Christ the King Catholic Church 821 South Dale Mabry Highway Tampa, Florida 33609 Confirmation 2013-2014 Requirements Sacrament involves relationship with Jesus and presumes faith. Readiness, not age or grade, is the criterion for the reception of a Sacrament. The family has an essential role in the preparation for and celebration of a Sacrament. Sacramental Program Requirements 1. Weekly attendance as a family at Sunday mass (or Saturday Vigil). 2. At least one year of Remote Preparation (either through Catholic school or Christ the King parish Faith Formation program). 3. One year of Immediate Preparation (either through approved Catholic school or Christ the King parish Faith Formation program). 4. No more than 5 sessions of Faith Formation (Sunday or Wednesday classes; not applicable to students enrolled in Catholic schools) may be missed by a student without delaying his/her Confirmation another year. 5. Mandatory participation in one of three Confirmation retreats. (High School students must attend the Life Teen Retreat) 6. Mandatory participation in the 6 designated Confirmation Class sessions. One make up class will be offered for each class. Attendance at all 6 classes (or the respective make up) is required. 6. Mandatory participation in at least 3 EDGE nights. (High School students must attend Life Teen nights) 7. Attendance at all special parent meetings. 8. Mandatory completion of all forms and assignments listed below. 9. Completion of Sacrament Readiness meeting with Sacrament Coordinator Monica Angel. REQUIRED FORMS: All students will be required to complete a registration form, turn in a copy of their Baptismal Certificate, a retreat form with notarized medical release form, a 2-4 page saint report, a letter to the Bishop, a sealed sponsor form, a Baptismal Promise Review, and family service project form. See dates and descriptions below. Sunday and Holy Day Mass Attendance: In the Eucharist, the source and summit of our Catholic faith, we receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. And, by God s grace, we become what we receive. Our full, conscious and active participation in Sunday and Holy Day Masses - participation based on the 3 rd Commandment to keep the Lord s Day holy - is the lifelong joy and responsibility of all Catholic Christians. Parents should recall the promises they made when their child was Baptized and continue to practice the Catholic faith as a fulfillment of this promise. Ongoing Catechesis: Our relationship with the Holy Trinity is eternal, and it is expressed in worship and action throughout our lives. Growth in faith doesn t stop once we are Confirmed, and Confirmation can never be thought of as a graduation from church activity. Rather, it means commitment to
greater involvement and responsibility. Teens are encouraged to participate in Life Teen after they are Confirmed. Preparation Classes: Remote Preparation for a Sacrament is a period of evangelization and systematic religious education prior to the year of immediate preparation. There should be at least one year of religious education prior to the year of immediate preparation for Confirmation. This requirement is met through attendance in a Catholic school or Catholic parish religious education program. (Generally this is fulfilled in the 7 th grade) Immediate Preparation for a Sacrament is the period of preparation (usually September through May) in which particular focus is given to understanding the Sacrament(s) to be received and the grace that one receives from Christ by virtue of that Sacrament. While we will do our best to incorporate this instruction within the context of our religious education program or Catholic school, it will involve some additional gathering for both parents and children. (Generally this is fulfilled in the 8 th grade) If your child is enrolled at Christ the King School or in Christ the King Parish Faith Formation, the 6 sessions of Confirmation preparation will be done during regularly scheduled class time. If your child misses on these classes, then he/she will be required to attend the corresponding make up class. If your child attends a Catholic school other than Christ the King, there will be six additional preparation sessions. If your child misses on these classes, then he/she will be required to attend the corresponding make up class. Please see the calendar for mandatory class dates and make up options. Parent Participation: As the first and foremost educator of your child in the faith, your participation in the Confirmation program is vital. The