Confirmation Program
St. Benedict Parish
2012-2013
General Information:
The Sacrament of Confirmation is administered in the Spring of the year
to young adults who are in the eleventh grade and who have completed the
instructions and requirements for the reception of the Sacrament. The Confirmation program at St. Benedict’s
Parish will help candidates grow in their relationship with our Lord and Savior
as well as promote actively living to build the Kingdom of God here on earth!
Requirements
Pray:
It is important that you are spiritually ready when you receive the
sacrament of confirmation. Each
candidate should set aside five minutes of prayer time each day. You can read Scripture, recite learned
prayers, share with God what you’re feeling or just sit in silence before our
Heavenly Father. It is difficult to
establish or deepen any relationship without investing time. Take time to draw closer to the Lord.
Register:
Parents and Students are asked to register for the formal preparation
program through the Office of Faith Formation.
Candidate & Parent Meeting: Monday, September 24, 2012 - 6: 45 -
8:00 PM - Confirmation meeting with Parents and Candidates in school
cafeteria. For all Grade 11 students
from Catholic and Public High schools.
Candidates and a parent must attend.
Confirmation Classes:
For the most part, Confirmation classes will be held on Sundays in the
Office of Faith Formation (Room 13 of the school, from 10:30 A.M. - !2:30 P.M.
(which includes attendance at the 11:30 A.M. mass). We will meet on: October 21, December 16,
January 13, February 10 and April 21, May 19.
In November we will meet in the evening on All Saints Day, Thursday,
November 1, 2012, 7PM – to attend All Saints Day Mass in Church and in March we
will meet on a Saturday for a retreat.
Retreat: Saturday, March 16, 2013, 1:00 - 6:00
PM - Confirmation Retreat in Office of Faith Formation (includes attendance at
5:00 PM mass).
Baptismal Record:
All candidates are required to show proof of Baptism. If Candidates were baptized or received First
Eucharist at St. Benedict’s parish, we will have the records on file in the
parish office. Candidates who were
baptized at a parish other than St. Benedict’s need to provide a copy of the
original certificate. Please provide a
copy as soon as possible.
Attendance at Program:
Weekly attendance at Mass with our parish community is expected of all
candidates for the Sacrament. Attendance
at classes, service projects, retreats and other required events is extremely
important.
Choosing a Confirmation Name: Due
October 21st
At the
time of Confirmation, candidates may choose another name to be added to their
Baptismal name. The name should be a
canonized saint whose life, virtue and courage are in some way an inspiration
to the candidate. This confirmation name
is important, it is used during the Confirmation ceremony. Confirmation names are due in the Office of
Faith Formation by our first meeting in October and we will pray
that these saints intercede on our behalf at the All Saints Day Mass on
November 1st.
Choosing a Confirmation Sponsor: Due
December 16th
Every
candidate must choose a Confirmation sponsor who will be present at the
Confirmation ceremony. The sponsor must
be: a member of the Catholic Church who has received all three Sacraments of
Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation); someone who has deep
commitment to the Catholic Faith and Christian values; a person who will assist
and encourage the candidate in living the Gospel message. Sponsors may be a man or woman and it may be
a godparent from Baptism. Parents are
not allowed to be Confirmation sponsors for their children. If the sponsor is not a member of St.
Benedict’s parish they must obtain a letter of recommendation from their
Church. Sponsors from St. Benedict’s do
not need recommendation letters.
Service: Due March 16th
The
Sacrament of Confirmation inspires us to greater Christian maturity and to a
greater sense of service to others.
Service to the Church and community is an integral part of living our
faith. Confirmation students are required to do 11 hours of service, working
with people in great need such as helping at homeless shelter, nursing home,
soup kitchens, etc.
Confirmation Rehearsal: The date is tentatively set for
Monday, May 6, 2013, 6:45 - 8:00 PM in Church.
The evening includes finial instruction.
The Celebration of Confirmation: We will let you know as soon as we
get the date from the Bishop. The
celebration is usually in May.
The
spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because
the Lord has anointed me;
He has
sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly,
to
heal the brokenhearted,
To
proclaim liberty to the captives
and
release to the prisoners,
To
announce a year of favor from the Lord
and a
day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn;
To
place on those whom mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes.
To
give them oil of gladness in the place of mourning,
a
glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit.
