Coordinator: Cassandra Anderson
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses. ~Acts 1:8
"Through the sacrament of confirmation, those who have been born anew in baptism receive the inexpressible Gift, the Holy Spirit, by which, they are endowed…with special strength."
~ Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation.
 Please join us in prayer for all of our Confirmation Candidates as they prepare to recieve the Sacrament of Confirmation April 25 , 2009.
Registration Packets will be available and mailed out in September.
To preview the 2008-09 CONFIRMATION CALENDAR click here.
To Download the CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION FORM click here.
To Download the CONFIRMATION SERVICE HOURS LOG click here.
Our Confirmation prep year begins with an informational Discernment meeting for candidates and parents, which will be held in OCTOBER 2008 .
Attendance at this meeting does not necessarily commit your child to participate in the Confirmation program this year, but will have necessary information for anyone planning on registering.
Once you have registered to participate in the program, we will present our candidates to the congregation at a Rite of Enrollment during Sunday Mass October 26, 2008.
CONFIRMATION PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND GUIDELINES
THEOLOGICAL AND CATECHETICAL PRINCIPLES: Confirmation preparation programs in the Archdiocese of Baltimore are planned and implemented in light of the following principles.
1. Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of Initiation and it is to be catechized and celebrated this way, i.e. emphasizing its connection with Baptism and Eucharist (RCIA #27; GDC #91)
-“The sacraments of Christian initiation–Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist–lay the foundations of every Christian life” (CCC #1212).
-“…the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.” (CCC#1285 cf. Roman Ritual, Rite of Confirmation (OC), Introduction).
2. All sacraments signify in one way or another God’s initiative in salvation.
-Therefore the catechesis for Confirmation stresses the salvation events which underline the three Sacraments of Initiation since they are the signs of our
redemption and bearers of it. In particular, the lessons of the Pentecost event and the meanings, which emerge from it, are very relevant to Confirmation (cf. Introduction: Rite of Confirmation, #11; CCC #1287, #1288, #1299, #1302, #1303).
-“…the sacrament of Confirmation perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church.” (CCC #1288 – Paul VI, Divinae consortium naturae, #659).
-The confirmandi should have such an understanding of the sacrament, should study the Scriptures, especially passages referring to the actions of the Holy Spirit, as a source of inspiration and strength.
3. The catechesis of Confirmation should stress the communal dimension of the Sacrament, since the Holy Spirit is given by Christ to His Church, the community of believers (cf. Introduction: Rite of Confirmation, #4; GDC #91).
-“In light of what is said in Christian Initiation, General Introduction (#7), the people of God, as represented by the local church, should understand and show by their concern that the initiation of adults (and children and youth) is the responsibility of all the baptized.” (RCIA, #9, cf. Vatican Council II, decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity, Ad gentes, #14).
- The confirmandi should be aware of Confirmation as a celebration of the universal Church as expressed through the diocesan and parish community.
- The entire parish community needs opportunities to witness to their involvement and support of the faith life of the candidate.
4. Confirmation is a sealing with the gift of the Holy Spirit, an empowering which “conforms believers more perfectly to Christ and strengthens them to bear witness to Christ for the building up of his body in faith and love” (Introduction: Rite of Confirmation, #2).
-Consequently, a personal commitment to become more involved in the life of the Church flows from the reception of this sacrament.
-Confirmation…”gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witness to Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.” (CCC #1303; cf. Council of Florence (1439); DS #1319; LG #11, #12)
5. Confirmandi should be prepared to participate in the Rite of Confirmation with an understanding of the ritual language, symbols, and gestures and what these signify for the living out of their faith.
COMPONENTS OF SACRAMENT PREPARATION INCLUDE:
 · opportunities for formation and materials for faith sharing
· faith sharing opportunities between candidate and sponsor
· celebration with the parish community
· 9-12 hours of catechesis,
· involvement in service and a continued sharing of the church’s social mission,
· a retreat experience,
· opportunities for prayer and worship
· an interview with a member of the pastoral staff.
