Welcome!
Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a 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 of 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. The latter bears special responsibility for the preparation of confirmands. (Catechism, 1309)
Thank you for choosing to participate in Our Lady of Victory Parish’s Confirmation Preparation Program. Your willingness to commit yourself to completing the program and receiving the sacrament of Confirmation conveys to the entire faith community how much you value both your faith and your community. Your faith formation throughout the course of the two-year Confirmation preparation program will both assist you in identifying the gifts and talents you possess and challenge you to put these gifts and talents to use in our community. You will be invited to take responsibility for your own faith formation, as well as to assist others in that same endeavor.
The model of formation used at Our Lady of Victory is based on Thomas Zanzig’s Confirmed in a Faithful Community, published by St. Mary’s Press (2001). It is very different from what many of your parents probably experienced in their own Confirmation preparation programs. Why? Because the Church’s understanding of the theology of Confirmation has evolved over the years – and it will continue to do so. Just over forty years ago, the Church reinstituted the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) for adults wishing to become Catholic. The RCIA process is formed around the liturgical life of the Church; it seeks to give participants not only a greater understanding of the teachings of the faith, but also the tools they will need in order to be able to continue to grow in the faith after having received the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation). This only makes sense, as we are reminded that initiation into the Body of Christ is only the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith.
Unlike the RCIA, in cases of infant Baptism, the sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation are separated by several years. In this case, the primary faith teachers for a child are his/her parents. Any parish faith formation program is meant only to supplement what is being taught at home as well as what is being taught during Sunday Liturgy. The Confirmation preparation program here at Our Lady Victory is no exception; it assumes that: 1) you are regularly participating in Sunday Liturgy, and 2) you are exploring and learning about your faith with your family. The individual sessions, while containing some catechetical formation, will primarily focus on creative faith-building and reflective faith-sharing exercises within small Christian communities. Like the RCIA model, Our Lady of Victory’s Confirmation Preparation Program aims to provide participants with both a more profound understanding of their faith as well as the tools they will need in order to be able to continue to grow in faith after having received the sacrament of Confirmation.
This program therefore represents a big shift in thinking for all of us. The Confirmation preparation process changed here at Our Lady of Victory in 2002 in a dramatic fashion, and its implementation continues to evolve. This handbook contains some information concerning the theology of Confirmation, an overview of the program, program expectations and requirements, as well as other sources of information intended to be both helpful and useful for you as a candidate for Confirmation. In addition, supplementary communications and materials will be distributed to you throughout the course of the program. If at any time you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, and/or if you would like additional information or resources, please do not hesitate to contact the program coordinator.
Thank you once again for your commitment and dedication to your own faith formation and to our entire parish community. May God continue to bless us all as we work, play, and pray together in the year ahead.
Summary of the Confirmation Preparation Process at Our Lady of Victory
- The Confirmation preparation program here at Our Lady of Victory is a two-year formation process based on the principles concerning parish ministry to youth set forth in the National Conference of Catholic Bishops’1997 document Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry. The candidate who willingly and actively participates in this process and is confirmed will have an understanding of him-/herself as an individual loved and called by God to discipleship as a valued member of both our parish community and the universal Church.
- No candidate should be coerced into the formation process, as this not only defeats the purposes of the program but also creates an atmosphere that could negatively affect others. It is expected that the young person who wishes to receive the sacrament of Confirmation accepts the above-stated understanding of what it means to be confirmed and will participate fully in the process as well as take seriously what it means to be a member of the Church. Candidates, together with their families, are asked to read over and discuss the expectations and requirements of Our Lady of Victory’s Confirmation preparation program as stated in this handbook before signing and submitting to the program coordinator the participation agreement on the last page of this document. Failure to meet any of the expectations and/or complete any of the requirements herein stated is equivalent to withdrawal from the program for the year (Candidates may re-enroll the following year.).
- It is expected that all candidates are attending Mass each week. If they are away from the parish, it is expected that they will seek out another Catholic church in which to attend Mass. The Eucharist is central to the Catholic life. It is the central means by which we nourish our faith and worship God. Further, it is through hearing the Scriptures read and discussed that we learn more about our faith and about God. The Confirmation sessions are intended to complement the faith formation that takes place both within the candidates’ families and at the Mass.
- Confirmation sessions take place in the Parish Center once a month, from September through May, for each grade level. The sessions begin following the 5:30 PM Mass and conclude at 8:30 PM. Please refer to this year’s schedules included in this document for more details.
