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CONFIRMATION INFORMATION

Who participates in the Confirmation Program?

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation is open to all high school teens who belong to St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church.  Our Confirmation program brings teens and adults together to study and explore how growth in the Spirit is a life long journey.  Together participants share in their journey, and commit to share in the mission of Jesus - to know and worship God and love your neighbor.  The sacrament is received by choice of the teen.  He or she must assume ownership of the promises which were made by others on their behalf at Baptism.

According the Diocesan Guidelines, Candidates in the Confirmation program meet for at least 60 hours, complete 30 hours of service in the parish and the community, and participate in two retreats and a liturgical rite.  The entire program lasts one and half years.

Confirmation 2009 Calendar - 2nd & 3rd semesters                                       

Confirmation/Confirmation 2010 Calendar - 1st semester

Confirmation/Inclement Weather Policy

What are the components of the Confirmation Program?

Small Group Meetings

Over the span of 16-18 months, teens preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation investigate their faith by participating in a total of 27 small group meetings, held on Wednesday evenings in our church.

Meeting topics include:  Jesus, Morality, Peace and Justice, Scripture, Liturgy, and the Called to Protect for Youth program. 

Retreats

Confirmation candidates take part in two retreats with their small groups before receiving the sacrament.  The opening retreat is in January at St. Margaret’s.  Its theme is who am I and what is my relationship with God and our Church.  The final retreat is an extended experience focusing on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and living as a person of faith in early spring of their final year.

Rite

In the fall of their second semester, the teens will participate in the Rite of Choosing during Mass.  Each small group will be assigned to a different Mass on a weekend in November.

Service Hours

Since living lives of service is an important aspect of carrying out our faith, teens preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation are required to perform a minimum of 30 hours of service while in the program.  Areas of service include the parish, the local community, and the broader community.  At least 10 hours of service must be completed in each of these three areas.     Confirmation/Confirmation Service Hours Log

Youth may serve the parish by volunteering to perform liturgical roles such as usher, greeter, server, or hospitality. They may also get involved in parish ministries such as Religious Education, or helping at the parish picnic.              Confirmation/List of Parish Ministries

Areas of service in the local community can include volunteering in neighborhood schools, nursing homes, hospitals, the recycling center, and Lee’s Summit Social Services.  Lee’s Summit High School’s website has a great list of local and broader community service opportunities, http://lshs.leesummit.k12.mo.us/bulletinlshs/index.html  Just scroll down to Community Service Opportunities and call the contact for the opportunity that interests you.  You do not need to be a LSHS student.

Each teen MUST serve at St. James Soup Kitchen at least once.  Small groups attend when they are covering the Peace & Justice unit, and they may also attend with other St. Margaret’s Confirmation teens once in the summer.  Other opportunities for service to the broader community can include Special Olympics, Harvesters, and Hope House.  For a list of volunteer opportunities for Special Olympics go to http://www.somo.org/, click on Register Online to Volunteer and then click on the event that interests you for information and to sign up.  To volunteer at Harvesters go to http://www.harvesters.org/, click on GIVE TIME, and click on volunteer opportunities.

Service opportunities will be posted on a table as the teens enter church every time they meet.  We are called to be Jesus for one another.  Service helps us respond to that call.

Sponsor/Candidate Meetings

Candidates for Confirmation select a sponsor, who helps the teen prepare for the sacrament and serves as a witness to its reception.  Sponsors are a confirmed adult Catholic in good standing who leads a life of faith, participates in their parish and is a good role model.  Sponsor/Candidate meetings are held on Sunday afternoons or evenings starting in December of their final year.  These four large group sessions focus on the wisdom and worship of the Roman Catholic Church, including the Sacraments.            

Confirmation/Sponsor Eligibility Certificate

Letter to the Bishop

In the third semester of the program, each teen writes a letter to Bishop Finn reflecting on their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation and its significance to them. 

Confirmation/Guidelines for Letter to the Bishop

Confirmation Name

Each of those to be confirmed should choose an appropriate Confirmation name.  One name only is chosen.  This name should be that of a recognized saint in the Church’s tradition.  Because this is a significant sacramental celebration, names that are very unusual or contrary to Catholic tradition should be discouraged.  Names should be of like gender to the confirmed.  The Confirmation name should be presented in its proper form, rather than in the diminutive.  (e.g. John, instead of Jack; Susan, instead of Sue.)

To help in your selection you can refer to the Patron Saint Index (by topic and name) http://saints.sqpn.com/indexsnt.htm

 When is the deadline for participants to enroll in Confirmation 2010?

An Confirmation Information Flyer, Enrollment Form and calendar are mailed to all parish households with a teen who is a current high school freshman, with birthdates between 7/1/93 and 6/30/94, in October.  If your high school teen’s birth date falls outside this range, please contact Cheryl Immethun, cimmethun@stmargaretsparish.org or 246-6800 for an enrollment packet.  The deadline for registration is Sunday, November 16, 2008.  Absolutely no registrations will be accepted after the opening retreat.

 What is the fee for the Confirmation Program?

The cost of the program is $70 per person.  Registrations turned in after November 16, 2008 will be charged a $20 late fee.  The money is used for expenses associated with group meetings, sponsor/candidate meetings, and retreats.