Confirmation News!
Calendar for the 2008-09 year! Includes info for both years 1 and 2. This is a TENTATIVE schedule.
Year A
Year B
Links for Sponsors
FAQ
Why are we meeting on Sundays? Confirmation is meant to be the completion of your initiation into the faith community, which gathers on Sunday mornings to worship. This way you can attend the 8:30 Mass, grab a snack in the church basement on your way to class, and be done by 11:00 am. You won’t have to take a night away from your busy sports, dance and work schedules.
What can my family do while I’m in class? We will have adult programs available, if your parents want to enrich their own Catholic faith. If there is enough interest and people are willing to help coordinate, we may also be able to offer some activities for younger brothers and sisters to attend.
What if I have something really important going on and I can’t make a Sunday class? We understand that may happen some time, and we are willing to make occasional exceptions to the Sunday morning dates. However, we hope that you, your classmates and your catechists will develop a sense of community and enjoy being together. You will be missed if you are not there. Ask your parents to try to schedule family activities on weekends when we do not have class scheduled, if possible.
Why do I have to turn in a request form to go to class on a Wednesday night? We have to know how many youth to expect on a Wed. night, so we have enough catechists and materials ready.
Where can I get more Wednesday class request forms? They are available in the Faith Formation/Youth Center on the table beneath the stained glass windows or download a copy under Helpful Files at left.
What if I’m sick on Sunday and have not turned in a request to attend on Wednesday? A parent needs to call or email the coordinator to verify that you were sick. If there is enough room for you, you will be able to attend the following Wednesday session. If the session is full or you miss both sessions, then you will be given a make-up assignment to be completed at home with your parents.
When and where do I meet for a Wednesday night class?Wednesday sessions will be held from 7:00-8:15 in the upper parlor of the parish office building (former rectory). Enter through the back door, leave your shoes in the kitchen and take the stairs in the hallway to the room straight ahead at the top of the stairs. Be on time!
What is the interview for? What will I be asked to talk about? Can I really sign up with friends? The interview is a chance for the coordinator and ministry group to get to know you and what kinds of faith experiences you have had, to discuss your service request with you, and answer any questions you may have. It will be informal, and please sign up with 1-2 friends. (no more than 3 in a group, though)
Do ninth graders join a Youth Alive group? No, your Confirmation preparation is the parish youth program for 9th and 10th graders, though you will be invited to attend other Youth Ministry events with older youth of St. Wenceslaus.
How many hours do I have to do for my service project? There isn’t a strict hour requirement, though you should aim for a minimum of 15 hours. It would be great if you enjoy what you’ve chosen to do, so that you’re not thinking about how many hours you’re putting in.
Could I use my 9th grade social studies community involvement hours for a service project instead of the ones on the list? The opportunities on the list have been carefully designed to integrate you into the life of the parish. Several of them are designed to be completed during the summer, if you want to avoid the busy school year. You may be able to use your 9th grade hours to meet the “Livin’ It!” Catholic Social Teachings requirement.
What’s “Livin’ It!” about? For the second year of your Confirmation program, you will be asked to take three principles of Catholic Social Teachings and tell how you have lived the teachings. Many of you have previous experiences that you will be able to write about. You can probably use your 9th grade hours to live out one or more of the CSTs, if you plan ahead. There is information in your packet for you to look over (yellow copy), even though the report won’t be due until next year.
What else will I have to do next year? The second year will have 12 sessions of classes again, you will meet a couple of times with your sponsor, and there will be a retreat, the “Livin’ It!” report, and choosing your Confirmation name. And then, of course, there’s Confirmation itself, which will be some time in the spring of 2009.
What if the person I want to ask to be my sponsor lives too far away to go to sponsor meetings? If you have someone really, really special to you that you want to have at the Confirmation ceremony, but who lives too far away, you may choose a parish “mentor” to do the sponsor activities with you. We’ll help you find someone if you don’t know many people in the parish. At the Confirmation rite, both people will come forward to present you to the bishop.
Why do I have to go to three youth events? This will give you a chance to see what else is going on in the parish youth program. It will give you ideas on how you might want to stay involved in the parish after you are confirmed. After all, Confirmation is not a graduation, it’s a beginning!
Where do I turn in forms that are due? Where is the office? You can turn in forms to your catechists any Sunday morning or drop them off at the Faith Formation/Youth Center in the Parish Activity Center. There is a basket on the table under the stained glass windows labeled “Confirmation.”
Any other questions? Call Mary at 758-0464 and leave a message if she’s not in.
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