Program Overview
Period of Invitation (Based on the Pre-Catechumenate Period of the RCIA) Goals:
- Begin the Confirmation preparation process
- Establish a community of trust
- Help each candidate reflect on his/her personal religious experience
- Candidates prepare for entrance into the Period of Formation
- Confirmation I, Session 1 = “Personal Uniqueness: Promise and Pain”
- Confirmation I, Session 2 = “Religious Identity: Growing in Faith”
- Confirmation I, Session 3 = “Faith: More Than the Eye Can See”
- Confirmation I, Session 4 = “The Church: A Community of Believers”
Period of Formation (Based on the Catechumenate Period of the RCIA)
Goals:
- Generate or renew the candidates’ interest in what we profess as Catholics
- Present core beliefs and moral vision of the Church
- Call the candidates to discipleship
- Candidates prepare for entrance into the Period of Reflection
Session Topics:
- Confirmation I, Session 5 = “Prepare the Way of the Lord: The Mission of Jesus Begins”
- Confirmation I, Session 6 = Day-long retreat
- Confirmation I, Session 7 = “Parables and Miracles: Jesus Teaches and Heals”
- Confirmation I, Session 8 = “Sin: An Obstacle to the Reign of God”
- Confirmation II, Session 1 = “Embracing Our Baptism: Moving Toward Confirmation”
- Confirmation II, Session 2 = “Jesus Rejected: The Meaning of the Cross”
- Confirmation II, Session 3 = “The Resurrection: God Is Victorious!”
Period of Reflection (Based on the Purification and Enlightenment Period of the RCIA)
Goals:
- Call the candidates to discipleship
- Spark the candidates’ enthusiasm for deeper participation in the life of the Church
- Expose the candidates to the treasures of the Church: the sacraments, prayer, and devotions
- Candidates prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation
Session Topics:
Confirmation II, Session 4 = “The Works of Catholicism: Living the Vision and Values of
Jesus”
Confirmation II, Session 5 = “Guided by the Spirit: The Way of Jesus”
Confirmation II, Session 6 = “Christian Morality: What Does Love Look Like?”
Confirmation II, Session 7 = Day-long retreat
Confirmation II, Session 8 = “Confirmation: Sealed with the Holy Spirit”
Confirmation Rehearsal and Sacrament of Confirmation
Period of Mission (Based on the Mystagogy Period of the RCIA)
Goals:
- Candidates reflect on their experience of the Rite of Confirmation
- Candidates transition out of the process of preparation
- Introduce opportunities for continued involvement and invite the newly confirmed to ongoing formation
- Candidates’ continued involvement in the parish’s peer ministry program can perhaps best accomplish
the goals of the Period of Mission.
General Session Outline
5:30-6:15 Mass in the church
6:15-6:30 Arrival in the Parish Center
Teams gather at their assigned tables to take attendance and turn in assignments
and other paperwork
6:30-6:45 Pizza dinner and table-based community-building activities
6:45-6:50 Clean-up
Prepare ourselves for opening prayer
6:50-7:00 Opening prayer and announcements
7:00-8:30 Session program (Please refer to the list of session topics in the above section.)
8:30 Dismissal at the conclusion of closing prayer and announcements
Attendance and Participation
As there are only seven sessions and one retreat scheduled for each of the two years of the formation process, and as responsible participation in a faith community is central to the sacrament of Confirmation, it is important that all candidates – and team leaders – make every effort to attend all sessions each year. If a candidate knows that he/she will miss a session, it is his/her responsibility to inform the program coordinator and to find out from his/her team leader what material he/she missed. If a candidate misses three sessions over the course of the year, he/she will be considered withdrawn from the program for the year; the registration fee will not be refunded. The candidate is always welcome to re-enroll either the following year or at such a time when he/she is ready and able to participate fully in faith- and community-building. Again, due to the centrality of responsible participation in a faith community, “make-up work” done at home or “make-up attendance” at another program is generally not a sufficient substitute for attendance at a session. Three missed sessions equates to missing almost half of our year together! Candidates are advised to put the session dates on their family’s calendar as soon as possible and to try to eliminate any potential conflicts. Candidates and/or their families experiencing any anxiety or concern related to this expectation should contact the program coordinator.
Attendance, however, is just the beginning! Candidates and team leaders alike need to make the most of our time together by engaging and participating fully in the sessions. We are all unique individuals, and we each possess our own gifts and talents. We need to work together to establish a community in which everyone feels comfortable, encouraged, and supported enough to share his/her gifts, talents, and faith so that we all may learn from each other and grow together. To this end, in the unlikely event that a candidate’s behavior is purposefully disruptive, team leaders are instructed to refer the candidate to the program coordinator immediately. The candidate will then be instructed to call home and arrange to be picked up immediately. The candidate and his/her parents will need to talk with the program coordinator prior to the candidate’s return to the program.
