare entertainment or holiday parties for nursing homes or child care centers

4.Dignity of Work

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's act of creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers, owners, and others must be respected—the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and choose to join a union, to economic initiative, and to ownership and private property. These rights must be exercised in ways that advance the common good. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 15

Actions:

a.Collect long sleeve shirts to donate on Farmworker Sunday (Nov. 6)

b.Write a letter to a company owner or CEO that is mistreating their employees or not offering fair wages.

c.Support Fair Trade products by organizing a campaign to raise awareness for the importance of supporting Fair Trade instead of Free Trade.

5.Rights and Responsibilities

Every person has a fundamental right to life— the right that makes all other rights possible. Each person also has a right to the conditions for living a decent life—faith and family life, food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing. We also have a duty to secure and respect these rights not only for ourselves, but for others, and to fulfill our responsibilities to our families, to each other, and to the larger society. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 14

Actions:

a.Donate 10 clothing items you don't wear anymore to Good Will

b.Collect toys for children in need

c.Help with the parish Giving Tree

d.Write letters to government officials about justice issues

6.Option for the poor and vulnerable

Scripture teaches that God has a special concern for the poor and vulnerable. The Church calls on all of us to embrace this preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, to embody it in our lives, and to work to have it shape public policies and priorities. A fundamental measure of our society is how we care for and stand with the poor and vulnerable. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 15

a.Collect food for St. Vincent DePaul

b.Collect, clean, and repair clothing and donate it to St. Vincent DePaul

c.Work at a food bank

7.Caring for God's Creation

The world that God created has been entrusted to us. Our use of it must be directed by God's plan for creation, not simply for our own benefit. Our stewardship of the Earth is a form of participation in God's act of creating and sustaining the world. In our use of creation, we must be guided by a concern for generations to come. We show our respect for the Creator by our care for creation. —USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 15

a.Organize or help with a recycling project

b.Start a compost pile in your schoolyard or backyard. Ask students, teachers, or neighbors to contribute.

c.Plant a garden and take flowers, fruit, or vegetables to a lonely neighbor or someone in a nursing home.

d.Carpool to save gas and utilize less carbon fuels.

*Carpooling 5 times will ear you one hour.

Main Ideas Handouts

Session 1: October, Candidate-Parent Meeting

Confirmation is a sacrament.

A sacrament is a way of receiving God and His Grace.

You received the Holy Spirit at Baptism.

Confirmation strengthens and seals the Holy Spirit you have. You also receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help you live the Christian life.

Your Sponsor will help you learn more about the Holy Spirit and how to know Jesus more. They will be praying for you as your heart and mind are prepared for Confirmation.

Saints are examples of people who lived lives of heroic Christian virtue. We ask them to pray for us so we can live in the Holy Spirit. We pick a special saint to pray for us and take their name as a reminder that they are praying for us. It also reminds us to emulate their holiness. (Confirmation/Patron Saint)

God has a plan for your life. –Jeremiah 29:11

• God created us with a desire for Him. He wants to know you and wants you to know Him. –Catechism of the Catholic Church & St. Augustine

• We have to tell God we want to know Him, so He can reveal Himself to us. He does not force us to know Him. He gave us freewill so we have the choice. –Catechism of the Catholic Church & St. Augustine

• He created you exactly the way He wanted you to be. You were made on purpose. You are not a mistake. You are wonderfully made. –Psalm 139

• God sent us His Holy Spirit so that He can be with us until the end of the age. –Matthew 28:20

  

Session 2: November, The Sponsor- Candidate Relationship

Your sponsor is a great resource. You should talk to them about what you are learning in your Confirmation sessions and Religion class.

Ask them how they relate to God and what helps them pray.

Share your questions and concerns with them as well.

The more you put into your relationship with your sponsor, the more you will get out of it.

We all need spiritual and meaningful relationships in our lives.

• It is important and very helpful to have people in our lives that challenge and encourage us.

• We need to be around people who help us to be the best version of ourselves.

• We are influenced by the people we spend time around, so we should surround ourselves with people we admire and want to be like.

God created us for relationship. He knew we needed community. That is why the Church is gathering of people. Together we are the Body of Christ. The sponsor- candidate relationship is a way of being the body of Christ.

The apostles were sent by Jesus to witness to all people of the world about how to follow Jesus Christ.

Now, your sponsor is going to witness to you about what it is like to follow Christ and who Jesus is to them.

