Confirmation IICandidate Packet

2018-2019Parent Remind Groups:

Code: 81010

Text: @24dgbg

Requested Confirmation Dates: Sat., May 11, 2019; Fri., May 10,

2019; or Sat., April 27 2019

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Confirmation Year 2 2018-2019Special Dates for Parents & Sponsors

Purpose: Place: Time: Date:

Confirmation meeting

(pick one of the two times offered!)

1 st option: Marian Room

2 nd option : Parish Hall

1 st option : 7 p.m.- 8 p.m.

2 nd option: 10:05 a.m.-11:05 a.m.

1 st option: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018

2 nd option: Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018

Sponsor’s verification form

Classrooms or RE office

10:05 a.m. or before

Feb. 3, 2019

Sponsor’s interview From home When confirmandi and sponsor can

meet

Due by February 23, 2019

Parent/sponsor Retreat Option

Upper Room North Wing

3-5 p.m. March 24, 2019

Important Dates for ConfirmandiPurpose: Place: Time: Date:Saint project due Confirmation

classrooms10:05 a.m. Sunday, January

27, 2019Sponsor interview reflection paper

RE office Anytime By Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019

Service reflection/project due

Confirmation Classrooms

10:00 a.m. Sunday, March 24, 2019

Special mass for Confirmandi

Church 9:00 a.m. Sunday, March 24, 2019

Retreat with NET Ministries Team!!

Gym/Hall/Church

11:00-5 p.m.

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Rehearsal Church 10:30-11 a.m.

Sunday, March 24 (sponsors should come at 10:30 if possible)

Reconciliation; Final Meeting (pizza offered in gym)

Church/bride’s room/Fr.’s office; Gym

5:30-7:00 p.m.

April 24

Pictures Church TBD Confirmation day

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Sacrament of Confirmation

Church TBD TBD (I’ve requested either May 10, May 11, or April 27!

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The Confirmation II Program

Dynamic Catholic: Meeting people where they are . . . Leading them to where God calls them to be!

The Ultimate Confirmation ExperienceDECISION POINT is the first Confirmation program specifically developed to engage young Catholics in a meaningful conversation about the genius of Catholicism. It teaches and inspires teens to respond to God’s grace, and it’s changing hundreds of thousands of young lives. Today, DECISION POINT is the most used Confirmation program in America.

*See all lessons, videos, study guides, and leader’s guides for FREE at DynamicCatholic.com*Download the FREE app Decision Point!! All materials are available!*Other parts of Confirmation prep:

*Saint project*Sponsor verification form and interview*Service hours in three areas: community, parish, & neighborhood*Service reflection paper or poster project*Retreat day

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*Partaking in Confession before Confirmation Day (within 6 weeks of the date of Confirmation)*Regular attendance (80%) or greater in classes (can’t

miss more than 6 classes)--Please make up all lessons that are missed and give to the

catechists!

Choosing a Confirmation NameMy Patron Saint

As a part of the sacrament of Confirmation, the bishop will call your child by name. A name is very important and is never given lightly. After much thought, you named your child at birth. In preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation, your child is called to reflect on this idea of “name”. 1) If the name you chose at Baptism is the name of a saint,--You may want to re-choose this name and make a new commitment to live like this saint and develop a friendship with him/her.--You may want to choose another patron—one that you admire and want to imitate.2) If the name you chose for your child is not one of a saint,--your child will need to choose a saint’s name that he/she admires and wants to imitate.

For this activity:1. Research the saint. You may use a “Lives of the Saints” book, a biography on

the life of this person, or even a website such as http://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php . See also the Notre Dame booklet in your parent folders.

2. Read and think about the life of the patron you have chosen…really think about him/her. If the person doesn’t click with you, choose another one! (Look for a saint that you can relate to, have the same interests, see as a role model.)

3. Create a small poster (regular-sized poster cut in half). Include facts about the chosen saint such as the following:

a. Saint’s background such as family, birth year, siblings, parents’ occupation

b. Saint’s occupation if applicable.

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c. Place/year of death and how did the death occur (Were they a martyr?)

d. Date of canonization  e. Symbols-what are they usually pictured with- flowers, animals, children

etc.  f. What are they the patron saint of?.  g. Why did the student choose this saint?h. A picture of the saint—NOT to be cut out of the Notre Dame booklet!

4. Work should be proofread and not plagiarized. Use ink or marker, not pencil, for the completed project.

5. Please include the source of the information on the bottom or the back of the poster. Don’t forget own name and the name of the catechists!

6. These will be on display in the RE B-Wing hallway and are due to catechists on Sunday, January 27, 2019. Catechists will give at least one weekend in December or early January to go over this project with their classes.

Choosing a SponsorSponsor Selection

How do you choose a good and worthy Confirmation sponsor?

