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Confirmation Requirements
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Readiness for ConfirmationReadiness for celebrating a sacrament cannot be determined by the calendar. The meaning of the rite for those celebrating it, and its total impact on their faith-lives, will be strongly affected by many developmental factors besides age. These factors may include: the psychological maturity of the candidate, the depth of his/her faith development, the degree of his/her commitment to Christ and the faith community, the extent of his/her involvement in community worship and service, and knowledge and understanding of the basic teachings of the Church.
Since Confirmation celebrates the response of the individual to the Gift of Faith, the primary responsibility for determining when the candidate is ready for the sacrament lies within the individual candidate himself/herself. Because Confirmation is a Sacrament of Initiation, the decision is to be made in dialogue with the representatives of the faith community into which the candidate is being initiated.
Parents may decide for their child that he/she will be instructed for Confirmation; however, the decision to be confirmed rests with the young person.
William J. O’Malley, S.J., in his book, Sacraments:
Rites of Passage, says: To be genuine, Confirmation cannot be a treadmill onto which one is “expected” to climb at a certain age because all of the other boys and girls are doing it. It has to be a reasoned, free choice. In adolescence, young people can be invited to the world of adult responsibilities and commitments. But they can’t become adult unless free to make their own commitments. That means they may choose to make no commitments for a while. That also means they may make commitments contrary to the ones that have given meaning to their parents’ lives. But love is not love unless it is freely given (175).
Expectations of Those Preparing for ConfirmationThe decision to be confirmed is a serious one, for it indicates that a young person wishes to ratify and accept the Church. In Confirmation, one willingly assumes an active participation in the Church’s apostolate or mission.
The preparation for receiving the sacrament of Confirmation happens throughout a young person’s lifetime. This type of preparation is referred to as “remote” preparation and includes all the years of catechesis that have led to this moment. “Immediate” preparation refers to catechesis for Confirmation specifically. This immediate preparation for Confirmation is a process that lasts one year and focuses on preparation for receiving the sacrament.
Attendance Requirements
We hope all youth can attend their small group meetings. It is within the small group that youth are able to discuss, ask questions, and help each other "figure out" their Catholic Faith. If a student becomes ill or must miss a small group meeting, a parent must notify the Catholic Formation Department before the absence occurs. Because this is an issue of liability, it is imperative that we know where the student is supposed to be.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ABSENCES ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY— FOR ANY REASON, INCLUDING ILLNESS OR FAMILY EMERGENCY. THEREFORE, RECURRING ABSENCES MAY NECESSITATE A CANDIDATE POSTPONING CONFIRMATION UNTIL MAKE-UP PREPARATIONS CAN BE COMPLETED.
The Confirmation RetreatA retreat offers a young person a unique opportunity to have time away to reflect on important questions of religion and faith and to become more intimately connected to the larger faith community. Many times the youth retreat experience begins and ends with the call to personal conversion. Effective Confirmation retreats do call the individual to personal conversion, but they must also call the teen to continued growth as a Catholic Christian.All Confirmation Candidates must make a Confirmation retreat during his/her 11th grade preparation period (other types of retreats do not satisfy this Archdiocesan requirement). If a candidate is unable to make the retreat hosted by Lumen Christi Parish, the Catholic Formation Department will be happy to help that candidate find a nearby retreat.The Confirmation InterviewAll Confirmation candidates will have an interview with a member of the Lumen Christi staff, Pastoral Council, or a small group leader during their 11th grade preparations. The purpose of the interview is to have a one-on-one conversation with the Candidate so as to continue the process of knowing him or her as a person about to be received into the Church. The interviewer will review with them their journey of faith, discuss where the Candidate is at in their current walk with God, and ask what the Candidate expects out of Confirmation and their future in the Catholic Church. Interviews will be approximately 30 minutes long.The Letter to the BishopOne important part of the Confirmation process is the letter of intent, written by the candidate to the confirming bishop. These letters will express a candidate’s desire to be confirmed and contain a statement about his/her faith growth as well as a description of service endeavors and how that service has affected his/her life. Letters will be as unique as each individual candidate but should follow some basic formatting guidelines:
Date: Place the date of writing in the left or near right margin. Include the year: i.e.: April 2, 2019
Greeting: Dear [name of confirming bishop]
Personal Background: Include important information about you—where you are attending school, what you like to do in your free time, what you are good at, what kinds of things are important to you, etc.
Main Section: Without exception, include your thoughts on why you want to be confirmed as a Roman Catholic. Indicate to the bishop that you want to receive the sacrament of
Confirmation. Also, include some thoughts on two or more of the following:
· How you plan to live out your faith in the future; how will you follow Christ?
· Some personal experiences you have had that have strengthened or challenged your faith (Retreats, Mission Trips, Family/School/Friend Relationships)
· Reflections on your personal spirituality
· What Jesus/God has meant in your life
· What service you have done in preparation for Confirmation
Conclusion: Make some concluding remarks that wrap up the letter, such as "Thank you for your time and attention in reading my letter” or “I look forward to meeting you at Confirmation.”
Signature: Use “Sincerely” or “In Christ” or “Thank You” or another appropriate ending. Sign your letter in pen and type your name under the signature.
Length: One to two pages. Typed, single-spaced. 12-point font, 1-inch margins.
Spelling: Please don’t rely only on your spell check to catch spelling errors. Ask a small group member, peer, or parent to proofread your letter. Any sloppy or inappropriate letters will need to be re-written. All letters will be read by Fr. Dan, Michael, and the bishop.
PLEASE DO NOT FOLD YOUR LETTERS – Our office mails all the letters to the office of the confirming bishop in one large envelope. Please hand-deliver your letters as they need to be signed by the students requesting the Sacrament of Confirmation.
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For more information, contact us!
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Karen Berschberschklumenchristiparish.orgGen. Assistant for Catholic Formation
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