  

Session 3: December, Sacraments

A Sacrament is:

1. A VISIBLE SIGN of God's

2. INVISIBLE GRACE,

3. INSTITUTED BY CHRIST,

4. for OUR SALVATION.

Sacrament  Visible/Audible Sign Grace Instituted by Christ For our Salvation
Baptism Water Received in all Sacraments

Matthew 28:19 -Jesus sends the disciples out to Baptize.

Through the grace we receive in all the Sacraments
Reconciliation Laying on of Hand & Words of Absolution " John 20:22-23 -"Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." "
Communion Bread & Wine " Last Supper "
Confirmation Oil & Laying on of Hands " Pentecost "
Holy Orders Laying on of Hands " Last Supper "
Marriage Kiss & Vows " Jesus' presence at the Wedding at Cana & Matthew 19:4-5 "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'"? "
Anointing of the Sick Oil and Laying on of Hands " Jesus heals the sick, blind, and the lame, etc. "

 

 

   

 

















A Sacrament is God's way of putting His life inside you.

WHERE DID CONFIRMATION COME FROM? Pentecost

The Holy Spirit came to the apostles at Pentecost. From there, they went out in pairs Baptizing, Confirming, and witnessing to all the people they met.

The early Christians had a rigorous process for new followers to become Christians. They had to prove their knowledge and dedication to Christ before they could be Baptized. During this period the group that was seeking Baptism were called the Catechumens. They would receive Confirmation right after Baptism. The two Sacraments were not separated as they are today.

Those who are Baptized have the right to receive Confirmation. However, since most of us were Baptized as babies, we did not have the preparation to become a Christian that the early catechumens did. Our parents intended to raise us in the faith, and therefore, made this choice for us. So as you grew up you learned about how to live the Christian life. Your Religious Education/ Religion Classes and other Sacramental Preparation formation have been the preparation for you instead of the catechumenate process.

So although you have the right to Confirmation, you must intend to receive it and be open to the Holy Spirit. And while Confirmation is a right for all Baptized, it is also an opportunity for deeper conversion. It is an opportunity to come to know the Lord in a more personal way. All the Sacraments are ways we get to know the Lord and receive all He has for us.

The more we understand what is happening during a Sacrament, the more we can appreciate how God is working through us.

You are a Sacrament. You are a sign that points to something else, more sacred—God Himself.

  

Session 4: January, Creed- What Do We Believe?

"There are not one hundred people in the world who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they mistakenly believe the Catholic Church to be." -Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

COMMON MYTHS OF CATHOLICSM:

• We earn our way to heaven through works. -FALSE

o We do not believe that we "earn" our way to heaven. Any "works" we do are in response to our Baptismal call and to Christ's love, not to "earn" a spot in eternity.

• We proclaim Mary is more important than Jesus. -FALSE

o Mary is not even equal to Jesus. Christ alone is God and Mary herself would never want any recognition to be diverted from her Son. However, we can pray to Jesus through and with Mary, which magnifies our prayers to Jesus with profound grace.

• We condemn anyone who isn't Catholic as "unsaved". -FALSE

o God alone proves hearts and knows who will and will not be with Him for eternity. We are one of the only Christian Churches who recognize the dignity of non-Christian religions, respectfully entering into discussion with them and working toward greater Ecumenical fellowship.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

1. The Creed outlines the beliefs of the Catholic Faith.

2. There is a lot of incorrect information available about our faith, so we need to makes sure we have credible sources.

3. On your journey to Confirmation, it is important for you to grow in knowledge and wisdom, not ignorance.

TAKE A STAND.

4. If we don't stand for something, we will fall for everything. We will always be looking for the next thing.

5. Make sure you are seeking truth and you will find it.

• "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.d For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit* to those who ask him?" -Luke 11:9-13

6. DON'T BE AFRAID TO SEARCH, TO QUESTION, AND TO FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. DON'T SETTLE FOR NOT CARING.

TAKING STOCK

7. Our faith and morals have to be rooted in a deeper reality, an unchanging reality.

8. If you are looking for something stable and lasting to put your faith in, then the Catholic Church is what you are looking for!

OUR PROFESSION OF FAITH

9. We say the Nicene Creed at Mass each Sunday, but the challenge for us is to do more than just go through the motions of saying it, we should pray it and let it shape us!

  

Session 5: February, Confirmation

Confirmation is the third and last Sacrament of Initiation.

You will receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit which you received at Baptism.

