St. Raphael Catholic Church Confirmation Packet

Transcription

1 St. Raphael Catholic Church Confirmation Packet

2 Table of Contents Sunday, Sept. 13: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 1: What is Confirmation?...p.1-2 Retreat: Sept p.3-6 Sunday, Oct. 4: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 2: Role of the Sponsor, Sacraments of Initiation & the Creed.... p.7-9 Sunday, Oct. 18: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 3: Rite of Confirmation..p.9-10 Sunday, Nov. 1: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 4: Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit... p Sunday, Nov. 15: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 5: Choosing a Saint Name & Discipleship p.12 Friday, Dec. 11: 7 p.m. - ADVENT XLT p.12 Proclaim for Session p Creed Activity Handout.... p.18-19

3 Confirmation Program The following is a list of certain pieces which make up the Confirmation Program. These pieces are intended to help the Confirmation candidate and parents prepare for the Confirmation in January. Our Confirmation preparation is scheduled as follows: Sunday, Sept. 13: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 1: What is Confirmation? Retreat: Sept Sunday, Sept. 27: LIFE TEEN KICK OFF, 5:30 p.m. Mass-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 2: Role of the Sponsor, Sacraments of Initiation & the Creed o Recognition at 5:30 p.m. Mass Sunday, Oct. 18: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 3: Rite of Confirmation Sunday, Nov. 1: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 4: Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit Sunday, Nov. 15: 2:30-4 p.m. - Session 5: Choosing a Saint Name & Discipleship Friday, Dec. 11: 7 p.m. - ADVENT XLT Attend 6 Life Nights during the fall semester December: Interviews Signups TBA Our hope is that the teens will get into the habit of coming to Youth Group on Sunday nights in between and after the Confirmation Preparation. We hope that as teens integrate into their highschool lifestyle, they will make their faith a top priority by attending Mass and Life Teen. We believe that it will help them through the challenges and blessings at this time in their lives, as well as help them form good habits for the future! Absences Candidates are expected to attend ALL Confirmation Sundays. Absences will be noted and teens will be asked to do makeup work to cover the content that was discussed in the session they missed. 2. Family Formation Parents are the primary catechists for their children s faith formation. With this in mind, teens will receive two audio CDs: THE BEST WAY TO LIVE by Matthew Kelley and WE MUST GO OUT by Fr. Michael Schmitz, to which they should listen in the company of their parents and/or sponsor. They will be asked to listen to at least one CD and discuss it with both parties. While candidates may choose to listen to the CD once with all parties present, they also may have the sponsor listen to it on their own and have a discussion at a later time. As a family, we suggest that you read the upcoming Sunday Gospel weekly and discuss the content and the homily after attending Mass together. 3. Service and Outreach By the call of their Baptism, candidates are expected to accept their share of the responsibility to serve others. We are requiring that all Confirmation candidates participate in various service and outreach opportunities in order to acquire the number of service hours that matches the number of years since they were baptized. We assume most teens were baptized as infants. Therefore, the

