Youth Confirmation
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Program Overview
Registration Deadline
About Confirmation
Sponsor Information
Confirmation Saint Name
Year 1
Year 2
Parish Confirmation Requirements
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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 2022-2023: St. Luke's Online Faith Formation Registration
Click here to view/print the 2022-2023 Confirmation Calendar: Confirmation Calendar
Confirmation Years 1 & 2 registrations due October 1st, 2022 for sacraments in 2023 & 2024.Confirmation preparation is a two-year program at St. Luke. For both Year 1 and Year 2, youth must be registered before October 1st, 2022 to join our program. This includes all youth who:
- intend to meet their Year 1 requirement via Catholic school attendance or
- desire to prepare for either year using at-home catechesis.
Youth who do not register by the October 1st deadline will be required to wait an entire year before entering Confirmation preparation. Putting limits and expectations that are backed by consequences builds character through discipline, and God "disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:10-11 RSV)."
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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 with any questions.
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Confirmation is a two-year process, beginning as early as 9th 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 9th and 10th 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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Flocknote Signup
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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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PARISH CONFIRMATION REQUIREMENTS
The mission is to more actively engage our youth during their time of Sacramental preparation.
Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
Please be sure in these years of preparation for Confirmation that your family is remaining close to the sacraments, especially through regular (weekly) participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is our highest form of worshipping the one, true God, who is all good and deserving of all our love, and your child(ren) are preparing to complete their initiation into this sacred mystery. Please witness to your child(ren) and actively participate in all parts of the Mass. Your example will stick with your child(ren) for the rest of their lives.
We are currently using the honor system for tracking your Mass attendance. Since Confirmation is a priority to your youth, then we trust you will make Mass and a relationship with the Lord a priority. If, however, we see that Mass attendance is irregular, we will institute a weekly Mass reflection to verify attendance.
Attend the Confirmation Retreat on Saturday, February 11th.
Both Year 1 and Year 2 youth are required to attend the Confirmation Retreat. The Retreat will begin at 9:30am.
Year 2 youth will continue to stay for the all-day retreat, until 3:30pm. Year 1 youth will leave after lunch, around 1:30pm.Complete 20 devotional challenges/activities.
For 2022-2023, Devotion Journal submissions are due Sunday, April 23rd.List of Devotional Challenges/Activities
Devotion Journal Online
Devotion Journal Print-outBetter catechesis of our youth includes a better understanding of all aspects of the Catholic Church. Youth will choose from a (far from comprehensive) list of special Masses to attend, specific devotions or prayers, Scripture challenges, stories of Saints, etc. – all to facilitate a deeper understanding and/or encounter with our God, the Trinity.
Youth will need to choose 20 different challenges/activities throughout the year and will need to submit a reflection for each.
Youth may not submit multiple reflections for the same challenge/activity – i.e. If a youth attends Adoration every Friday, they are encouraged to continue attending Adoration every Friday! For their Confirmation requirement, however, they may only use Adoration as 1 of their 20 devotional challenges/activities.
Youth may submit reflections for devotional challenges/activities that are not on the list provided. Whether the devotional counts toward their 20 is at the discretion of our Confirmation catechists. If the devotional is approved, it will be added to the list for future years. If it is not approved, youth will be notified in class and via email.
All youth registered for the parish class: Attend at least 10 of 13 classes.
The Advent Activity and Service Activity are included in the count of classes. Youth who have 3 or more absences will be contacted individually.
If children are receiving catechesis at home, parents need to submit their curriculum to the Faith Formation Office upon registration: Registration for At-Home Catechesis.
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