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.

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

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

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?

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.