CONFIRMATION EXPECTATIONS 2007-2008

           The following information is to give candidates an idea of what to expect in their preparation for Confirmation this coming year.

1. Whole Community Faith Formation: Candidates are expected to participate in our Whole Community Faith Formation sessions, which began Sunday September 16 from 9:45-10:45am. The content of these sessions will be relevant to your preparation, and cover the basic tenants of our faith. Your participation will be a positive sign to other youth and adults, encouraging them in their faith growth as well. Archbishop Vlazny states that every young person wishing to be confirmed should be participating fully in the parishes' regular youth ministry faith formation program.       

            2. Confirmation Preparation Sessions: You are also expected to attend our special Confirmation Preparation Sessions.  These sessions cover aspects of our faith that are more specific to The Sacrament and The Holy Spirit.  We highly encourage your parents and your sponsor to attend these meetings with you.

 Confirmation Session Dates

            3. FLASH Café. We also offer a weekly get together for small group fellowship, Gospel reflection and prayer.  These meetings happen on Tuesday mornings one week (6;30-7:10am) with breakfast served and Wednesday or Thursday evening the next week with a dessert (7:15-8:15pm).  We meet at the Posedel’s house for these gatherings.  This is not a requirement but we encourage you to get involved.

            4.  Attend Mass Regularly.  Confirmation initiates us into full membership with the universal and local church, insisting on a personal commitment to attend Mass each Sunday and holy day; a willingness to contribute to the Eucharistic celebration by praying, listening, singing, and perhaps serving in a special liturgical ministry. 

5. Read one of the Gospels.  We suggest the Gospel of Mark, it’s the shortest and presents a good basic understanding of whom Jesus is and his invitation to faith. 

6. Choose a Confirmation Sponsor (indicate on attendance sheet by November 4)   Each candidate should choose a sponsor who meets the following requirements: 1) must be age 16 or older, 2) must belong to the Catholic Church and have been initiated in the three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist; 3) should be attending mass regularly and receiving Eucharist. It is recommended that the Baptismal sponsor serve as Confirmation sponsor as well, to reinforce the relationship between Baptism and Confirmation. The sponsor should be someone who will support the candidate in living the Christian life, and who will pray with and for the candidate. 

7.  Keep A Journal   We are providing you with a journal that corresponds with the lesson plans of our program, Moving In The Spirit.  This journal is your property and we will not be “checking” your progress because we hope that you will use this for your very private thoughts and prayers.  We will be reminding you via e-mail or worksheet where you should be in the journal.  Your sponsor will also be receiving a sponsor book, and there will be times when you will be sharing some of your journal entries with your sponsor.  We will be letting you know when this is expected.

8. Faithfully complete the Home Study Course  We will be sending you via e-mail, snail mail, or giving you at our meetings worksheets to continue your study each week on your own.  In order to complete the requirements of the Archdiocese for Confirmation preparation we ask that candidates, their parents and their sponsors work together, on their own, for part of the preparation process.  We will be asking candidates to share their home study portion with us.  (This home study will allow us to keep Confirmation preparation to a 1-year program instead of the 2-year preparation program suggested by the Archdiocese).

9. Baptismal Certificates (due November 4)   Each candidate must have been baptized in the Catholic Church or have been validly baptized in another Christian denomination.  It is necessary that this baptism be validated by the Church. Please return the enclosed Baptismal Information Sheet by the November 4^th meeting. If the candidate was not baptized at Queen of Peace Church, please include a photocopy of the candidate’s baptismal certificate.

10. Choose a Confirmation Name (due March 2)  Selecting a Confirmation name is optional. The name chosen is used by the bishop during the celebration. The candidate will ordinarily have a name of a patron saint for confirmation, that serves as an example to the candidate, and that the candidate might like to pattern his or her own life after. Otherwise your baptismal (given) name will be used. Indicate choice of name on attendance sheet by the March 2nd meeting. 

11. Service     Confirmation candidates are called to provide service within the church and community. We offer many service opportunities here at Queen of Peace, plus there are many opportunities in our city, neighborhood, and families. Some Queen of Peace opportunities are: Craft Fair Café / Fair Trade Coffee / Coffee/Donuts / FPNO / WCFF - musician, singer / Poinsettia Sales / Table of Plenty / Habitat 4 Humanity

12. Letter to Bishop (due March2)                                                                                                           Candidates are expected to write a letter to the bishop indicating a desire to be confirmed. Our goal is to help the bishop know a little about us as he celebrates this special sacrament with us. Letters should be addressed to Most Rev. [Bishop’s Name], with salutation being “Dear [Arch]Bishop [Name]...”. Please bring letters to our Sunday morning meeting on March 2 or to any youth meeting before this date. This letter should be sincere, short, and include (but not limited to) the following in your own words: 

If you are interested in being confirmed but have not been Baptized or received your First Communion, please contact us immediately.

The sacrament will be celebrated during the Easter Season either at Queen of Peace Church or St. Edward’s Church in Keizer. By request of Archbishop Vlazny, we will celebrate the sacrament with other parishes of our vicariate (St. Vincent de Paul Church and St. Edward Church).

            If you have questions or concerns, please contact Cheri Posedel (cheri@queenofpeacesalem.org) or Marty Gay (marty@queenofpeacesalem.org)             or at 503-364-7202, ext. 15.

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Last modified: 10/02/07