Pax Christi Catholic Church Confirmation Class Information & Registration Packet

Transcription

1 Pax Christi Catholic Church Confirmation Class Information & Registration Packet Patrick Meleney Director of Youth Ministry x.103

2 Dear Parish Families, Welcome to the Pax Christi Confirmation Program. I am excited to journey with your family and teen towards the Sacrament of Confirmation. In this registration packet you will read about all that the Confirmation and Youth Ministry Program at Pax Christi provides your teen and your family. This is truly a special time of spiritual formation for your teen; one that I hope will strengthen your entire family. At Pax Christi, and in the Catholic Church, we do not see Confirmation as a graduation from Religious Ed or the faith. Nor do we see Confirmation Prep simply as a class you must attend to receive head knowledge in order to participate in the Church. Instead, we see this period as a time to deepen your faith and ask God for the Grace to live it out in a more real way. We will be using the LIFE Teen One Eight program. One Eight utilizes experiential, relational, and systematic methods that engage teenagers in their faith while presenting doctrinally sound teachings, rooted in the Catechism and Sacred Scripture. Through engaging presentations of the faith, teenagers are invited into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and challenged to become life-long disciples over the course of the program During this time, know that I and the rest of the Pax Christi community are praying for you and your family. In Christ, Patrick Meleney Director of Youth Ministry

3 SCHEDULE Sundays (except G.I.F.T. Sundays) 3:00-5:00pm August January 24 th Candidates & Parents 4 th Candidates & Parents 23 rd -25 th Retreat September 7 th Candidates February 28 th Candidates & Parents 1 st Service Day (Souperbowl of Caring) 22 nd Candidates & Parents October 12 th Candidates March 19 th Candidates & Parents 1 st Candidates 29 th Candidates & Parents November 2 nd Candidates April 23 rd Candidates & Parents 2 nd -4 th Triddum 26 th Candidates & Parents December 7 th Candidates May 14 th Candidates & Parents 3 rd Candidates 10 th Candidates & Parents To Be Determined May: Confirmation Ceremony This date will be announced as soon as we have confirmation from the Bishop s office.

4 Details Class Format The format for the Confirmation classes this year are designed to not only teach the information needed for the Sacrament but also to cultivate the faith of each candidate in a personal way. The session will open in prayer followed by a short talk on a specific topic concerning the faith. Following the presentation all candidates will break into small groups of 8-10 candidates per group to discuss the topic more in depth. Following small groups the class will participate in an activity and/or prayer that is specific to that topic that night. Parent Sessions Candidates for Confirmation do not prepare for this Sacrament alone. Along with the other candidates and their sponsor, each candidate has a family behind them, encouraging and supporting them. The Catholic Church recognizes the import role parents play as the primary teachers of the faith for their children and wants to help you in this role. Once a month we will have a Parent Session which will run concurrently with the candidate session. These session will be led by one of our clergy, staff or an adult catechist. We will cover the same material as the candidates but from the perspective of an adult and parent in the faith. We hope, in this way, your candidate s preparation for Confirmation will be an opportunity for deeper conversion for your whole family. Small Groups Small groups will be at the heart of our Confirmation prep. Small groups will remain the same throughout Confirmation Prep. Small groups will be assigned by the leader and will be based on age. Small groups are a time for each candidate to connect and build relationships with the other candidates in their small group and their adult small group leader. In these groups, candidates and their group leaders will discuss the topic of the night in a more in depth way; reading scripture, looking in the Catechism, asking questions, sharing stories and applying the faith to their lives. Service The Catholic faith cannot be an idle faith. We cannot live it out only on Sundays but must go out into the world. With this in mind, service is an important part of Confirmation prep. As a Confirmation class we will be participating in Souperbowl of Caring. This national event collects canned goods and donations at local super markets the morning of the Super Bowl. Information for this event will be forthcoming. Parish Involvement Our parish should not be just a building we come to once a week to pray and then go home. The Christian life is a life of community in the Body of Christ. This is why we require each candidate for Confirmation

