Confirmation Preparation at St. Susanna 2010
The goal of St. Susanna's Confirmation Preparation Program is to help every candidate enhance and deepen their faith through an experiential learning process with a mentor. Over a reflection period, the candidate will have the opportunity to discern what gifts he/she can bring to the adult Christian community. An emphasis is placed on regular monthly meetings with mentors. It is our belief that the preparation of Confirmation is fully situated in a comprehensive Youth Ministry which includes community building, service outreach, and spiritual growth through prayer and retreats.
OBLIGATIONS FOR PREPARATION
1. Monthly Mentor meetings – Mentors and candidates are asked to form groups with 2-3 other candidates and mentors. (It makes some sense to organize these prior to the registration meeting if at all possible. If not, we will assist you in getting a mentor group.) These groups then, can coordinate a convenient time to meet once a month. Each candidate/mentor team will host 2-4 meetings. (The structure of these meetings is described in the lavender handbook.) If you are new to this process, the first mentor meeting can be held at the St. Susanna School so that a member of the Confirmation Team can assist groups with running the mentor meetings. These may be scheduled by email at Confirmation @stsusanna.org
a. Choice of a Mentor: Each candidate will have a mentor. The mentor will be a person of Catholic faith who can help the student with the monthly lessons plus aid the student in finding a way to serve the greater community. It is important that the mentor is willing to honestly share the ups-and-downs of living out his/her Catholic faith.
b. Choice of a Mentor Coordinator: Each mentor group will have an adult coordinate the group. This mentor coordinator will help distribute important information from the Confirmation Team and will email monthly the progress and challenges of the mentor group.
c. Utilization of Preparation Materials - The Catholic Faith Handbook from St. Mary’s Press and our St. Susanna Confirmation Preparation Handbook are catechetical resources for students to keep and read on their own. We loan copies of the Catholic Faith Handbook to the mentors. They need to be returned at the Confirmation ceremony practice, unless the mentor would like to purchase the book for $17.
2. Retreat Attendance: Candidates are expected to register for ONE day-long retreat at the Milford Spiritual Center. (Your registration fee includes the cost of this off-site retreat and lunch.) You will register for these by April 30, 2010.
3. Written Response to questions – We ask students to take time to really reflect on their decision for Confirmation. The students must provide written responses to the questions available on page 51 in the Confirmation handbook (lavender).The Confirmation team will read the responses and, if there is any concern, the candidate will be contacted for a 15 minute in-person interview with Jenny Williamson. The deadline for the written responses is June 30, 2010.
4. Commitment to Service - As Catholic Christians, we are compelled to serve. The student needs to find regular ways to be of service both to our church and our community. While we don’t police service hours for Confirmation, we expect you to incorporate service into your lifestyle. Your mentor and mentor group should be a great resource and support in this.
5. Commitment to Active Involvement in a Faith Community - Enrollment at St. Susanna School or active participation (at least 50% attendance) in the youth program here at St. Susanna Parish is strongly encouraged. For information on the youth programs, Faith Alive or LIFE, contact Jenny Williamson, Youth Minister, 398-3821 ext. 3195.
a. Stay Connected. Check the bulletin, Glad Tidings and the web page regularly for any updates, notices, retreat info or articles of interest. You can reach the Confirmation web page under Faith Formation, then under Youth Ministry.
6. Select a sponsor for the Sacramental Rite of Confirmation (ceremony.)
a. Requirements and Duties of the sponsor:
* Must be at least 16 years of age.
* A practicing Catholic who has received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
* Cannot be a parent of the candidate.
* Mentor could be the sponsor, provided that the mentor is not a parent of the candidate.
* One of the baptismal godparents is an excellent choice.
* Attend the Confirmation Ceremony in either late October or early November and presents the candidate to the bishop at the time for the anointing with chrism.
* Helps the candidate to fulfill the role of an active Catholic participating in the ministry of the Church.
If any of these obligations cause undue hardship on the family, please discuss them with a member of the Confirmation Team - Jenny Williamson, Jodi Mott, Mary Jeanne Overcash, or Mary Ann Stelzle.