4 number of years since their baptism matches their age. So we anticipate teens to serve 14 hours if they are 14 years old, 15 hours if they are 15 years old, etc. Parents and sponsors are encouraged to work with their teen to complete the service and outreach opportunities. 4. Stewardship Stewardship is an important part of any person s commitment and obligation to a group or organization. Stewardship is composed of three areas: time (service), treasure (financial responsibilities) and talent (using your abilities to make the group better). In order to better understand what WE are responsible for in our church and community, all Confirmation candidates will have to show they are fulfilling their share of the responsibility. This can be done in the following ways: 1. Participation in service projects throughout the year (see service information section). 2. Participation in financial support program (through Sunday envelopes or online giving). 3. Participation in evaluation of Confirmation Program at the end of the year. 5. Liturgy and Recognition of Candidates At the center of the Catholic Christian faith is the celebration of the Eucharist, the real presence of Christ in the bread, wine and the people who eat His Body and Blood. It is at Mass, at Liturgy, where we come together with all of our Catholic Christian friends to celebrate as one church. It is only fitting for the people of our parish community to celebrate and walk with you on your journey toward being a full member. The best way to include others as well as to make your journey special is to celebrate important stages of your preparation. This is done through special celebrations marking important steps toward Confirmation. The 5:30 p.m. Recognition of Candidates for Confirmation will be October Retreat Retreats are such an important part of the Confirmation process; they are even important in life. How many times do we look forward to a vacation from school or from our everyday lives? We go to the beach or the mountains, Hawaii, Disneyland, just about anywhere, to get away and recharge our batteries. Retreats are intended to do the same. They give people the chance to get away from things that prevent them from focusing on our Lord. Retreats allow candidates to go away to have fun and relax, but more importantly, to recharge their spiritual batteries. When you return from retreat, you can be guaranteed that your life will be changed. Candidates will experience a weekend retreat at Bethany Center in Lutz, FL, on this weekend: Friday, September 18, to Sunday, September 20. The WEEKEND RETREAT IS MANDATORY for candidates choosing to be confirmed. If you are unable to attend this retreat weekend, it will be your responsibility to locate a parish that will take you on their retreat and receive a written letter signed by their Confirmation Coordinator that you attended retreat. That being said, I hope all will attend the retreat we have planned for you to share in one experience together.

5 8. Sponsors Sponsors are people who you can rely on during your faith journey. They should be people with a deep commitment to the Catholic faith and who are active, confirmed members of their parish. They should be willing to listen to you, help you answer questions, and be willing to share their faith and example with you. Sponsors are expected to maintain REGULAR contact with their candidate not only to pray, but to socialize and develop a stronger relationship. Confirmation sponsors will be required to discuss various aspects of the sessions with their candidate. We want candidates to connect spiritually with their sponsors throughout this semester, so we ask that you schedule personal time together to share specific material that will be assigned at your sessions. Please take time to discern your sponsor and have them complete the Sponsor Information Form in this registration packet. All sponsors must have their Sponsor Information Form signed and sealed by their parish pastors. 9. Youth Ministry Life Nights Teens are required to attend 6 Life Nights of their choosing before Christmas break. Life Nights begin Sundays with 5:30 p.m. Mass and conclude at 8:30 p.m. The journey of faith during the high school years will not be easy and St. Raphael s Youth Group will help give you a way to stay connected to Christ through the faith community. Confirmation sessions focus primarily on faith and religious formation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Youth Group is designed to create a place where teens can support each other and grow in faith and friendship while learning how to apply your Catholic values and beliefs into your daily life. It also sponsors many social activities so you can start to meet others whose faith is important to them. 10. Diocesan Requirements Two years of faith formation (CCD or Catholic School Religion Class) previous to the Confirmation preparation. The process of immediate catechesis for Confirmation is a responsibility of the parish and is a free-standing program apart from any grade in the parish or school religious education program in which the child may continue. 11. Confirmation Interviews Watch for Dates Teens will be asked to have an interview with an adult from the parish. This is an opportunity to talk with someone from the St. Raphael community about what they have been learning and upon which you have been reflecting. The interviewer will be asking candidates questions similar to the ones listed in their Confirmation packet. This is also a time for candidates to ask the interviewer any questions they have about the Catholic faith. I encourage teens to speak about their prayer life and ask questions about the interviewer's faith journey as well. Please look over the questions below and discuss them with your child and the sponsor for your child. During the interview, candidates may reference the notes they took on each question, but they CANNOT READ ANSWERS OFF THE PAGE. Answers should only be used as a guide. Candidates should be able to speak freely about any of the general topics listed in the Confirmation packet.