Confirmation is a REALLY GOOD THING! It is worth preparing for and putting your time into.

At Confirmation, the Bishop anoints your forehead with the Chrism Oil and lays hands on you.


Bishop: Be Sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

You: Amen.

Bishop: Peace be with you.

You: And also with you.

 

Oil is a sign of abundance and joy.

• Oil cleanses (before and after bathing)

• Oil limbers (for athletes)

• Oil is a sign of healing

• Oil makes one radiant with beauty, health, and strength

 

Anointing is a sign of consecration. It means the Confirmed share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit with which he or she is filled. Their lives give off the "aroma" of Christ! CCC, 1294

A seal is a sign of personal authority or ownership of something. Jesus is placing His mark on you. In this way He is let us know that we have given our lives completely to Him. CCC, 1295

As confirmed Catholics, we are empowered to live in the Holy Spirit. We are empowered to use the gifts He has given us for the life of the Church. We are given the strength we need to serve others. We are given the grace we need to become holy- to become like Jesus.

"You receive my power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses..." -Acts. 1:8


Session 6: March, Gifts & Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the action- the 'active ingredient' between the Father and the Son, and humanity.

When God acts in the world, it is through the Holy Spirit.

• God spoke to the prophets in the Old Testament through the Holy Spirit.

• The Scriptures were written through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

• God was revealed through the Holy Spirit.

• Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and gave birth to Christ.

• The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles at Pentecost

 

  • The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is the fullness of the Father and the Son as they are of each other.
  • It is the Holy Spirit who will give us what we need to take spiritual action in our lives.
  • All the grace, all the power, all the resources we need to grow spiritually are available to us through the Holy Spirit.
  • God gives the gifts freely, He pours out the graces lavishly- but He does it THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Get to know Him- learn how He works and what makes Him tick in your life. Use this time of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation to really open yourself to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspiration. CCC, 1831

Gifts: Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, Fear of the Lord

The fruits are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us.

Fruits: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-Control, Chastity

To grow spiritually, it takes work and dedication, just like anything else in our lives. You have to use these gifts and work at your spiritual life and relationship with God to see the fruits.


Session 7: May, We Are the Church

After washing the disciples' feet, Jesus then told them they must go and do likewise:

So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. -John 13:12-15

We are called to recognize Christ in every person we meet. We are called to see the fundamental value of every human being, desiring equality for all persons –it is all at the heart of LIVING for Jesus.

The Church has a special name for Christian service as a way of living: Catholic Social Teaching or Social Justice.

The dignity of each person demands justice, equality, and basic human rights. By our Baptism we are members of the Body of Christ. We are called to treat others as brothers and sisters- friends. These principles and works remind us how God is calling us to act.


7 Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

* Please see your Red Handbook for more details.

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

3. Rights and Responsibility

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of the Workers

6. Solidarity

7. Care for God's Creation


Spiritual Works of Mercy

• Admonish the sinner

• Instruct the ignorant

• Counsel the doubtful

• Comfort the sorrowful

• Bear wrongs patiently

• Forgive all injuries

• Pray for the living and the deceased


Corporal Works of Mercy

• Feed the hungry

• Give drink to the thirsty

• Clothe the naked

• Welcome the stranger

• Visit the imprisoned

• Visit the sick

• Bury the dead

 

Parent Letter & Overview

Dear Parents and Candidates:

The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation should be a special moment for you. The Confirmation program requires prayer and action on your part. It is important that you know about it ahead of time. Please read this letter carefully, discuss its contents as a family, and then begin preparation.

What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?

Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are the sacraments of initiation. Through these sacraments, we become fully initiated into the Catholic Church, a community of Spirit filled people who are continually being saved by Jesus Christ and who witness His love to the world.

Confirmation impresses the candidates with a special character. In receiving this sacrament, confirmands are given a share in the covenant God maintains with His children. A covenant requires a commitment by both parties that is more powerful than a contract or promise. In this covenant, candidates are graced in a special way by the Holy Spirit so that their lives might become increasingly enriched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts given, however, must be cultivated by those who receive them through a life in communion with our Lord.

Your role as a Candidate, and the role of your Parents

Candidates, to be confirmed you must be suitably instructed and properly composed. The sacrament of Confirmation is a significant step in life and should not be seen as completion of Religious Education, but as a commitment to live your life devoted to Christ, as well as being an active member of His Church.