Prayer
Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life – and therefore a vital part of preparation to receive the sacrament of Confirmation! Throughout the course of the two-year formation process, Confirmation candidates will have numerous opportunities to discuss and explore prayer, with a particular emphasis on discussing and exploring the role prayer plays and can play in their daily lives. Candidates will also experience different forms of prayer, ranging from more traditional prayers to prayers borrowed from other cultures and religious traditions, from the use of modern music as prayer to peaceful and profound guided meditations. Each session begins and ends with a prayer experience. Throughout the course of the year, each team of candidates will be responsible for leading a prayer experience.
Community Service
The Church teaches us that it is the responsibility of the baptized to live the Gospel in the world. Christians actively preach and spread the Gospel when they participate in both civic and parish-based activities in a manner consistent with Jesus’ example and teachings. As we believe that the sacrament of Confirmation empowers a person to live the faith in a very public way, each candidate is asked to participate in a community service project planned, organized, and run by the Confirmation classes themselves. The Confirmation I class is responsible for running the parish’s annual Children’s Christmas Fair, a beloved tradition in our parish community usually held on the second Saturday in December. The Children’s Fair is a fun-filled service for young children and their families in our community. All of the money raised goes towards supporting our parish youth programs. The Confirmation II class teams will each design and implement their own community service projects. This will allow the candidates some freedom to choose service projects that interest them, while still providing them with the support of their team leaders and fellow team members. Having participated in a coordinated large-group service project in Confirmation I, the team-based Confirmation II service project gives the candidates ownership of the project from brainstorming ideas to planning logistics to actually performing the service to reporting back on their experiences.
In both years of the Confirmation program, each team of candidates will take on particular responsibilities related to the community service project, and we will need each candidate to contribute his/her own unique gifts and talents in order to make these projects successful and enjoyable community-building experiences! Confirmation team leaders are largely responsible for guiding their team’s service work by doing the following: assisting the candidates as they plan for and organize these events; addressing candidates’ ideas, questions, concerns, etc. regarding this program requirement; encouraging and supporting the candidates as they work to make their service project a success; and tracking team members’ participation in the project. Some time will be set aside during the sessions for teams to plan and organize for these service projects. Parents are also invited and encouraged – in fact, parents are desperately needed – to help us with these projects! (It would be awesome if we could turn these into family class projects!) To get involved, or should any questions or concerns arise regarding this service component of the program, candidates and their parents are welcome to contact their team leaders and/or the program coordinator.
Retreats
Candidates are asked to participate in at least one retreat experience during both years of the formation process. Confirmation I candidates will come together for a daylong retreat on a Saturday in February. Confirmation II candidates will participate in a daylong retreat on a Saturday in March; there will be one Saturday for boys, and a separate Saturday for girls. These retreat experiences are mandatory! Due to the holistic nature of the retreats, candidates will not be allowed to arrive late and/or leave early. If a candidate cannot attend the scheduled retreats within the OLV Confirmation program, then he/she is responsible for finding and attending a comparable retreat experience offered by a neighboring parish, Catholic school, or Catholic youth group (If you need to go this route, please know that almost all parish-based Confirmation retreats take place between October and February, so don’t wait until March to find a retreat!). While participation in retreat experiences offered by Catholic schools, ECHO, etc., does fulfill this program requirement, candidates are urged to make every attempt to attend OLV’s Confirmation retreats; the Confirmation retreats are an integral part of our Confirmation preparation program and have traditionally been very moving and fondly-remembered faith experiences for candidates. Any retreat experience outside of those offered by this program must be approved by the program coordinator prior to the candidate’s participation in the experience.
Confirmation Projects
Confirmation I:
Candidates in both years of the formation process must create and submit a Confirmation project. Confirmation I candidates are asked to write a one to two page letter to our pastor, Fr. Mark Hession. Candidates are encouraged to write their letters from the heart, but they may wish to use the following questions to get started. This letter is due on or before the last session of the year (in May).
*What does being confirmed mean to you?
*What does being a member of this parish community mean to you?
*What does your faith mean to you? What does it mean to you to be Catholic?
*What role do God and your faith in God play in your everyday life?
*Why do you want to be confirmed?
*How will you participate in our parish community after you receive Confirmation?