Directions for Confirmation candidates:1. With your parents’ help, please read through the Sponsor Certificate so

that you understand who would be eligible to be your sponsor.2. Think about who you would like to be your sponsor for Confirmation,

and why you would choose this person—keeping in mind the criteria on the Sponsor Certificate.

3. Over the next couple months decide on the person and invite him/her to be your sponsor. Often one of the baptismal godparents is chosen…but this isn’t necessary. Tell the person that you are counting on him/her to meet with you during the preparation time as a part of their responsibility.

4. Give the Sponsor Verification Form to your sponsor to fill out ASAP. It is the responsibility of your sponsor to have someone from his/her parish office fill out the Parish Verification. A person is not accepted as a sponsor until the paper is returned. Your sponsor may return it to you to give to the St. Thomas RE office or to your catechists. You can also mail it to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, ATTN: Kerry Acker, 4100 S. Coulter Rd., Amarillo, TX 79109.

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5. Sponsor Verification Forms are due no later than February 3, 2019.

6. As soon as we receive the certificate, we will contact your sponsor via email. Once your sponsor hears from us, s/he will contact you. You will need to meet with your sponsor. For your meeting, use the paper entitled “Meeting with Your Sponsor.”

7. After meeting with your sponsor, write a reflection paper consisting of two paragraphs. Begin the first paragraph stating who you have chosen as your sponsor and WHY you chose that person. Write another few sentences telling why you admire this person or why this person is special to you. In the second paragraph, tell me about what you learned from your sponsor during your interview: prayer life, Confirmation name, types of service s/he has done, his/her own Confirmation experience, etc.

8. The assignment should be entitled “My Confirmation Sponsor” (or a creative variation of that!). It should be typed using Times New Roman size 12 font or handwritten neatly using ink on notebook paper.

9. Please proofread this paper before turning it in (Due to class by Sunday, February 24, 2019)!

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Sponsor’s Certificate for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Requirements of a Sacramental Sponsor for ConfirmationThe purpose of a sponsor is to aid the person they sponsor in leading a Christian life in a manner that faithfully fulfills the obligations of Catholic faith. To do this, they themselves must be living the Catholic faith. A sponsor should also be someone who will be a part of the person’s life after baptism. If they are unable to attend the actual ceremony, a proxy could stand in for them. The following 5 criteria are required by Church law. A sponsor must be:

1) A practicing Catholic 2) of at least 16 years of age 3) who has already been confirmed and received the most holy

sacrament of the Eucharist, and 4) who leads a mature life of faith. While this does not mean they

have to be perfect, it does mean that they: a. “believe in God and believe all that he has said and

revealed to us, andb. (all) that Holy Church proposes for our belief,” c. that they have committed their “entire self to God,” d. attend Mass weekly on Sundays and on Holy Days of

Obligation, e. if married, must be married in the Catholic Church, and f. have a faith that is alive through works of charity (see

Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 1814).

The following are NOT eligible to be sponsors (see Canon law # 874): 1) the father or mother of the person who will receive the

sacrament; 2) one who does not practice the faith on a regular basis or 3) who does not accept the authority of the Church or 4) who does not accept all of the teachings of the Church on faith

and morals; 5) anyone bound by a canonical penalty. Some examples of this

would be: a laicized priest, one living in an invalid marriage (a Catholic who was married outside the Catholic Church), one who has aided in the procurement of an abortion and has not already been absolved by a priest of this sin).

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Catholic Sponsor’s Statement of Faith

I affirm on my honor before God that I meet the above requirements to be a sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation. I believe in God and all that he has revealed to us, and all that the Catholic Church proposes for our belief. I have committed my entire self to God and seek to know and do God's will. I seek to keep my faith alive through works of charity and obedience to God’s commandments.

I recognize that as a sacramental sponsor for (Name) __________________________________, I must be a living example of faith. I express my faith by loving God and my neighbor, through private prayer and through weekly worship with God’s people at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, by regularly receiving Eucharist, by regular celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, by accepting and living the teachings of the Catholic Church on faith and morals, and by giving good example.

I affirm that I am a baptized and confirmed Catholic, of at least 16 years of age; am a registered member of ____________________________________ parish; if married, have a marriage that is canonically valid and recognized by the Catholic Church; actively support my parish in any way I can appropriate to my circumstances; and that all the above statements are true.

Name of Sponsor _________________________________ Phone ____________

E-Mail ___________________________

Address____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Sponsor ________________________________________ Date ______________

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Due to St. Thomas the Apostle Church no later than Feb. 3, 2019!

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Parish Verification for Catholic Sponsors:

This is to certify that (Name of sponsor) ____________________________________________,

is a registered member of _____________________________________ Parish and a practicing Catholic who is in good standing canonically with the Catholic Church. S/he, to the best of my knowledge, is a regular communicant at Sunday Mass and actively support this parish appropriate to their circumstances. I am unaware of anything that would present a problem for them to be a sacramental sponsor/godparent.