5 be involved in one of the many ministries of the parish. This can beknights of Columbus (for those men of age), Food Pantry, Altar Serving or another Liturgical Ministry, Mentoring, etc. Candidates should list which ministry they participated in and have the leader of that ministry sign their Accountability Sheet. Books Confirmation Candidates will need to bring a Bible to every class. In addition, each candidate will receive a YouCat, YouCat Prayer Book, and One Eight Teen Journal as part of registration. These will be needed at every class. The One Eight Teen Journal will be checked at every session as homework. Missed Classes We ask that families and Candidates make a commitment to be at each class throughout Confirmation Prep. Because we will only be meeting twice a month for Confirmation, each candidate must schedule a time to meet with the Director of Youth Ministry in order to receive the missed information. The Confirmation retreat is mandatory so please put the date on your calendars now! Papers Each are to be one page typed and double spaced Patron Saint: Due March 1 st Choose a patron saint. Give brief biography of their life and answer the following: Why did you choose this saint? How was their life normal like everyone else? How was their life different or extraordinary? How did they become Saints? Which Virtues and Gifts of the Holy Spirit did they show? What part of their holiness do you want to follow and why? G.I.F.T. This is the whole family catechesis ministry of Pax Christi. In order to begin Confirmation Preparation each candidate needs to be enrolled in G.I.F.T. for at least one year. Those going through Confirmation Prep are to continue attending G.I.F.T. for the purpose of continued formation and involvement in the wider parish community. High School GIFT can be completed either by attending at least one Lifeteen Youth Group per month (see Youth Ministry ) or by mentoring for EDGE (7 th & 8 th Grade GIFT Sessions) Youth Ministry This is a vibrant ministry at Pax Christi. With Core Values of Eucharistic Spirituality, Discipleship and Joy, the youth ministry program seeks to lead youth closer to Christ. We do this through weekly youth group meeting, special events, rallies, retreats, and service projects. Those in Confirmation Preparation are to be involved in youth ministry as a supplement to their formation and transition into youth ministry after Confirmation for continued growth in their faith and relationships with fellow

6 Catholic teens. Please see the Youth Ministry Calendars for details on all youth ministry events. EDGE Middle School Youth Group 1st and 2 nd Sundays of GIFT 3:00-5:00pm and Monday of GIFT 6:15-8:15pm LIFE TEEN High School Youth Group Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm Triduum Liturgies The Triduum Liturgies are the holiest days and liturgies of the year. The Triduum includes Holy Thursday (the Last Supper), Good Friday (celebration of the Passion) and the Easter Vigil. As a Confirmation Class and Parish Family, we want all Candidates to attend the Triduum Liturgies. Candidates will need to get a member of the Clergy, Core Team or the Director of Youth Ministry to sign off at each liturgy that they attended. Candidates will be asked to help with the Easter Vigil Liturgy and are encouraged to fully participate in Holy Week celebrations. Retreat Jesus would often go off by himself to pray and be with God. Many people throughout Scripture would encounter God out in the wilderness. He uses times when we take a break from our everyday lives and distractions to communicate with us and reveal himself. Because of this, all candidates are required to attend the Confirmation Retreat. Candidates are asked to disconnect from their regular lives in order to commune God. This retreat will help the candidates to enter into their preparation more deeply, encounter Christ in a new way and bond with each other through activities, prayer, small groups and talks. The cost of the retreat is incorporated into the registration fee. The date of the retreat is January 23 7:00pm :00pm

7 Accountability Sheet Please confirm that the following have been completed by checking the appropriate lines and turn in at the Confirmation Ceremony Rehearsal. Turned in a copy of Baptismal Certificate (Due: August 24 th ) Turned in Sponsor Form (Due: January 4 th ) Attended Confirmation Retreat (Pax Christi January 23 rd -25 th ) Make-Up Retreat: Church: Date: Confirmation Candidate Interview with Patrick (March May) Date: Patron Saint Paper (Due: March 1 st ) Participated in Service Project (Souperbowl of Caring February 1 st ) Completed OneEight Youth Journal (Checked at Each Session) Attended Required Candidate and Parent Classes Participated in Parish Ministry Name of Ministry: With my signature, I confirm that the above listed Candidate for Confirmation participated in the here listed ministry throughout their Confirmation preparation. Ministry Leader Signature: Attended Triddum Liturgies (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) Signature of Clergy, Core Team Member, or Youth Director: Holy Thursday: Good Friday: Easter Vigil:

8 Confession I affirm that the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge. Candidate Signature: Date: Parent Signature: Date:

9 Pax Christi Confirmation Registration Youth Information: This information is used periodically by our staff and volunteers to contact your child. First Name: Last Name: _ Address: _ City: State: Zip Code Age: Grade in Fall 14 School Attending Date of Birth (month/day/year) Sex: M or F Home Phone: Teen Cell Phone: Teen Address: Teen Facebook Name: Baptism: Please attach a copy of your Baptismal Certificate to this registration Date of Baptism: Parish of Baptism: _ Parish of Baptism Address: Parent Information: This information is used periodically by our staff and volunteers to contact you Father s Name _ Work # Cell# Mother s Name Work# _ Cell# Stepfather Stepmother Primary residence is with: (check one) Father Mother _ Both Please indicate the forms of communication we are allowed to use with your child: Cell Phone: Texting: Facebook: _ _ None:_ May we use any videos and/or pictures taken of your child during youth ministry events for promotional purposes? Yes_ No _ Parent Signature: _ Date _ $50 per Child/Year YouCat, YouCat Prayer Book, Youth Journal, & Retreat Office Use Only: Paid $_ ( ) Check # ( ) Cash Date //