Confirmation II:
Candidates in both years of the formation process must create and submit a Confirmation project. Confirmation II candidates are asked to complete a project that shows a knowledge and understanding of the saint whose name they are choosing as their own Confirmation name (Please see the following section, entitled “Choosing a Confirmation Name,” for additional information.).Choosing a Confirmation Name
In the Catholic Church, we have a tradition of taking the name of a saint for our own Confirmation name. The saint whose name we choose serves as an inspiration to us in living out our Christian faith. Candidates in Confirmation II will be asked to choose a saint’s name to take as their own and to complete a creative project on that saint. Candidates may also choose a derivative of a saint’s name or their own baptismal name, but all candidates must complete a project. These projects are due on or before the February session!
A good place to start researching saints is the Catholic Online website, www.catholic.org/saints/. There you will find an alphabetical index of saints, an index of patron saints, and a calendar with saints’ feast days, among other useful tools. In starting to research saints and complete their projects, candidates may want to consider the following questions:
- How and why did your parents choose your baptismal name?
- What activities, places, people, etc. interest you? Is there a patron saint associated with any of these activities, places, people, etc.?
- Which saints have their feast day on your birthday?
- Which saints inspire you? Why?
- When and where did the saint you are interested in live? When was he/she canonized? By which pope?
- How did this saint die? Was he/she persecuted and/or martyred for his/her beliefs?
- What was this saint’s occupation?
- What did this saint’s mission look like?
- What virtues did this saint practice in his/her life? Did this saint always practice these
- virtues? Did this saint experience a conversion?
- How would you describe this saint’s personality?
- What miracles did this saint perform?
- Are there any symbols associated with this saint? What are their meanings?
- In what ways is this saint a model for Christians today?
- How would this saint act/react if he/she were living in today’s world?
- If this saint were to complete a Confirmation project on his/her own life, what kind of project would he/she create?
Projects do not have to be written reports. Indeed,candidates are encouraged to be creative and original. Projects submitted by candidates in the past include posters, models, dioramas, screenplays, mobiles, first-person narratives written from the point of view of the saint, sculptures, woodcarvings – the possibilities are limited only by our imagination! Projects will be presented at the February session and then displayed for the entire parish community during Confirmation week!
Candidates may work together with family, friends, and/or fellow candidates to complete their project requirement. However, as with school projects, plagiarism within this project component of the program is not acceptable. All sources used in completing the projects (including the Catholic Online website) must be properly cited and credited. Questions about plagiarism and the proper citation of sources should be directed to either the program coordinator or the candidate’s high school English teacher. The program coordinator reserves the right to return projects to candidates for further work if the submitted work does not reflect the individual attention, care, effort, and/or reverence required for participation in this program.
Choosing a Confirmation SponsorCandidates are free to choose their own Confirmation sponsors. Sponsors should:
- be a confirmed Catholic in good standing and at least 16 years of age.
- know the candidate well and be willing to serve as a Christian guide and role model for the candidate.
- be willing to support the young person being confirmed in his/her commitment to living a Christian life.
- be confident enough in their own faith commitment to be able to support a young person in his/her faith commitment.
- Candidates may wish to choose one of their baptismal godparents to be their Confirmation sponsor, emphasizing the important relationship between the two sacraments. Because it is the sponsor’s role to support both the candidate and his/her parents, the Church discourages candidates from choosing one of their parents to be their sponsor.
- Confirmation II candidates need to select a sponsor no later than the December session. Each candidate-sponsor pair will need to complete a sponsorship form (included in this packet). Candidates or sponsors should then return the completed form to the Our Lady of Victory Parish Office as soon as possible. Sponsors are invited and encouraged to join the candidates for the Confirmation rehearsal session. If a candidate’s sponsor is unable to be present at the Confirmation Mass, a proxy may stand in for him/her. Again, please do not hesitate to contact the program coordinator with any questions or concerns about choosing a Confirmation sponsor.
Teams
Candidates will be divided into teams prior to the first session of the year. These teams will remain together throughout the year. The teams provide the candidates with small Christian communities within which to learn, work, and pray together. Teams will have approximately ten members each, an adult team leader, and possibly a confirmed upperclassman serving as a student team leader. Each team is assigned its own classroom meeting space for the small group portion of each session program.
Serving as a student team leader is an important form of peer ministry in our parish and should be recognized as such. The decision to serve as a student team leader requires a serious commitment of one’s time, talents, and faith. Student team leaders participate in trainings and workshops throughout the year; it is not merely an honorary position. Student team leaders should not, therefore, be seen as “gophers.” Indeed, student team leaders can serve as immensely positive and powerful Christian role models and witnesses for their younger peers. Their faith-filled participation is integral to this program’s success.