example of a parent s active prayer life and positive attitude toward Jesus Christ and His Church is the best faith-teaching a son or daughter could have. Parents along with students will be required to complete a family service project. Although it is your child s choice to become Confirmed and his/her responsibility to complete all Sacrament preparation requirements, parental involvement in the program and oversight that all assignments are completed and turned in on time is of great value and help. Parents are expected to set an example for your child. Please be aware of what you say and how you say it. Parents will be required to attend a meeting with Fr. Len on Sacraments of Initiation. Parents must attend one of the following meetings in McLoughlin Center: Wednesday, January 8 from 6-8 pm Sunday, January 12 from 10:30-12:30 pm Registration and Retreat Fees (Due by October 1, 2013): Each Confirmand will pay a $100 fee to cover the cost of the materials used, textbook, and retreat. Sacramental Certificates (Due by October 1, 2013): Baptism is necessary before one can receive any other Sacrament in the Catholic Church. Please submit a copy of your child s Baptismal Certificate to Monica Angel. If you do not have the original Baptismal Certificate, obtain a new one by contacting the parish of Baptism. Please be prepared to say in what year and month your child was Baptized. A new original copy will be mailed to you. If your child was Baptized in another Christian denomination but then made a
Profession of Faith, please provide us with that certificate. If your child received Baptism at Christ the King, you need not submit a copy. Reconciliation All students are required to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent. This Sacrament is available every Wednesday at 7 pm and every Saturday at 4:15 pm. We encourage families to go together. This is a great way to be an example to your child. Additionally, all Confirmandi and their sponsors should be in a state of grace at the time of Confirmation. Eucharistic Adoration: The Eucharist is the center of Catholic faith. Here at CTK, we have the opportunity to be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament every Wednesday (from 9:30 am-9 pm). This is a quiet time of prayer, reflection, and adoration. You can bring the bible, a prayer book, a book of readings, reflections of a saint or holy person, pray the rosary. Each Confirmandi is encouraged to participate in Eucharistic Adoration for at least 30 minutes at least once during the preparation process. To sign up for your chosen date and time, please contact Monica Angel at mangel@ctk-tampa.org Retreat and Medical Release Form (Due November 1, 2013): Confirmation provides a wonderful opportunity for scheduling a retreat, a traditional Catholic means for spiritual reflection. This feature of your child s Confirmation preparation, involving an overnight experience in a different and beautiful setting, may be one of the most exciting experiences of the program. This is required for all Confirmation participants. Sports or other recreational activities are not an excused absence from the retreat. See details on the Confirmation Retreat Forms, and be sure to register early. There is a limit to how many students may attend each retreat. Diocesan policy dictates that parents must complete a notarized medical release form in order to register. High School students must attend the Life Teen retreat in lieu of the Confirmation retreats. Retreats will be: February 8-9 February 15-16 March 22-23 Life Teen Retreat for High School Students Only: January 31-February 2 Sponsor Form (Due by December 1, 2013): Historically, sponsors were those Christians who presented their friends as candidates for Christian Initiation. When infant Baptism came into practice, parents presented their children to the community, and Godparents were chosen to represent the larger community of faith. Baptismal Godparents are preferred as Confirmation sponsors, since this signifies the unity of the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. However, other practicing Catholics may be chosen as Confirmation sponsors. A Confirmation sponsor must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. If married, the Sponsor must be in a valid marriage according to the Catholic Church. A Confirmation sponsor must be at least 16 years old. He/she should be mature enough in their faith to feel comfortable in sharing it and answering questions of faith that the Confirmand might have. A parent may not be their child s sponsor.
