Youth Confirmation
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Please use this as a guide of St. Luke's Faith Formation;
we are under construction and some of these details may change.
Please be patient while we make the necessary changes here!
The Registration Form is current and you may register your student at this time.
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PARISH CONFIRMATION CLASS AT ST. LUKE
Click here to register online 2021-2022: St. Luke's Online Faith Formation Registration
Click here to view/print the 2021-2022 Confirmation Calendar: Confirmation Calendar
Confirmation Years 1 & 2 registrations due October 1st, 2021 for sacraments in 2022 & 2023.
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Our vision is to form men and women who are striving for Sainthood together, strengthened by the Eucharist and the Sacraments,
through prayer, faith formation, and community interaction.Please contact our Director of Faith Formation and
Youth Ministry (Rebecca Dobner) with any questions.
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Confirmation is a two-year process, beginning as early as 7th grade.
From September to May, Confirmation Classes are held Sunday mornings from 9:45-10:45am.
Year 1 & Year 2 classes alternate weekends.Please refer to the calendar above for specific dates and continue reading for more information about our process.
Families do not need to be registered parishioners for youth to prepare for Confirmation at St. Luke.Youth in both years of Confirmation Preparation are required to bring
a Bible, Catechism, a journal or notebook, and something to write with.
Links to suggested Bibles and Catechisms are at the bottom of this page.Most youth prepare for Confirmation in 7th and 8th grades; if youth desire to wait, they are welcome to prepare whenever they are ready. Youth who wait until they are 18+ or after they graduate high school to receive Confirmation will follow the process for Adult Confirmation.
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Suggested Purchases
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ABOUT CONFIRMATION
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a completion of the Sacrament of Baptism. Through Baptism, our souls are permanently transformed when God the Father claims us as His beloved children and when He pours His Holy Spirit into our hearts, to dwell within us and teach us all truth. Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens and seals His Gifts within us. God better equips us to serve as His missionaries in our families, communities, and the world.
To receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, the sole requirement is the desire of the person to be confirmed. All candidates must come freely, of their own volition, for their hearts to be open to the Holy Spirit.
When preparing for Confirmation, there are two things each candidate must choose: a sponsor and a name.
Sponsor
According to Merriam-Webster, a sponsor (also called a godparent) is a person "who presents a candidate for baptism or confirmation and undertakes responsibility for the person's religious education or spiritual welfare." The sponsor's priority is to accompany their candidate as they walk with Christ and help form them through teaching and the Sacraments.
When choosing a sponsor, youth should look for someone who:- loves Jesus and the Catholic Church and lives that love
- will teach them who Jesus is and how to live in relationship with Him
- they trust and feel comfortable speaking openly with
- is available to make a regular commitment to meet with them (weekly, no less than monthly)
- preferably is local and can meet face-to-face
Confirmation Name
Looking at Scripture, we have many examples where God changed people's names based on the specific mission He called them to. Looking closer, here are some examples:
- Old Testament
- Abram (elevated father) ® Abraham (father of a multitude)
- Sarai (noble lady) ® Sarah (mother of multitudes)
- Jacob (deceitful one) ® Israel (God prevails)
- New Testament
- Simon (he has heard) ® Peter (rock)
- Saul (prayed for) ® Paul (small, humble)
These days, many consecrated men and women take on new names as they begin their new lives dedicated to God.
The purpose of choosing a Confirmation name is to show that a change is taking place, that the candidate is accepting the call and mission God has for them. There are two circumstances to consider:
- For those who already know the Lord and are continuing in their discipleship, it is appropriate to choose one of their Baptismal names - this emphasizes and affirms the continuity between Baptism and Confirmation.
- For those who are choosing for the first time (or in a big way) to know, love, and serve the Lord, it is appropriate to choose a saint who witnesses to living God's call and has meaning in their life. Saints to look at are those whose feast days are on their birthday, who are patrons of their interests or situations in life, or whose stories speak to the candidate's heart.
There is no wrong Saint - please be intentional in choosing as this Saint will be praying and interceding for the candidate throughout their life!
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CONFIRMATION YEAR 1
Year 1 - please email or bring in a copy of your youth's baptismal certificate to the Faith Formation office.
In the first year of preparation, we answer questions around:
- Faith - God revealed to us through Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
- Worship - We encounter God through prayer and the Sacraments both as the Body of Christ and as individuals who have been baptized into life in Christ.
- Witness - We live in the world as disciples of Christ who are called to share the Good News through service and evangelization.
These questions include:
- What is the Paschal Mystery?
- What are the three central teachings of our Church concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary?
- What is conscience? How do we develop a well-informed conscience?
While these questions (in the Confirmation Questions document below) come pre-answered, we focus on the "why." Using the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and Scripture, we delve into where these teachings come from and how they apply in our daily lives. Youth gain confidence navigating the CCC and Scripture, and they have opportunities to share their ideas in small groups, as well as present these ideas to the larger group.
During Year 1, youth are also discerning their sponsor and Confirmation Saint.
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CONFIRMATION YEAR 2
Year 2 - please turn in the original, signed, and sealed sponsor form to the Faith Formation office.
In the second year of preparation, we focus on the Catholic Creed, following the CCC (Part One, Section Two). As youth prepare for the Holy Spirit to be sealed within them and to be strengthened as a missionary for Christ, they go deeper into what believing in Christ truly means. Youth gain confidence through understanding where these beliefs come from and how they (as unique, beloved children of God) are integral to God's plan of salvation.
While in Year 2, all youth are required to attend our Confirmation Retreat, a one-day retreat at our parish. Youth are also required to meet with our pastor for an interview preceding Confirmation.
We continue classes until May, regardless of when the Sacrament of Confirmation occurs; this is to show that Faith Formation does not end with the Sacrament but continues for the rest of our lives. We end the year with a Spiritual Gifts Inventory to help youth identify the gifts God has blessed them with and ways they can use these gifts in their service for our Lord.
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