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Confirmation at St. James
Confirmation preparation begins in September of the sophomore year with the sacrament of Confirmation in the spring. To enter the Confirmation preparation program everyone MUST be enrolled in parish Youth Ministry for at least one year prior. (see Preconfirmation below)
Requirements For Confirmation
* Enrolled 1 year prior in St. James Youth Ministry -IGNITE
* Letter of intention addressed to the Director of Youth Ministries
* ATTEND MASS EVERY SUNDAY
* Provide a copy of Baptismal Certificate
* Selection of appropriate sponsor
* Selection of Confirmation name
* Attend small group meetings (no more than 2 misses)
* Attend 2 retreats and sponsor session
* Donate 30 hours of service to Church & Community (15 hours each)
* Interview with Director of Youth Ministry towards end of program
* Letter of reflection, preparedness to Fr. Tom and the parish
Confirmation Changes
In 2008, Bishop Robert Finn put together a commission to
take a look at Confirmation in the diocese. The strong conclusion the
commission presented was that in many parishes, Confirmation preparation
was the only offering for youth ministry at the high school level. The
Bishop saw the need to reduce the requirements and simplify the
Confirmation preparation process and to emphasize participation in
comprehensive youth ministry that included ALL teens
of the parish. The goal again was twofold, first to discourage the view of
Confirmation as a “sacrament of maturity” or “graduation” and second to
encourage wide involvement in parish youth ministry throughout the 4
years of high school for all teens in the parish.
At St. James we implemented the changes beginning 2009. Where previously the
preparation was over 9th and 10th grade,
Confirmation preparation will be a 6 month program beginning in the fall
of sophomore year and the teens will be confirmed in the spring of that
same year. We only meet 2 times a month to ease the busy schedule of our
teens.
As always, at St. James we have a requirement for all sacramental
preparation participants to be enrolled in Youth Ministry for a year
prior to entering the preparation program. This applies to teens who
would like to enter the Confirmation preparation in their sophomore
year.
Preconfirmation
Other than Confirmation, we did not previously have another program for
freshman before this year so we developed one that not only meets that
requirement but also compliments the preparation program and eases the
requirements for the following year. Our decision was to create a 9th
grade “Preconfirmation” program, which will soon be called Ignite. In
Ignite, freshman will still have the opportunity to count service hours
and retreats towards their Confirmation prep as well as begin to form
their small groups for the following year. Ignite will create a stronger
sense of community and investment in parish life. It will also
incorporate all 8 components set forth by the United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops on Comprehensive youth ministry, Advocacy,
Catechesis, Community life, Evangelization, Justice and service,
Leadership development, Pastoral care, Prayer and worship.
Service
Here are some service ideas you can do on your own or
with a group
• Make "I Care" kits with combs, toothbrushes, shampoo,
etc. for homeless people
• Help with repairs at a local homeless shelter
• Make a care package with mittens, socks, t-shirts, long underwear,
etc. for a child at a homeless shelter
• Collect grocery coupons to give a local food bank
• Organize a neighborhood group to plant, tend and harvest a vegetable
garden
• Donate food to Harvesters, Hillcrest, or Love INC.
• Adopt a "grandparent" at a local nursing home
• Visit a nursing home
• Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean gutters, or wash windows for
a senior citizens
• Pick up medicine for an elderly person
• Go for a walk with a senior citizen in your community
• Hold an afternoon dance for your local nursing home
• Teach them your dances and ask them to
teach you theirs
• Deliver meals to homebound individuals
• Offer to pick up groceries with/for a senior citizen
• Help senior citizens in your neighborhood obtain and install
locks or smoke alarms
• Teach a senior friend how to use a computer or the Internet
• Get a group together to sing or present a play at a nursing
home
• Help neighbors paint and repair their homes
• Clean up a vacant lot
• Organize a campaign to raise money to purchase and install new
playground equipment in an area park
• Campaign for additional lighting along poorly lighted streets
• Paint a mural or clean up in a local park
• Plant flowers in public areas that could use some color
• St. Mary's Food Kitchen
• In As Much Ministries
• Meals On Wheels
• Liberty Hospital Volunteer
• Hillcrest Ministries
• Local Schools - tutoring, misc.
• Blood Bank-babysitting
• Love INC
• Prison Ministry-do a Bible drive
• Visiting Elderly
• Giving manicures/painting fingernails for elderly women, visiting,
etc
• Harvesters
Other optional events
XLT
St. Gabe’s has XLT that may be counted
as a makeup. XLT(exalt) is a night where teens from different parishes
come together for an intense night of prayer and worship. The night
is divided into three parts:
1. Praise and Worship Music
2. Preaching
3. Adoration
St. Gabriel Archangel Parish
4737 North Cleveland
Kansas City, Missouri 64117-1296
Fourth Tuesday of Every Month
7:07p.m.
Holy Spirit
By signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ.
Printables and Forms
Confirmation at St. James
This
includes printable requirements and a note from Bobbi
Sponsor Information
This includes sponsor requirements and sponsors
eligibility certificate
Missed Meeting Form
To be filled out in the event of a missed group meeting
Retreats
NCYC November 19-21
Rock The Light Aug 29-30