Each sponsor must sign the Confirmation Sponsor Eligibility form stating that he/she is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church. He/she must have it signed and sealed by the pastor of his/her home parish. See the back of the eligibility form for more information. Ideally, a Sponsor would be able to attend the Confirmation Mass. However, if he/she is unable, the Confirmand may choose a proxy to stand in. The proxy must meet the same requirements as the sponsor and provide the same paperwork. The ORIGINAL form with the raised seal must be turned in- an email copy will not be accepted. Saint Name Report (Due by February 1, 2014): The tradition of a Confirmand taking a saint s name at Confirmation is an ancient practice in the Church. Saints are heroes of the faith who lived their life as examples of courageous love. The saint whose name you choose can become a role model and an example of how the Gospel can be lived in a practical way. The purpose of your saint name report is to begin or strengthen the relationship between you and a real saint who continues to live in Jesus Christ. These reports will be read by Fr. Len. GUIDELINES FOR YOUR SAINT NAME REPORT: Use the internet or a book of saints to find information, but don t just copy and paste. Read the material. Think about the saint and his/her life. Make your report a presentation of your thoughts and feelings about this person. List at least two sources. Your report should include the following: The report should be 2-4 pages in length. These pages must be typed, double spaced, 1 inch margins, and font no larger than 12 point. Some biography (the saint s date and place of birth, family situation, general life story) Important information about the saint (How did this saint come to know and follow Jesus Christ? What difficulties did this saint encounter and deal with? What did this saint do? What is the saint known for?) Why did you choose this saint? What qualities do you admire in this saint? What characteristics would you like to imitate? The saint s Church feast day Use at least two sources. At the end of your report, list them. Please do not include photos of the saint. These reports can be emailed to Monica Angel at mangel@ctk-tampa.org Letter to the Pastor (Due by February 1, 2014): Each Confirmand will be required to type a letter addressing two questions: 1. What does Confirmation mean to you? In your own words, write two paragraphs explaining what the Sacrament of Confirmation means to you. 2. Why do you feel you are ready to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation? In your own words, write two paragraphs telling Fr. Len why you feel you are ready for Confirmation. This letter can be emailed to Monica Angel at MAngel@CTK-Tampa.org Readiness Meeting/Baptismal Promises Review (Due by April 1, 2014): Each Confirmand will be required to meet with Sacrament Coordinator by March 1 at the latest. This meeting will be to review the Baptismal Promises Review and to assess Confirmand s
readiness. If you feel that you are not ready, you may decide to celebrate Confirmation at another time. This meeting would be a great time to discuss this decision. Parents are responsible for scheduling this meeting with Monica Angel during the months of January and February. Monica will email the sign up directly to you. Family Service Project Form (Due by April 1, 2014): Every ordinary Christian life expresses service in one way or another. Confirmation provides an opportunity for the family to choose and complete a service project together. Service projects must be approved prior to fulfilling the requirement. Please note that this is a Family Service project so in order to receive credit, at least one parent must complete the project with the Confirmand. Please see the family service form for the approved options. EDGE and LIFE TEEN Requirements (Completed by May 1, 2014): All 8 th grade Confirmandi will be required to attend a minimum of 3 EDGE nights. The calendars for EDGE are available at www.ctk-tampa.org on the Youth page. High school students enrolled in Confirmation must attend 3 LIFE TEEN nights instead of EDGE. It is the student s responsibility to sign in at EDGE or LIFE TEEN for credit towards Confirmation. Communications: Website: Most information is available at www.ctk-tampa.org, click Sacraments, click Confirmation Email: Most information (including reminders of due dates, etc) will be emailed to you. It is your responsibility to make sure that we have the correct email address for you. Bulletin: Always check the Confirmation section of the Sunday bulletin for reminders and information. Confirmation Packet: Almost everything you need to know about the program is included in the registration folder. So please review materials carefully. Confirmation Rehearsal and Confirmation Date: Confirmation will take place on Saturday, May 24 at 10:30 am. Confirmandi and sponsors must attend and arrive by 9:30 am. Confirmation rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, May 21 at 6 pm Confirmandi and sponsors must attend. Appropriate Confirmation Clothing: Boys: Dress slacks, dress shirt and tie, sport coat/suit jacket, dress shoes Girls: Dress or skirt (any color) of an appropriate length for Church. Backs and shoulders should be appropriately covered (no strapless or spaghetti straps). Dress shoes. Sponsors/Other Adults: It is always important to dress appropriately for Mass- not just Confirmation. Sponsors should meet the same dress requirements as the teens. Contact Information: Parish Office www.ctk-tampa.org 876-5841 Monica Angel, Sacrament Coordinator MAngel@CTK-Tampa.org 876-5841 ext 2248