SCHEDULE OF LESSONS FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 2010-2011 SUNDAYS, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
November 14, 2010 Parent Gathering at Sacred Heart Church – 6:30 PM
December 12, 2010 Unit 1: Baptism and Eucharist Our discussion of confirmation necessarily includes a reflection on the other initiation sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist. Pope Paul IV, in his Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation , quotes Vatican II’s Constitution on the Liturgy to situate the revised Rite of Confirmation as a sacrament of initiation: “The aim of this work [revision of the rite] has been that ‘the intimate connection of this sacrament with the whole of Christian initiation may stand out more clearly’ ( SC , n. 71).”
Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we receive forgiveness of all sins, personal and original; we become children of God and members of the Body of Christ, the Church; and we share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal mission of Christ. Baptism is the foundation for the source of unity between Christians (see CCC , nos. 1262-1274).
Our participation in the Eucharist broadens our union with Christ, separates us from sin, forms us into the Church, commits us to the poor and is the continued source of unity of Christians (see CCC , nos. 1391-1401).
January 23, 2011 Unit 2: The Gift of the Spirit The promised Holy Spirit serves as a new advocate for disciples in the time between the resurrection-ascension of Christ and Christ’s return in glory. The gift of the Holy Spirit transforms the believers into children of God. Furthermore, this Spirit of truth leads the disciples into a deeper knowledge of Christ, Christ’s teaching and Christ’s mission. Pope Paul IV, in his Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation , reminds us of this fundamental truth: Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, “the faithful receive the Holy Spirit as Gift.”
February 20, 2011 Unit 3: Conformity to Christ As we discussed in the previous section, Christ freely gives the Gift of the Spirit to the Baptized in the sacrament of Confirmation. One effect of the Spirit’s abiding presence is the individual’s conformity to Christ. Paul VI, in his Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation , quotes Vatican II’s Decree on Missionary activity to show the close link of Confirmation to the sacraments of initiation: ”…the faithful ‘as members of the living Christ are incorporated into him and configured to him through Baptism and through Confirmation and the Eucharist’ (cf. AG n. 36).” Through the sacraments of initiation, disciples share in Christ’s life and are members of the Body of Christ. In taking on this new identity, they are recreated (i.e. configured) to be the bearers of the Christ in the world as they take up and continue his mission of the reign of God.
March 20, 2011 Unit 4: Bearing Witness to Christ Not only do we receive the Gift of the Spirit that transforms our lives and unites us to Christ and each other in a bond of love, but we also bear a responsibility to bring the presence of Christ to the whole world, to bear witness to Christ. Pope Paul VI highlights this additional dimension of initiation when, in his Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation , he notes that “ ‘[the baptized] are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ’ (cf. LG , n. 11).”
April 2 Confirmation Retreat (Saturday) Sacred Heart School Gymnasium - 11:30 AM (Lunch Included) – 4:30 PM – Mass at 5:00 PM
April 10, 2011 Unit 5: Reflection on the Sacrament We do not end our prayer and reflection on confirmation with the celebration of the sacrament. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults provides us a model we can use with the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults calls for a final period of catechesis or mystagogy (that is, reflection on the mysteries).
April 17, 2011 Confirmation Rehearsal 6:00 PM (Palm Sunday) Candidates and Sponsors required – if the Sponsor is unavailable for rehearsal, a parent should stand in.
April 29, 2011 Confirmation Mass at Sacred Heart 7:00 PM (Friday) Please arrive no later than 6:30 PM and report to Sacred Heart School Cafeteria