You
yourselves shall be named priests of the Lord,
ministers
of our God you shall be called.
I will
give them their recompense faithfully,
a
lasting covenant I will make with them.
Their
descendants shall be renowned among the nations,
and
their offspring among the peoples;
All who
see them shall acknowledge them
as a
race the Lord has blessed.
The Word of the Lord.
Is 61, 1-3. 6. 8-9
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah
Due October 21st
Choosing a name for
Confirmation:
At
the time of Confirmation candidates may choose another name to be added their
Baptismal name. The name should represent an individual or canonized saint who
virtue reflects or speaks of the Christian Gospel.
In
the Bible, conversion to following God is often symbolized by a change in the
name: Abram becomes Abraham, Simon becomes Peter, Saul becomes Paul. At Baptism
we receive a name to symbolize our new life in Christ. It probably makes most
sense to keep your own baptismal name at Confirmation after having done a
little more research on the saint for whom your parents named you. If you wish,
however, you may take a new symbolic name for Confirmation.
A
candidate should not choose a name because one likes the sound or to honor a
family member, rather candidates should choose a name of a saint about whom you
have studied and read, and you wish to imitate that person in your own life,
candidates symbolize this by taking on her or his name.
Whether
you are going to use your Baptismal name or choose a new name, please write a
one page (250 typed words) that includes a brief summary of the life of this
saint along with what you admire or what inspires you about the life they
lived.
NAME
OF CONFIRMATION STUDENT: ______________________________________________
THE
NAME I HAVE CHOSEN IS: ____________________________________________________
Due December 16th
Choosing a sponsor
for Confirmation:
As
in Baptism, so in Confirmation, the supportive and complimentary role of the
parents and sponsor must not be minimized.
A.
The Role of the Sponsor
1. To assist in the preparation for the
Sacrament.
2. To present the Candidate to the Bishop.
3. To help the Candidate in the fulfillment
of his/her baptismal promises.
B.
Qualifications - Because of the nature of the relationship between the sponsor
and the candidates for confirmation, it is most reasonable that the following
criteria be maintained in choosing a sponsor. The sponsor must be:
1. Sufficiently mature for the role.
2. Be a member of the Catholic Church who has
received all three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and
Confirmation).
3. Demonstrate an active and deep commitment
to Christian values and practices, particularly through a serious attempt to
live out the implications of the Gospel message.
4. Be capable of receiving a letter of
recommendation from her/his proper pastor.
C.
Who May be Chosen: The sponsor may be a man or woman who fulfills the above
requirements. It may be a godparent from the Baptism of the candidate to be
confirmed. (The new Code of Canon Law does not allow parents to act as a
sponsor to their children in the Sacrament of Confirmation.) A sponsor is to be
an auxiliary witness to the faith who will be an encouragement to the
individual candidate.
NAME
OF CONFIRMATION STUDENT ____________________________________________
THE
CONFIRMATION SPONSOR I HAVE CHOSEN IS:
NAME
_______________________________________________________________
STREET
______________________________________________________________
CITY,
STATE ___________________________________________________________
Relationship
to the Confirmation student (brother, sister, aunt, friend, etc.)
_____________________________________________________________________
Please
Note - Sponsors from St. Benedict's Parish do not need a letter of
recommendation. Our records will show that the sponsor is practicing the
Catholic faith and has been confirmed.
Service to be completed and essay handed in by March 16th
Choosing
a service project:
Confirmation
students are asked to engage in a minimum of eleven hours of service in
preparation of Confirmation. In the Gospel we read of the following question
posed to Jesus, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the
Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All
the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew
22:36-40). Our faith calls us to a life of love and service. These hours of
service help candidates appreciate the challenges and rewards of the Christian
life of faith. Candidates are asked to carefully discern their gifts and
talents, as well as the problems they see facing our world and choose an
activity that helps them best serve those in greatest need. Please describe
your service to others (at least 100 words).
Do you feel that this service was of value to you and to those whom you
served? Why? You are the future of the
Church and one of the greatest assets of our parish. In what areas do you see
yourself possibly be more involved in the parish life here at St. Benedict's?
Your
signature at the bottom of this sheet is important and verifies that you
completed your confirmation Service Project. God bless you and be assured that
we are proud of our Confirmation students.
______________________________________________
(Signature
of Confirmation Student)
The
number of service hours was _________