Adult team leaders are also members of our parish community who have made a commitment to share their gifts and talents with our youth. They, too, participate in trainings and workshops scheduled throughout the year. They, too, serve as immensely positive and powerful Christian role models and witnesses for parish youth. Their willingness to teach, listen to, and pray with young people can make a difference that spans generations.Announcements
Time has been set aside at both the beginning and the end of each session for the program coordinator to make important announcements relevant to the program. It is vital that both candidates and team leaders pay attention to these announcements. As appropriate, announcements may be placed in the parish bulletin and posted on the parish website, www.olvparish.org. Candidates, their families, and team leaders are all strongly encouraged to give the program coordinator their email addresses so that announcements and other important communications can be sent back and forth quickly and easily.Weather-related cancellations: In the event inclement weather strikes on the day of a scheduled Confirmation session or other Confirmation program event and requires the session/event to be cancelled, a message will be both sent out via email and left on the Office of Teen Faith Formation’s voicemail greeting (at 508-771-9378 ext. 123). Some team leaders may also choose to call their students or set up a phone tree for weather-related cancellations.
Weather-related cancellations: In the event inclement weather strikes on the day of a scheduled Confirmation session or other Confirmation program event and requires the session/event to be cancelled, a message will be both sent out via email and left on the Office of Teen Faith Formation’s voicemail greeting (at 508-771-9378 ext. 123). Some team leaders may also choose to call their students or set up a phone tree for weather-related cancellations.
2006-2007 Schedules
Confirmation I
Session 1: Sunday, October 14th
Session 2: Sunday, November 4th (Signed Participation Agreement due. A Participation Agreement is included in this packet.)
Session 3: Sunday, December 2nd
* Class Project: Children’s Christmas Fair
Saturday, December 8th (with set-up after school Dec. 3rd – 7th)
Session 4: Sunday, January 13th
* Session 5: Retreat Day
Saturday, February 2nd (begins at 10 AM at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich and ends at 5:30 PM)
Session 6: Sunday, March 9th
Session 7: Sunday, April 6th
Session 8: Sunday, May 4th (Letter to Fr. Mark due.)
* Unless otherwise noted, each session begins in the Parish Center immediately following the 5:30 PM Mass and ends at 8:30 PM.
*** Sunday, March 2nd, and Sunday, March 30th, have been set aside as “makeup days.” In the event that there is a weather-related cancellation for a previous class, that class will be made up on either March 2nd or March 30th. ***
2007-2008 Schedules
Confirmation II
Session 1: Sunday, September 23rd
Session 2: Sunday, October 21st
Session 3: Sunday, November 18th
Session 4: Sunday, December 16th (Sponsor selection due.)
Session 5: Sunday, January 27th
Session 6: Sunday, February 10th (Saint project due.)
* Session 7: Retreat Day
Saturday, March 15th for girls; Saturday, March 29th for boys
Session 8: Sunday, April 13th
(Parents and sponsors are invited and encouraged to join the candidates for this final session together.)
** May: Rehearsal (Sponsors or a stand-in should plan on attending the rehearsal.) and Confirmation
* Unless otherwise noted, each session begins in the Parish Center immediately following the 5:30 PM Mass and ends at 8:30 PM.
** Confirmation dates are typically set by the diocese in December. Rehearsal dates are contingent on the Confirmation dates. Details will be forthcoming to all families as soon as we receive them.
*** Sunday, March 2nd, and Sunday, March 30th, have been set aside as “makeup days.” In the event that there is a weather-related cancellation for a previous class, that class will be made up on either March 2nd or March 30th. ***
Miscellaneous Information
Fees
$50 registration fee per candidate for each year of formation (with a family maximum of $100) – due upon enrollment
The registration fee for a candidate is waived when an immediate family member volunteers his/her time and talents to serve as a catechist in the parish’s faith formation programs. Please note that faith formation in general – and the sacraments in particular – will never be withheld in times of financial need. If there is a hardship in meeting any of these fees, please do not hesitate to contact the program coordinator.
$10 robe rental fee per candidate in Confirmation II – due no later than the final (April) session
Program Coordinator Contact Information
Program coordinator: Karen Perella, Director of Teen Faith Formation
Address: Our Lady of Victory Parish
Office of Teen Faith Formation
230 South Main Street
Centerville, MA 02632
Phone: 508-771-9378 ext. 123
Fax: 508-771-0170
Email: teenfaithformation@olvparish.org
Please download Handbook for Participation Agreement Form and Sponsor Form.