As parents, you play a primary role in the sacramental preparation program. You help your son or daughter grow in faith as you prepare him or her for fruitful reception of the sacrament. Your attendance at required meetings and at weekly Mass to participate in our parish's Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist is of utmost importance. Your actions form your son's or daughter's perception of what this sacrament and the Christian life are all about.

The Role of the Sponsor

Each candidate, with the help of his or her parents, chooses a sponsor.

Sponsors are to be mentors in the faith and take on a lifelong commitment to serve as support for their candidates throughout their lives. During the time of preparation, the sponsors are expected to meet with their candidates on a regular basis.

Church law states that the sponsor must be at least sixteen years of age. He or she must be a confirmed Catholic who has received Holy Eucharist and is living according to the Catholic faith. The sponsor may not be the mother or father of the one to be confirmed. It is the responsibility of the sponsor to obtain a letter from their pastor affirming their qualifications to be a sponsor.

If possible, the Baptismal sponsor should also be the Confirmation sponsor. This choice would express more clearly the relationship between Baptism and Confirmation, and would make the function of the sponsor more effective.

Sponsors should be present at the Confirmation sessions, the Confirmation ceremony and, if possible, the Confirmation rehearsal. Their immediate role demands time, commitment, and a willingness to engage in faith-sharing activities with their candidates. Those who are too busy to devote proper time and care to the candidates are not effective sponsors.

This Confirmation Program

This program concentrates on your immediate preparation and the key decisions that the candidate makes while preparing for Confirmation. Most candidates at Espiritu Santo are in eighth grade, and currently taking religious education classes. This program is designed to compliment those classes.

The key decisions you will make are:

  • To decide to seek Confirmation
  • To select a sponsor as a living role model for your life
  • To select a patron saint as an inspirational role model for your spiritual life
  • To choose a Confirmation name that celebrates your patron saint
  • To choose and then serve needy people in a program of Christian service

This program happens between October and June. There is an overview schedule of classes, activities, and decision dates on the first page of this Information Packet.

The Confirmation Retreat

The Confirmation retreat gives you a chance to reflect on the significance of this sacrament in your life. The retreat is mandatory. Candidates must attend the entire retreat.

The retreat will be planned and carried out by Kim Paczynski, the Youth Minister at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church. The date for the Confirmation retreat is Sunday, April 29, 2012 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm (following Life Teen Mass which will begin at 5:00 pm).

Interviews

As a way of engaging with active adult ministers in our parish, Confirmation candidates will sign up to meet with a member of an interviewing group. Candidates are provided with potential questions, upon which they should reflect and speak about with parents, catechists, and sponsors. The questions are a guide for the interview conversation, and the candidate should come to the interview prepared to discuss the topics mentioned in the questions. Candidates may also ask their own questions during their interview. The primary goal of the interview is to create a space for the candidate to share their knowledge, thoughts, and intentions regarding Confirmation and their personal faith journey.

Youth Rally

On Saturday, February 11th, Confirmation candidates will attend a Youth Rally hosted by Chris Meyer and Kim Paczynski. During the Youth Rally, music missionary John Angotti will lead youth in a time of prayer and praise.

The Rite of Confirmation

The rehearsal for Confirmation is on Thursday, June 7 at 6:00 pm. You, the candidate, must attend, along with your sponsor. A parent should stand-in if the sponsor is not available.

Bishop Lynch will preside at the Rite of Confirmation on Saturday, June 9. The service will begin at 10:30 am. Candidates and sponsors should arrive in the Parish Center no later than 9:45 am. The candidates and their sponsors will enter the church in a procession, and sit together in reserved rows in the center of the church. Parents, siblings, and guests are welcome to attend the service, but for them there is no reserved seating.

All photography during the service is strictly prohibited—Bishop's orders. Photographs with the Bishop can be taken after the service, but please kindly follow the directions given.

The manner of dress chosen for the reception of the sacrament indicates the reverence and honor which the individual holds for God and the Church. To facilitate the choice of clothing, the following dress code is to be observed by all:

  • SPONSORS: As an example of your reverence for this Sacrament, please also observe the following dress code:
  • Dress code for young men: Long sleeve dress shirt and tie; long pants, preferably a dark color; and dress shoes. No graphic prints, t-shirts, or sneakers. A jacket is optional.
  • Dress code for young women: Modest dresses or skirts and blouses; sleeves are required; bare shoulders are not permitted. Very short or very tight skirts and dresses are not appropriate. Dress shoes are required. Please no flip flops. Anything resembling a cocktail dress or prom dress is not permitted.

