NAME_______________________ Confirmation Booklet Year II ST. JAMES THE GREATER 2019-20 Table of Contents CONFIRMATION EXPECTATIONS 3 CONFIRMATION EXPECTATIONS EXPLANATIONS 4-6 CONFIRMATION YEAR II CALENDAR 7 SERVICE HOURS GUIDELINES 8 FAITH ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES 9 & 10 FORMS TO COMPLETE CONFIRMATION SPONSOR FORM 11 CONFIRMATION SERVICE HOURS LOG 12 FAITH ENRICHMENT FORM 13-14 INTERVIEW WITH FATHER TOM FORM 15 CANDIDATE FORM/CONFIRMATION NAME 16 CONFIRMATION EVALUATION 17 LETTERS TO THE PRIEST & BISHOP 18 EXAMPLES OF LETTERS 19-21 DRESS CODE 22 CANDIDATE & SPONSOR ACTIVITIES CANDIDATE & SPONSOR ACTIVITY 1 22-26 CANDIDATE & SPONSOR ACTIVITY 2 26 CANDIDATE & SPONSOR WORKSHEET 2 27 CANDIDATE & SPONSOR ACTIVITY 3 28 CANDIDATE & SPONSOR WORKSHEET 3 29-35 SAINT REPORT 36 2 Confirmation Expectations Year II “Confirmation • Classes of Key Church Teachings unites us more firmly to § Mass Attendance Christ. It strengthens • Daily Prayer our relationship • Service of Others with the Church, and it • Confirmation Name – Saint Name gives us a special • Overnight Retreat strength from the Holy Spirit • Candidate & Sponsor Activities to defend the faith and • Faith Enrichment Activities confess the • Saint Report name of Christ.” • Sacrament of Reconciliation Pope Francis • Interview with Father Tom Krieg • Letters to Pastor and Bishop • Baptismal Certificate • Bringing up the Gifts • Confirmation Rehearsal • Confirmation Mass & Ceremony 3 Confirmation Expectations Explanations Classes of Key Church Teachings Canon Law requires candidates to be adequately instructed in the Faith. There will be 8 class sessions to attend. However, since everyone experiences occasional conflicts, candidates are allowed 1 non- emergency absence. Non-emergency reasons include school events, family trips, sporting events, ect. If you are going to miss a class for whatever reason, please call or email Kelly to let her know. 715- 835-5887 or [email protected] Mass Attendance Active Participation in the Sacrament of Sunday Eucharist. The grace received through the Eucharist is indispensable in preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Daily Prayer Strengthen your relationship by spending time with God on a daily basis. Service Each candidate will be required to complete 15 hours of service – at least 5 of which must be within the St. James the Greater community. A resource list and log sheet of hours can be found in this packet. Candidates will be responsible for completing and keeping track of service hours. On-line forms can be found on stjameseauclaire.org website. Confirmation Name – Saint Name Candidates will need to choose a Confirmation name. This can be the name of a saint they admire, or their own baptismal name. The Saints act as role models for us and inspire us to live holy lives. Learning about the lives of the Saints can be a fun way to grow in faith. You can read about individual Saints at www.catholic.org/saints or other websites. If you feel moved or inspired by a Saint you learn about – that may be a good choice for a Confirmation n 4 Retreat Confirmation Year I students will attend a retreat as required by the Diocese. Year II students will attend 2 retreats, one of which is an overnight retreat. The overnight retreat will have candidates participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. These retreats are designed to give candidates a chance to internalize what they have learned and spiritually prepare for the sacrament. Sponsors Each candidate will need to choose a sponsor. A sponsor must be: • A practicing Catholic who has been Confirmed and is at least 16 years old • A good role model for Catholic Christian living • Someone with whom the candidate can discuss their faith • Since Confirmation is tied to the sacrament of Baptism, godparents can be a good option • As per Canon Law, parents may not be sponsors Sponsors will meet with candidates throughout the 2 years to complete projects/activities. Sponsors should be available to help guide the candidate as they grow in faith. A sponsor form can be found in booklet. 