* For families who are not St. John Parishioners, Archdiocesan policy requires that your young person prepare and receive Confirmation at your home parish. Please see the Religious Education department at your home parish for details.
What should you do right now?
- Talk about it… Discuss with your young person and help them to discern readiness for the preparation process. Whether or not to receive the sacrament of Confirmation will ultimately be their decision. There are more opportunities to receive the sacrament later in their high school years if they should not feel ready at this time.
- Fill out the form… Registration forms mailed out in September are due at the Discernment meeting in October
- Start the Sponsor selection…Help select a sponsor who is qualified and willing to work with your son or daughter throughout the course of this year in preparation for the sacrament.
- Get to work!... All candidates are required to complete and document 15 hours of service for Confirmation. This service must be altruistic (out of the goodness of your heart, not paid, etc) and cannot be “counted” towards another purpose.
 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
WHEN DOES SAINT JOHN’S CELEBRATE CONFIRMATION?
St John’s traditionally invites the Bishop to celebrate Confirmation in the Spring of each year (April/May). Our community offers Confirmation to all eligible adolescent parishioners who are currently in the eighth grade.
WHAT IF A CANDIDATE IS OLDER THAN 8TH GRADE?
Eighth grade is the earliest that St. John’s offers Confirmation. Any older parish teen who has not yet received Confirmation is likewise invited to prepare and celebrate the Rite with the Confirmation Class in the Spring.
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR A STUDENT TO BE ELIGIBLE?
Eligible Confirmation candidates are parishioners of St John’s Church, have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, are currently participating/enrolled in Catholic catechesis (religious ed, either in Catholic school or a parish program), and have completed the immediate previous year of catechesis.
WHAT ABOUT CONFIRMATION NAMES?
In order to manifest the close relationship of Confirmation to Baptism, the candidates, according to the longstanding custom of the Church, may retain their baptismal name. However, a special name may be chosen if desired, in which case it should be that of a recognized saint of the Church, or a person from scripture (CF Canon #855).
WHAT ABOUT SPONSORS?
“As a rule there should be a sponsor for each of those to be confirmed. These sponsors bring the candidates to receive the sacrament, present them to the minister for the anointing, and will later help them to fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit whom they have received.” (The Rite of Confirmation #5)
Pastors and parish staff will see that the sponsors, chosen by the candidates and their families, are spiritually fit to take on this responsibility and have these qualities:
· sufficient maturity to fulfill their function,
· have completed the sixteenth year unless it seems to the pastor that an exception is to be made for a just cause,
· membership in the Catholic Church and their own reception of Christian initiation through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist
· leads a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken,
· freedom from any impediment of law to their fulfilling the office
of sponsor.
(The Rite of Confirmation #6, Canons #893, 874)
Please Note: Parents may not act as sponsors (cf Canon #874)
WHY DO CANDIDATES NEED TO GO TO SEPARATE CONFIRMATION CLASSES?
Confirmation preparation is a free-standing parish program, in accordance with Archdiocesan guidelines.
“Sacraments flow from the life of the Church. Religious education, whether it takes place in a school or parish setting, functions as a support to the sacramental life of the Church.
“In the past, the practice was common that when individuals entered a certain grade they automatically received certain sacraments. Unconsciously, many people linked sacraments to school life more than to parish life.
“The immediate preparation for Confirmation should be conducted as a free standing program apart from either the parish or school religious education program. Immediate preparation for confirmation should not replace regularly scheduled religious education programming in parishes and schools. In scheduling immediate preparation there should be sensitivity to the time demands placed on young people.” (Seal of the Spirit, 20)
HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE SAINT JOHN’S CONFIRMATION PREPARATION?
Registration for the Spring Confirmation usually takes place the preceding Fall. To request registration materials, contact the St. John Religious Education/Youth Ministry Office.
St John Youth Ministry ~ 689 Richie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146
~ canderson@stjohnsp.org ~ 410- 647-4892
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