There will be a reception after the service in the Parish Center. Refreshments will be served. Parents and guests are cordially invited. You are welcome to take pictures at the reception, and please pick up your Confirmation certificate.

The sacrament of Confirmation will be a very special event in the coming year. I look forward to joining you in this journey of growing deeper in the faith, and in your understanding of what it means to be a Confirmed Catholic.


Yours in Christ,

Kaitlin Berger- Echo Apprentice, Coordinator of Confirmation '11-'12

Ellen Jones- Coordinator of Religious Education

 

Interview Questions

 

Confirmation Interview –Possible Questions

Dear Confirmation Candidates, This year you will be asked to have an interview with an adult from the parish. This is an opportunity to talk with someone from the Espiritu Santo community about what you have been learning and upon which you have been reflecting. The interviewer will be asking you questions similar to the ones listed below. This is also a time for you to ask the interviewer any questions you have about the Catholic faith. Feel free to speak about your prayer life and ask questions about the interviewer's faith journey as well. Please look over the questions below and prepare answers for them. During the interview, you may reference the notes you took on each question, but DO NOT READ YOUR ANSWERS OFF THE PAGE. Please only use your answers as a guide. You should be able to speak freely about any of the general topics listed below.

  1. What type of service appeals to you most? What service have you already done or hope to do? Why is it important to do service?
  2. How is Baptism related to Confirmation and Eucharist?
  3. What are some core beliefs of the Catholic faith found in the Creed?
  4. Which of the Confirmation classes have you enjoyed the most? Explain the activity or what was going on that evening? Explain why you enjoyed it.
  5. Who is Jesus to you? Have you experienced/encountered Him? Do you hope to?
  6. What are Christ's two natures?
  7. What is the Trinity?
  8. Who is the Holy Spirit? What is your relationship with the Holy Spirit?
  9. What are some things you have learned from the Confirmation sessions?
  10. What would you have changed to help you learn better?
  11. How does your relationship with God relate with the Ten Commandments?
  12. What is a sacrament? Can you name all seven and tell me a little about each?
  13. What happens at Mass?
  14. When do you attend Mass? With whom?
  15. What is your favorite part of Mass and why?
  16. What ways do you like to pray and why?
  17. What do you know about the Bible?
  18. What do you think are the hardest things for Catholics your age to face/handle? What might be ways the Church can help you?
  19. Explain how your relationship with God helps you with your daily decisions or big moral decisions.
  20. What are questions you have about the Catholic faith or things you feel you want to learn more about?
  21. Do you want to continue with the preparation process for Confirmation? Why or why not?
  22. How will you live out your Catholic faith after you are confirmed?
  23. On a separate confidential sheet: How was this interview for you?

Confirmation Name

The Bishop will seal the candidate's commitment to Jesus and His Church by anointing him or her with oil and by calling him or her by their Confirmation name. This is a venerable tradition. The Christian name signifies a new beginning, and the desire to learn from the namesake saint.

Candidates may retain their Baptismal name rather than choose another, since this manifests the unity between Baptism and Confirmation. If they retain their Baptismal name, now is the appropriate time to rediscover their Baptismal namesake saint.

A special Christian name may be chosen for Confirmation, if desired. If the candidate chooses to take a new name, it must be a name selected from the list of saints recognized by the Catholic Church, or a name in honor of Jesus or Mary.

The candidates should research their saints, and have a full appreciation for their lives, strengths and weaknesses. Yes, many of the saints accomplished great spiritual deeds, but they were also human, had full lives, and struggled just as we struggle now.

Know your specific saint. For example, there are nine St. Odos, but there is only one St. Odo of Cluny.

A student is to fill out a form indicating the name chosen for Confirmation and the reason for choosing it. Candidates are encouraged to choose a saint whose Christian virtues can be imitated, and who will serve them as a guide. Parents and sponsors should assist the teens with this research.

Research your saint

Go online to the following sites and search by topic or name:

www.americancatholic.org/Features/saints/patrons.asp

www.catholic-forum.com/saints

www.catholic.org/saints

The Bishop may ask you why you picked your particular saint—HAVE AN ANSWER!

Important: The Confirmation name may be a derivative of the saint name. For example: If you are female and admire a male saint such as Anthony, Francis or Gabriel you can choose the feminine version of Anne, Frances, or Gabriella.

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