3 student/sponsor activities are included along with follow up forms. See calendar for due dates. Faith Enrichment Activities In order to give candidates a wider and deeper experience of their Catholic faith, students will be required to complete 3 enrichment activities. Faith enrichment activities are designed to give you a taste of the Catholic Church outside what your “normal” experiences might be. You may discover something you didn’t know you liked! Reconciliation Each candidate is expected to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Communal Reconciliation during Advent is offered in our deanery. Dates to come for this week of confession. Saint Project Each second year Confirmation student will do a report on a Saint. This research will help candidates choose a saint name for their Confirmation Day. These will be due throughout the year. 5 Interview with Father Tom Krieg Father Tom will meet individually with each candidate to visit about Confirmation. All interviews must be completed by April of Year II. Advent and Lent are busy times for a pastor so please do not schedule during these times of the year, December, February and March. An interview completion form can be found in the packet. Letters to the Bishop and Priest Year II Confirmation students are asked to write letters to both Bishop Callahan and Father Tom stating why they would like to be Confirmed. Letters are due in late March. Sample letters have been included in this packet to help guide the student if needed. Certificate of Baptism If you were NOT baptized or received First Eucharist at St. James the Greater you will need to contact the church of Baptism and request an updated copy of the Certificate of Baptism be sent to St. James. Check with Kelly if you are unsure if your Baptismal information is needed. Bringing Up the Gifts Confirmation students in Year I and II are strongly encouraged to sign up with their families for bringing up the gifts during a mass of their choosing. Sign up will go out electronically during the month of November. Confirmation Rehearsal A rehearsal for the Confirmation Mass and ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 6th. This should be attended by both the candidates, sponsors and parents. Confirmation The Confirmation Mass is May 12 at St. James the Greater Church in Eau Claire starting at 9:00. Arrival time is 8:45. Candidates from Elk Mound and Rock Falls will also join us for this special celebration. 6 Confirmation Year II Calendar 2019-20 September 18 Speaker at Regis for Faith Enrichment Activity October 2 Class – Faith Enrichment #1 due 20 Raking Leaves Service Project 30 Dinner & Speaker at Church on Church History November 6 Class – Candidate/Sponsor Activity Due 13 RETREAT: Movie Night at Micon Downtown Budget Theater – bring money for concessions if you wish! December 18 Class- Faith Enrichment Activity #2 Due January 15 Class – Sponsor Activity #2 Due 29 Class February 2 Souper Bowl Sunday Charity Collection after each mass 19 Class – Sponsor Activity #3 Due 26 Ash Wednesday Service 6:15 – Regis excused March 8 Parish Mission Speaker and Serve Soup Dinner 5:30-7:30 14 ALL DAY RETREAT at Town of Pleasant Valley Community Center 18 Class – Letters to Father Tom & Bishop Due April 8 Class –Service Hours and Google Form Info Due 29 Last Class Interviews with Fr. Tom Due Bonfire 7:00-8:30 Bring a lawn chair & insulated mug May 3 Rehearsal 6:30-7:30 with sponsor if possible or a parent 9 CONFIRMATION MASS 9 AM 7 Confirmation Guidelines for Service Hours Purpose As a Confirmation candidate, the Diocese of La Crosse requires service to others which demonstrates your faith in the world. St. James the Greater requires 15 hours of service experiences including at least 5 hours for parish. In James 2:17 we find, “faith by itself, if it has no works is dead.” As Catholic Christians, we need to follow the example of Jesus who often reached out to the outcast and marginalized people of his day including tax collector, lepers, the blind, the lame and the poor. A few service opportunities have been scheduled already but you may set up others if these do not work for your schedule or for additional hours. Organizations/ideas to complete this service include • Beacon House • Community Table • Bolton Refuge • Sojourner House • St. Francis Food Pantry • Feed My People • Hospitals • Helping others in various ways • St. James the Greater Church: SonShine Days, Summer Fest, Hospitality after masses, Child care for Parish Mission, Religious Educ. helper, Sunday Preschool Helper, church ground clean up, inside church clean up day, Souper Bowl collection at church entrance for charity, pack and deliver Christmas donations from parish, Confirmation retreat planning committee, custodian helper for evening, choir Your Service Must Be… • 15 hours of service either at scheduled opportunity or self-assigned • Minimum of 5 hours within Parish • 10 hours or remaining hours in community service • Must not be for a relative Document on Service Hour Log in booklet 8 Faith Enrichment Activities – Try 2! What is a “faith enrichment activity” and why do I have to do it?????? In order to give candidates a wider and deeper experience of their Catholic faith, students will be required to complete enrichment activities. Faith enrichment activities are designed to give you a taste of the Catholic Church outside what your “normal” experiences might be. You may discover something you didn’t know you liked! Do as many as you like but complete the