6 12. Parent Involvement There is absolutely no reason parents should not be involved in the Confirmation Program in some way. This program relies totally on the volunteers to make it possible. With that in mind, we ask that you consider where your talents and time can be used to make the Confirmation Program the best! Each Parent Team will be known by their Patron Saint and we hope it will help you on your path to sainthood. St. Expeditus Team: St. Expeditus is the Patron Saint of Procrastination and Organization. Every time we gather, we will need parents to coordinate the check-in process and name tag distributions. This is a volunteer ministry that will take 1 to 2 hours a month to assist, and requires that you come one hour early to set up banners and prepare name tags. St. Joseph Team: St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Parents. We are looking for parents who will assist the catechists with the annual service projects. Safe Environment training and fingerprinting are mandatory for this ministry. St. Martha Team: St. Martha is the Patron Saint of Cooks. We are looking for parents who are willing to provide snacks for Confirmation Sundays, as well as our retreat. This could be as little as a one-time commitment if we get enough parents to help. 13. Confirmation Fees Confirmation Sacrament Fee: $50 Confirmation Retreat Fee: $60 Checks can be made payable to St. Raphael Catholic Church. (continued on next page)

7 PARENT TEAM INVOLVEMENT ST. RAPHAEL CONFIRMATION TEEN S NAME: FIRST MIDDLE LAST PARENT S NAME: FIRST MIDDLE LAST Parent Involvement This program relies totally on the volunteers to make it possible. With that in mind, we ask that you consider where your talents and time can be used to make the Confirmation Program the best! Each Parent Team will be known by their Patron Saint and we hope it will help you on your way to sainthood. Please circle any of the areas in which you would like to assist in the Confirmation Program. We will be in touch with you when we require your assistance. Thank you for your prayers and support. St. Expeditus Team: St. Expeditus is the Patron Saint of Procrastination and Organization. Every time we gather, we will need parents to coordinate the check-in process and name tag distributions. This is a volunteer ministry that will take 1 to 2 hours a month to assist and requires that you come one hour early to set up banners and prepare name tags. St. Joseph Team: St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Parents. We are looking for parents who will assist the catechists with the annual service projects. Safe Environment training and fingerprinting are mandatory for this ministry. St. Martha Team: St. Martha is the Patron Saint of Cooks. We are looking for parents who are willing to coordinate and provide snacks for the Confirmation Sessions, as well as our retreat. This could be as little as a one-time commitment if we get enough help from parents. (continued on next page)

8 SAINT NAME FORM ST. RAPHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH 1376 Snell Isle Blvd. NE St. Petersburg, FL Kaitlin Berger, Director of Youth Ministry Youth Office phone number: , ext Fax number: Candidate s Name SAINT NAME INFORMATION I am choosing as my Confirmation Saint. Please share some facts about this saint s life: Why is he/she a saint? What were some significant aspects of their life? Where and when did they live? What miracles have been attributed to their intercession? (Feel free to type this on another sheet of paper.) Please explain why you choose this saint as your Confirmation name and patron/patroness: What excites/inspires you about this saint s life? What connections do you have with this saint? Do you have anything in common with this saint? How might you ask this saint intercede for you? (Feel free to type this on another sheet of paper.)

9 CHOOSING A SPONSOR CONFIRMATION PREPARATION ST. RAPHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH All Confirmation candidates must be presented to the Bishop by a qualified sponsor. This sponsor, while chosen by the candidate, must have certain qualities that are spelled out fully in church law. A sponsor: Must be a Catholic who actively practices the faith and attends Mass weekly. Must be at least 16 years old and already confirmed. May not be a parent of the candidate. If married, the marriage was in a Catholic church or validated by the Catholic Church. Need not be the same gender as the candidate. While not part of the church law, it is strongly encouraged that a candidate selects one of his/her godparents for his/her Confirmation Sponsor. This expresses more clearly, the relationship between Baptism and Confirmation as Sacraments of Initiation and makes the function and responsibility of the Sponsor more effective. However, candidates may choose a different Sponsor for Confirmation. In addition to the requirements stated above, a sponsor should exemplify these qualities: Is the life of this person a testimony of his/her commitment to the Lord and to the Church? Is this person physically nearby to be part of the life of the candidate during the preparation process? Will this person be willing and eager to guide the candidate as they continue to learn: - To pray in new ways? - To witness? - To recognize the workings of the Holy Spirit? - More about the Catholic faith? - More about their parish and how to participate in parish life? - How to overcome doubts, fear, and temptation through their relationship with God? Will this person pray for the candidate regularly? Is the candidate able to approach this person with questions they have about their faith and spirituality? After the candidate has prayerfully chosen a Sponsor, have him/her complete the information sheet on the other side of this page. This form must be turned in to Kaitlin Berger by November 1. This deadline provides the sponsor time to assist the candidate during the course of their preparation for the sacrament.

