Transcript CONFIRMATIO N - Blessed Kateri Confirmation Website

CONFIRMATION
Level 1
Parent Orientation
Why do you want the
Sacrament of
Confirmation for
your teen?
Email Address:
[email protected]
Confirmation Website:
www.skconfirmation.org
(was www.bkconfirmation.org)
Confirmation Office Phone Number:
661-296-3180 Ext 7908
The Goal for Confirmation
Preparation is Discipleship
Discipleship means to make a conscious
decision to follow Jesus in the midst of His
church and to direct one’s life with this
always in mind. In other words, our goal
is to help the teens served by High
School Confirmation develop a personal
relationship with Jesus that affects how
they live their life on a daily basis.
The Confirmation Sacrament is a
celebration of our faith in the Holy
Spirit. After Baptism, along with the
Eucharist, it completes the baptismal
graces and fully initiates the baptized
as an adult member of God’s
adopted family.
High School Confirmation Prep is
intended to bring about conversion in
the hearts of teens so they see Jesus
as the Way, the Truth and the Life and
therefore come to the Sacrament with
hearts properly disposed to receive it.
Who is invited to participate in High
School Confirmation Prep Level 1?
* Teens entering 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade in the fall of
2014
* 9th, 10th, or 11th graders can complete their 2nd year of
preparation in High School Confirmation
* 12th graders will complete their 2nd year in Adult
Confirmation
* Weekly mass attendance is expected of students
enrolled in High School Confirmation Prep
Format
2 Sunday sessions per month
Teens meet in the hall at 4pm promptly
4-4:30pm Large group session where catechesis is
covered via video, review games and live speakers
Small group sessions 4:35-5:15pm
Mass 5:30-6:30pm (teens escorted to sanctuary by
their facilitator)
Small Group Structure &
Discipleship
 Each small group will have 7 teens (ideally), 1
adult facilitator and 1 Confirmed Teen Peer
Leader
 Small groups stays the same for whole 2 year
process
 Team & trust building games/activities designed
to build community within the small group
 Trusting dynamic within the small group is
essential for a teen’s journey to discipleship
Additional Elements
 Welcome to Confirmation Prep! on Saturday, June 14 at
4:45pm (Youth mass & then Life Teen Freshman Welcome
BBQ on patio after)
 1 Retreat Experience per year
 Christian Living
 Participation in 1 or more of Triduum masses during Holy
Week
 Reconciliation (at Penance Services or weekly offered)
 Confirmation Preparation Rites during mass
 Life Teen
 Discernment Interview 1 time per year
 Sponsors
 Parent & Sponsor Formation Sessions
Catechesis
The Goal of Catechesis is to bring about a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
•
Saint Kateri High School Confirmation has adopted a new
curriculum with this goal in mind
•
“CHOSEN: Your Journey Toward Confirmation”
•
www.AscensionPress.com
•
Video Driven “Plug & Play”
•
Leader Guide available to check out or view in the
Confirmation office
•
DVD’s available to view in Confirmation office by
appointment
•
Students receive their own CHOSEN resource to keep and
use as reference & personal journal for whole 2 year
process
•
Parent and Sponsor Guides from CHOSEN are excellent
resources and provide “Conversation Starters” (available
for purchase through the Confirmation office)
Scripture
 Students will each receive a personal
copy of the New American Bible at the
Rite of Promise on November 16
 Same version of Scripture that is read at
mass
 Facilitators will guide them during small
group time on how to find the readings
they will hear at mass in their bible
Confirmation Prep Welcome
 Saturday, June 14 4:45-5:15pm
 Information & Forms needed to begin
Christian Living over the summer will be
covered Ex: VBS
 Volunteering for Vacation Bible School
would fulfill 1 Christian Living Experience
 All teens invited to Youth mass at 5:30pm
 Parents please attend mass w/teen
 Life Teen Freshman Welcome BBQ on the
patio immediately following mass
Retreats
 1 Weekend Retreat per year of Confirmation Prep
 Luggage drop off for retreat is Thursday, October 23
6pm-7:30pm in Hall 3
 Medications are checked in at retreat drop off on
Friday at 5:30pm
 A pizza dinner will be provided at Saint Kateri during
retreat drop off
 Teens all ride on buses to retreat center: Salvation
Army Camp Mt. Crags 26801 Dorothy Dr, Calabasas
 Retreat Contract will be part of registration packet
 Teens return for Wrap Up with parents in the hall about
2 pm
 Wrap Up will last about 45minutes
Christian Living
* Each teen asked to participate or serve in 5
different ministries throughout the year.
