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CONFIRMATION Welcome to Confirmation 2012! These pages are for those students whose families are currently registered with St. John's parish and whose parents had registered their children using the Religious Ed form in the fall of 2011. Did you miss the February Confirmation 2012 Info Meeting? Check here are the handout. CONFIRMATION 2012: All Candidates should have received their Confirmation Packet by late fall 2011. Packets were passed out in class or sent in the mail. Contact the Religious Ed (RE) Office if you have not received one. All information and forms contained in the Confirmation Packet can also be found on this web page. Please address all Sacramental questions and concerns to the RE Office and NOT to the teachers. Please read the entire packet before calling the RE Office with questions. All paperwork must be turned in to the RE Office and NOT to the Religion teachers. The first four registration forms (found in the packet and online) are due to the RE Office as soon as possible. Please read the information below and on the corresponding links to find all that you need to know about our next Confirmation for St. John's youth.
November 2011 Dear Candidate for the Sacrament of Confirmation, God bless and keep you and your family as you prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation. In your baptism you were defined as a child of God and for the many years since you have had opportunities to see that your life has a purpose within the providence of God. Confirmation, on the other hand, defines you for what you do in this life, promoting a closer friendship with the Lord. By your prayers and acts of charity you help to assist your parents, siblings, and friends to reach to the height of the saints and angels. In so many ways you enhance, and I am sure, will continue to enhance the sacramental life of your family, most notably in the sacrament of penance. Job well done. You and your classmates are part of a unique generation that should bring a greater future of hope in a world that grows more secular ever day. The secular world does not necessarily despise the Church but opts to ignore it while not taking it seriously. You are part of the new evangelization. It is the generation of the Holy Spirit. You need to make a difference in this world. In your future studies you will deal with the topics of morality, bioethics and social justice. You will meet new standards of understanding the Church's music, art, architecture, and literature. You will develop the skill of judging folks for their behavior as you enhance your ability to respond to a vocation to marriage, religious life, and single life. You and your classmates will need to be people of prayer, who can preach with courage, teach with clarity, and serve with charity. Evangelization is the mark of your generation. Please don't miss it. In all the previous years of your studies you have been treated as individuals. Now you will be treated as a collective. Pray together, and work together. Enjoy your fraternity and sorority in the coming years. Now is the day of your new birth in the life of the Church. God bless and keep you one and all. Let us pray for one another. Sincerely yours in Christ, Father James R. Gould Pastor Confirmation is the strengthening and fullness of the Holy Spirit already received in Baptism. When we were baptized we became children of God. As children of God we share the life of God, the life of three persons in one love. The Spirit is the love between Father and Son. The Spirit acts in us urging us to move beyond our individual selves into making the community on Earth like the community of love that is God. Confirmation calls us to a great participation in the mission of Jesus and the Church. Through Confirmation our relationship with God is deepened and we are incorporated more completely into the body of Christ. Confirmation obliges us, as true witnesses of Christ, to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.