10 CONFIRMATION SPONSOR CERTIFICATE ST. RAPHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH 1376 Snell Isle Blvd. NE St. Petersburg, FL Kaitlin Berger, Director of Youth Ministry Candidate s Name SPONSOR INFORMATION Sponsor s Name Date of Birth Address City State Zip Parish (If not registered at St. Raphael, sponsor certificate at bottom must be completed.) I declare that I am a baptized and confirmed Catholic. I believe all that the Catholic Church believes and proclaims to be revealed by God, and I make a serious effort to live a good, moral life worthy of imitation. As a practicing Catholic, I participate at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, and I receive the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation regularly. If married, my marriage is blessed by a Catholic priest or Catholic deacon. I realize that I assume a great responsibility before God and the Church in becoming a sponsor. I have read and understand the requirements to be a sponsor and I testify that I fulfill the qualifications. I understand that my primary role as a sponsor is to be a good model of Catholic, Christian living for the candidate I am sponsoring. Signature of Sponsor SPONSOR CERTIFICATE (Must be completed if Sponsor is not registered as a St. Raphael Parishioner.) This certifies that the above named person is known to me as a parishioner in good standing. I testify that he/she is qualified to serve as a sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Pastor s Signature [Parish Seal] Name of Parish Address of Parish

11 Purpose: ST. RAPHAEL CONFIRMATION INTERVIEW QUESTIONS To build relationships and help the candidate feel part of the community. To assess the desire of the candidate to receive the Sacrament. To evaluate the quality of preparation the candidate took part in. To understand where the candidates are along the stages of faith development. To provide the candidate with the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss questions regarding their faith the Sacrament. The following questions are both subjective and objective. They address the spiritual, intellectual, and personal development of the candidate. The questions have been chosen so as to give the interviewer a holistic understanding of the candidate s overall formation. Interviewers will ask candidates only a handful of questions; however, candidates should be prepared to answer any of the questions asked. 1. Did you or your parents have any questions about this meeting? 2. What type of service appeals to you most? What service projects have you already done or hope to do? Do you think it important to do service? Why? 3. How is Baptism related to Confirmation and Eucharist? 4. What are some core beliefs of the Catholic faith found in the Creed? 5. Which of the Confirmation sessions have you enjoyed the most? Explain the activity or what was going on that day? Explain why you enjoyed it. 6. Who is Jesus to you? Have you experienced/encountered Him? Do you hope to? 7. What are Christ's two natures? 8. What is the Trinity? 9. Who is the Holy Spirit? What is your relationship with the Holy Spirit? 10. What are some things you have learned from the Confirmation sessions? 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?

12 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. Who did you choose for your sponsor and why? 24. How have your Super Sundays been going? 25. What saint s name have you taken for your Confirmation name? Why? 26. Do you feel your family supports your decision to be confirmed? Why or why not? 27. How are you living a Catholic/Christian life now? Do you have/make time for prayer? 28. How do you see your Confirmation preparation affecting your life? 29. What did you do to complete your service requirement? How do feel about the work you did? 30. Why have you decided to receive Confirmation? How did your parents help you? Your sponsor? The Parish community?