* Purpose is to provide opportunities to explore
some of the 50+ ministries offered at our parish
* One page worksheet to be completed for each
of the 5 experiences will be available on the
website with the goal of finding out who the
ministry serves and how that ministry helps
others in their lived relationship with Christ
* Options available year round will be posted on
the website and one time options emailed blasted
to all Level 1 Confirmation families as they arise
* 2 of the 5 will be completed in the already
established Level 1 schedule
* Level 2 students will join a ministry to fulfill
Christian Living component
Holy Week/Triduum
 All teens attend at least 1 of 3 of the following Triduum
masses
 1. April 2 7-8:30pm Mass of the Lord’s supper with washing of
feet
 2. April 3 1pm Good Friday Mass including Veneration of the
Cross
 3. April 3 7:30pm Good Friday Mass including Veneration of
the Cross
 Teens that attend training on March 22 3-4pm may serve
during the Triduum and to fulfill a Christian Living
 FYI Hart District Spring Break is Monday, April 6-Friday, April 10
Reconciliation
 Sacrament of Reconciliation is crucial to preparing for
a properly disposed heart when receiving the
Sacrament
 Level 1 Teens will be encouraged to start frequenting
the Sacrament of Reconciliation after their February 22
session “Why tell my sins to a priest? The Healing Power
of Confession”
 Teens may attend Reconciliation during an Advent
Penance Service, Lenten Penance Service or
Confession times offered weekly at local parishes
High School Confirmation Rites
 1st Time offered at Saint Kateri as part of High School
Confirmation in our new Church
 Rite of Promise during Sunday 5:30 mass after
Confirmation session on November 16
 Sponsor presence requested as they are part of the
rite
 A parent may stand in for a sponsor for Rites only (not
the Confirmation ceremony)
 Opportunity for public commitment to Confirmation
Journey
 Opportunity to connect candidates to wider parish
community and for the parish community to show their
loving support
Discernment Interviews
 Designed to help confirmandi, aka teens
in the Confirmation preparation process,
to discern where they are in their
relationship with Jesus, their readiness to
continue on the Confirmation
Preparation journey and what ministry in
the parish to which God may be calling
them
 Scheduled in 20 minute intervals on April
14, 15 or 16
Confirmation Saint
 Teens encouraged to find a saint that inspires them
personally
 Teens will be asked to complete a report about their
saint over the summer between Level 1 and Level 2
 Teens will be able to declare a Confirmation Saint
Name
Life Teen
 The most prolific youth ministry in the Catholic Church
 Leads teens closer to Christ by participating in lively youth
masses and offering a fun, teen-centered community in which
to grow in faith
 Saint Kateri Youth Mass is every Saturday at 5:30pm
 Following the Youth Mass, Life Teen ministers and CORE
members lead “Life Nights” that start with a yummy dinner
 Life Nights Themes are either faith-building, social or deal with
current teen issues
 Is a drop in program, after registering for the first night of
attendance teens are welcome to come as often or as little as
works for them
 2 Retreats offered each year, one in the summer & one in the
winter
 Current 8th graders are eligible to attend Life Teen Retreat this
July
 Check out their website for more info: www.bkym.org or the Life
Teen International site www.lifeteen.com
Choosing a Sponsor
 The best sponsor is someone that is truly excited about
their Catholic faith and wants to share it with your teen
 Must be 18 years old and a Confirmed, practicing
Catholic
 May be male or female
 May not be a parent
 Eligible to receive the Sacraments and expected to
receive Holy Communion at the Mass of Confirmation
 Sponsors are asked to commit to being in regular contact
(weekly ideal) with their candidate so they can share their
faith, answer questions and discuss the Confirmation
journey. Text, skype, email, snail mail, social media, phone
calls, etc are all valid avenues
 Sponsors are asked to commit to attending 3 Parent &
Sponsor Formation Sessions
Confirmation Preparation is a Family
Journey
 Parents asked to commit to attending 3 Parent &
Sponsor formations
 Parent and family members’ attitudes greatly affect
their teen’s experience
 Confirmation Preparation provides the time and
space for teens to explore and decide what they
believe in so they can experience the invitation to
Jesus’ call personally.
 This invitation and opportunity to make faith in Jesus
and His Church their own will only be effective if your
teen is supported by you prayerfully, vocally and
physically
 Momentum, frequent participation, is crucial to growth
in faith and understanding therefore regular
attendance needs to be a family priority
Parent & Sponsor Formation
 4:15-5:15pm in the Sanctuary 3 times during the year
during your teens’ Confirmation session
 September 14, November 16 and February 22
 Covers some of the same topics Level 1 teens are
exploring
 Videos from CHOSEN curriculum will be used (you will see
some of the videos your teens will see!)
 Designed to encourage conversations & interaction with
your teen as well as inspire parents & sponsors
 If unable to attend all three, attendance at a Level 2
Parent & Sponsor Formation Session is requested or
attending another parish wide formation opportunity.
