“Confirmation is one of three sacraments of Christian initiation in the Church. Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist lay the foundations of every Christian life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “By the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obligated to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”
(CCC 1285)
The Sacrament of Confirmation is not so much an end to Catholic formation, but rather the beginning of life-long discipleship – where young people begin to understand what it means to grow in their faith and in relationship with our Lord, and discover and share the gifts they’ve been given for the benefit of the entire body of Christ.
- We follow a two-year program. Students can choose to start in their sophomore or junior year, and will be confirmed in the subsequent school year.
- We use Matthew’ Kelly’s Decision Point program, along with a variety of enrichment including, guest speakers, prayer/reflection, games, activities.
- We have a very FUN and ENRICHING retreat. It’s sacred and it’s fun. It’s worth every minute, and some say they were surprised how much they got out of the experience. All are required to attend.
- We meet the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, starting on September 25 and ending on May 7, 2017 — with some breaks built in.
- We involve all students in Mass ministries on the 1st Sunday of every month at the 11:30 a.m. Mass.
- We encourage a sacramental life: Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, prayer…all intended to help us grow in friendship with Christ.
- The Confirmation Team provides guidance on all the administrative requirements: forms due, letter to the Archbishop, and the interview process. The students must take responsibility for these deadlines.
“Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit – his actions, his gifts, and his biddings – in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities to Christian life. To this end, catechesis for Confirmation should strive to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church as well as the parish community.”
(CCC 1309)