When someone reaches their teens,
they begin to realize that life is bigger than themselves. They sense a
need to reach beyond their own personal world and into the world of caring
for others. They find themselves inclined in that direction. That
inclination is God’s Spirit alive and moving in them. Being Confirmed is
the Church’s recognition that the Holy Spirit is moving in a person. Thus
the Church “confirms” what is going on. To step forward and ask to be
confirmed is for an individual to recognize that the Holy Spirit is moving
in them, and then ask the larger faith community if they too recognize that
Spirit. If so,
We say the Sacrament of Confirmation brings the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Actually, the sacrament “confirms” that those gifts have already begun. If you wonder if you should be confirmed, look for those gifts beginning to blossom:
All candidates should make a habit of the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to Confirmation. "To receive Confirmation one must be in a state of grace. One should receive the sacrament of Penance in order to be cleansed for the gift of the Holy Spirit. More intense prayer should prepare one to receive the strength and graces of the Holy Spirit with docility and readiness to act." - The Catechism of the Catholic Church #1309, #1310 Student Requirements & Due Dates We will not know the date of our Confirmation until Bishop Loverde assigns one to us. We will publicize that information as soon as we have it (hopefully by this August). Typically our Confirmation date is scheduled for mid-late fall. Two years of Religious Education classes are required in order to be Confirmed at St. John’s; that typically takes place in grades 7-8. The family of the candidate must be registered as parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. If parents or students have questions about any of the required paperwork or activities for this sacrament, please direct them to the Religious Ed office and not to the teachers. Please turn in all documents to the St. John’s Religious Education Office and NOT to teachers . The first four items listed below will get the ball rolling in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. John's. In addition, all Confirmation candidates are required to provide a copy of their Baptism and First Eucharist Certificates. If the candidate did not receive the sacraments at St. John's, then proof must be provided from the parish where they received them. We are also asking each candidate to complete several Spiritual exercises to help deepen their faith and enhance their prayer life. These are not to be rushed or done at the last minute. These include:
A binder for Confirmation Milestones will be left in the vestibule of the church. After completing the Stations of the Cross, the Eucharistic Adoration, and the Rosary, the students and parents should look up the students name in this binder. They are then asked to sign off on each of these activities indicating that they have completed them.
It is always presumed that someone who is seeking to be confirmed has reached the point in their life when they take their faith seriously. In such an instance it is natural that one joins the faith community in prayer on a weekly basis by attending mass. In fact, mass attendance may be a good barometer for one’s readiness for Confirmation. Consequently, it is expected that a candidate for Confirmation is coming to mass and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly. If this is not the case, one should examine their motive for Confirmation. Out of respect for the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist, the following dress is expected of Confirmation Candidates and Sponsors: Below is the dress code that is to be followed for the Confirmation Ceremony. Please keep in mind that this is a church event and should not be compared to the dress style that would be appropriate for a graduation or prom. Confirmation is a joyous yet serious occasion and clothing should reflect that. Ladies’ Dress Code: Ladies are to wear either a blouse and skirt of conservative length (fall to the knee or below), or a dress of the same fashion. NO tight-fitting clothing. NO cleavage-revealing tops or shirts. Dress slacks (as long as they are not skin tight) and blouse, sweater or jacket is permissible. Waist and midriff should be completely covered. Shoulders are to be covered ~ no sheer clothing or spaghetti straps. Necklines should be conservative. No open back dresses or tops. Color is the choice of the candidate. Gentlemen’s Dress Code: Men are to wear a collared dress shirt of any color, pressed dress pants (of the proper waist size and inseam length) and tie. Shirt should be tucked in. Sports jackets are encouraged, but optional. Suits are allowed, but not expected. A belt and dress socks must also be worn. Shoe code: This applies to both men and ladies Not to be worn: Sneakers, boots of any kind, hiking shoes, sandals or flip flops. Shoes should be of a dressy nature. Ladies shoes should be of a conservative heel height. Proper hosiery or stockings must be worn. If in doubt, don’t wear it! Any candidate in violation of these dress codes will be sent back home. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask in advance. THANK YOU! “For 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) A Few Words About Service: Service is based on the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and, most of all, on the example of Christ who came to serve. When giving service, the following points should be considered:
Why Must All Service Hours be for the Catholic Church? Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way and enables us to profess our faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. The sacramental grace of Confirmation helps us to live our faith loyally and to profess it courageously. After Confirmation one should continue to study the Catholic faith even more earnestly than before, so to obtain the ability to explain and defend the faith. The Catholic laity should participate in the work of the Catholic Church (apostolate of the hierarchy). The work of the Catholic Church is to win souls for Christ by bringing them into the Church He founded. In order to prepare Confirmation candidates for their lifelong work of bringing souls to Christ and the Church He founded (The Catholic Church), all service hours must be completed with a Catholic group or for a Catholic organization; and preferably with St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Warrenton, VA. We applaud those individuals volunteering for groups not associated with the Catholic Church. It is very kind to volunteer for activities in your local community such as: tutoring/mentoring children, volunteering at the public library, working the concession stand at soccer games, etc. However, these activities do not directly promote the cause of the Catholic Church, the salvation of souls. For Confirmation, we are interested in developing the Catholic community. When people work together friendships are often formed, these friendships generate a sense of community within a parish. Once a sense of community is established, the members of the Church can look to one another for support in their quest for attaining heaven. Participating in the ministries of the Catholic Church helps students to appreciate the Catholic faith, as well as to learn more about it. Our hope for the Confirmation candidates is that they remain good Catholics their entire life. Those that faithfully attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, and receive the Sacrament of Penance regularly are usually active in parish ministries, and have an active prayer life. By participating in a variety of parish activities while preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, one can better discern God’s plan for how they are called to support the Catholic Church. The fifth precept of the Church is to contribute to the support of the Church. This means that one should not only support the Church financially (when able) but also support the Church by volunteering to help ministries that have been organized in the Church. Supporting the Catholic Church also involves prayer and spiritual growth. As each member of the church grows spiritually, the Church is strengthened through an outpouring of God’s grace. Prayer for the Catholic Church and for all to see God’s truth is imperative in today’s society. Guidelines for Service:
Service Hour Volunteer Opportunities Blood Drive: Students can help serve refreshments and help organizers. Bulletin Stuffing: Students can help stuff bulletins for various ministries. This occurs occasionally and requires about 1-2 hours each week and can be accomplished on Friday afternoon or on Saturday. Café Mercy’s Coffee and Donuts: Students can help set up, serve, and clean up for coffee and donuts on Sundays between 7 am and 1 pm. This must not replace attending Mass or class. (These duties include: setting up: moving tables and taking down chairs off the table, setting up tables with decorations, moving the donuts into the hall and setting them up on trays, selling the donuts, filling up drink containers, and clean up which includes: sweeping the floors, picking up trash, putting things in containers and washing out containers) Church Cleaning: Students can help clean the church and bathrooms on a weekly basis Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (4:15 pm - 6:16 pm). Grounds Committee: Students can help maintain the many gardens at St. John’s. (These duties include: weeding and trimming, removing debris and mulching most likely on Saturday mornings in two to four time slots and occasionally after school. This is an ongoing thing throughout the year, but mostly from spring through late fall. It will always be weather permitting. Volunteers need to wear sturdy shoes and old clothes and gloves if possible - absolutely no sandals or flip-flops.) Lenten Soup Suppers: Students can help during Lent with setting up, serving and cleaning up after each Lenten supper. About 3 hours can be earned by helping with each supper. The Knights of Columbus: Students can volunteer to assist with the breakfast and with cleaning up after the monthly Sunday Pancake breakfasts after 11 am. (These duties may include: hauling utensils, food, etc. back downstairs, clear tables of debris, wipe tables down, place chairs up on tables, sweep the floor and light mopping of the floor)
Religious Education (RE): Students can help with the First Communion Retreat April 21st from 9 am – 2 pm (5 hours), and other grade-level retreats to be held at St. Johns, as needed (Grade level Retreats will be scheduled for late winter thru spring and should be posted by January 1st.) Secular Franciscans: Students can help the Secular Franciscans make rosaries St. Vincent de Paul Society: Students can help collect donated food and non-perishable items for those less fortunate each week. Help is also needed to package these items. Youth Mass: Students can offer their service with the Youth Mass on Sunday afternoons including ushering, choir and lecturing. Students interested in ushering must attend training at 5 pm each 2nd Sunday of the month. Each mass is 1 hour of service. For choir hours, please contact the choir director. For lecturing, please contact the youth lector coordinator. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact me. |
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© 2009, St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church - Warrenton, VA |
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then someone is ready to be confirmed. It takes recognition
from two directions – from within oneself and from the faith community as
well.