Check page 7 labeled “FORMATION” in the Saint Kateri
bulletin for parish wide opportunities
 Parents will be asked to sign a covenant committing to
Formation attendance as part of registration process
 Sponsors will be asked to sign a covenant committing to
Formation attendance and frequent contact with their
candidate at the November 16 session (same day as Rite
of Promise)
The Confirmation Program
Needs Volunteers
How can you help?
 Become a facilitator
 Office Help
 Set Up before sessions
 Audio Visual help during sessions
Please see a member of the Confirmation team after the
meeting if you are interested
Registration
 Opens April 23 by11:59am
 Cost is $300.00 – all materials and level 1 retreat costs
are included in registration fee
Registration cont’d
Items needed to gather BEFORE starting the online
registration process
 Baptismal Certificate
 First Communion Certificate
 Sponsor’s name and email
 Emergency Contact information
 Health Insurance Information
 Print out a copy of the Level 1 Schedule (available on
the Level 1 home page at www.skconfirmation.org)
How to register
 Go to our website
 www.skconfirmation.org
 Click on REGISTRATION
 Click on the link for Level 1
 Enter registration access code SKCL1
 Enter registration information as prompted
 Print out all materials as prompted and mail them to
Saint Kateri Confirmation office along with full
payment
 You will receive an email confirming submission of
registration once paper work and payment has been
processed your registration is complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
 What if I do not have a sponsor committed to my teen by
November 16? Parents may stand in for sponsors during a
rite, but are asked to find a sponsor no later than Level 1
Discernment Interviews in April
 What if I cannot find a sponsor? Email the Confirmation
office at [email protected] and we will try
you find someone in the parish to match with your teen
 Can I request that my teen be placed with a friend in their
small group? Yes, there will be a space for that on the
registration form. Your friend’s request must match up with
your own friend’s request. Please use honest discretion
when deciding to request a friend in your teen’s small
group. Only request a friend if you truly believe it will help
your teen experience transformation on this Confirmation
Preparation journey. Do not request one if that relationship
will be a distraction or cause for your teen to not bond with
others in their small group. We will provide ample time and
fun opportunities at the beginning of Level 1 (especially on
retreat) for small groups to get to know each other.
FAQ’s cont’d
 What if we are attending mass as a family earlier in the
weekend, does my teen have to stay for mass? No. A parent
may retrieve their teen from their facilitator in the sanctuary
before mass. We hope you will choose to attend the Sunday
5:30 mass when your teen does, but we also strongly
encourage attendance at the 5:30pm Saturday Youth Mass
(with Life Teen available after!) We are thrilled to offer lots of
options for mass attendance here at Saint Kateri.
 What are some other ways to fulfill the Christian Living
component? Christian Living is new so we are still meeting
with the ministry leaders in order to fully integrate the
component. Some more examples of Christian Living we
hope to be able to offer are: serving at mass as an
usher/bringing up the gifts/greeting, attending a session of a
Life Teen bible study, trying out being in the choir or band at
mass, helping decorate the sanctuary with our Environment
ministry, assisting as a “peer leader in training” during a
Monday night Jr. High Edge volunteer, assisting in an
elementary or Little Church RE classroom, serving at Sunday
Hospitality, helping in the Gift Shoppe, etc.
FAQ’s cont’d
 What if I am unable to afford the $300 registration fee right
now? We do have payment and reduced fee options. Please
email the office at [email protected] to
request an application.
 What if my teen misses a session? Can they make it up? Not
really. There will not be a make up lesson provided. The
teens’ CHOSEN resource does have a summary of the main
points covered during each lesson. There is really no way to
replicate the small group discussion experience, which is
where we anticipate the most transformative experiences
during Sunday meetings. However, the CHOSEN videos are
very engaging. If your teen misses a session, we hope to offer
a way for the videos segments to be viewed at a later time.
As of right now, we have not established a format in which to
provide this.
 What if we discontinue during the year, do we get a refund? If
the Confirmation office is notified at least 1 week before the
retreat, we can refund $200. 2/3rds of the registration fee
goes directly to retreat costs. The rest go to material costs
that are expended or budgeted for based on the number of
enrollees at the close of registration
FAQ’s cont’d
 How many sessions can my teen miss and still remain in
the program? This question would need to be answered
on a case by case basis. Humans get sick, grandmas turn
100 and teams earn their way to national championships.
In other words, there are certain events in life that are
unavoidable or so special that one must not miss them.
When important events like these conflict with a meeting
time, we ask that you just let your teen’s facilitator know. If
a teen misses a session and we have not heard from them,
we will follow up to make sure all is well. If a teen misses
more than that, we will also follow up and try to help your
family discern if the Confirmation preparation we are
offering is able to meet the needs of your teen and family
schedules. If your teen will be committing to something
during the 2014-15 year that will frequently conflict with the
scheduled meetings, we ask you to either wait to start the
preparation process another year or look into the
Confirmation processes offered at the other parishes in our
area.
Thank you for attending
Have a blessed
evening