Optional comments: ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Please print pastor’s name: ____________________________________

Parish Phone ______________

Parish Address ________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________ Pastor’s Signature (with Parish Seal)

Date ________________________

Please return to: Mrs. Kerry Acker, DRE

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St. Thomas the Apostle Church4100 S. Coulter Rd.Amarillo, TX 79109

Due to St. Thomas the Apostle Church no later than Feb. 3, 2019!

Meeting with Your Sponsor

Meet on or before February 23, 2019.

Reflection paper due Feb. 24, 2019.

There are several ways to meet. The ideal is to meet face-to-face. If that is impossible because of distance, you can be in contact via phone, Facetime, or Skype.

Begin with an “Our Father.”

1. Your service projectso Share about your service projects with your sponsor. o Talk with your sponsor about the gifts you think you may have to share with others.o Ask your sponsor about any experience that happened in his/her life that opened

him/her to the needs of others?

2. Your Confirmation nameo Share your patron saint and why you chose this person as a patron.o Ask your sponsor about his/her Confirmation name. Did s/he choose it for any

special reason?o Have your sponsor talk a little about his/her Confirmation sponsor. Did s/he choose

the sponsor? If so, why did they choose their sponsor?

3. Your prayer lifeo Tell your sponsor about your favorite way to pray.o Ask your sponsor if they have a special prayer they say? Do they have a special

time to pray?

4. Concernso Talk to your sponsor about any concerns you may have in receiving the sacrament.

What should the reflection include?

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See page 5 of the Confirmation II packet.

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Service Hours and Reflection Paper or Poster Projects

Three Areas of Service1) Community—at least 3 hours

a. Lopez class: Faith City Mission Wednesday before Thanksgivingb. Parker/Smith class: Various projects with Andrew Neighbors and

STAYc. If you can’t make these days/times that the catechists organize

(they will provide the information), you are responsible for finding your own service ideas. Here are a list of places and phone numbers if needed:

1. Eveline Rivers (contact: (806) 372-3985)a.

2. Faith City Mission (contact: (806) 373-6402)3. Hope and Healing Place (contact: (806) 371-8998)4. Special Olympics (contact: (806) 374-7171)5. Snack Pak for Kids (contact: (806) 337-5252)6. Horse Play at Mesquite Ranch (contact: Frank Foster,

806-654-7332)7. High Plains Food Bank (contact: (806) 374-8562)8. Downtown Haven House (contact: (806) 749-6023)9. Downtown Women’s Shelter (contact: (806) 372-

3625)

*If you have others not on this list, please just verify with me*

2) Parish—at least 2 hours a. Friday, March 22, 2019—preparing for and hosting a Lenten meal

of cheese pizza and water (please sign up!)b. Altar serving, especially at a wedding or a funeral (let Dayamin

Winchester know at dwinchester@stthomasamarillo.org or 806.358.2461 ext. 107)

c. Youth group projects—contact youth director Andrew Neighbors at neighborspatriot@gmail.com for more information

d. Helping with Reconciliation retreat on Dec. 8 from 1-4 p.m.

3) Family/Neighborhood—at least 1 hour

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a. Anything outside of a normal chore or something normally paid for that goes unpaid

i. Babysittingii. Lawncareiii. Cleaning, etc

4)

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Verification of Christian Service in Preparation for the Reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation

Candidate’s Name: _________________________________________________

Description of Service Area 1: Community (at least 3 hours)__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date(s) of Service: ______________________________________________________________________Number of Hours Served: ___________________Signature of Adult who Supervised the Service: ______________________________________________

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Description of Service Area 2: Parish (at least 2 hours)__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date(s) of Service: ______________________________________________________________________Number of Hours Served: ___________________Signature of Adult who Supervised the Service: ______________________________________________

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Description of Service Area 3: Neighborhood/Home (at least 1 hour) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date(s) of Service: ______________________________________________________________________

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Number of Hours Served: ___________________Signature of Adult who Supervised the Service:

______________________________________________

*Feel free to make copies of this form if needed! Please attach to back of service paper/project!

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Service Paper or Poster Project Assignment Information:

Service Assignment: Option 1: Typed 2 page reflection addressing above topics.

Font should be size 12 or size 14 Times New Roman. It may also be neatly handwritten using ink. Make sure to include name and catechists’ names. Entitle it “Confirmation Service”. Please make sure to proofread! Due no later than March 24 to the class!

Option 2: A poster-sized collage of pictures pertaining to the 3 types of service, short descriptions, and words/phrases that connect to the idea of service, faith, Confirmation, acts of mercy, etc. Due no later than March 24 to the class!

What to include:1) Where services was completed2) What the services included3) When the service occurred4) Who was in charge5) How many hours were worked6) What you learned from the experience7) How it connects to the Corporeal Works of Mercy: to feed

the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to travelers, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, and to bury the dead.

8) Please attach the completed “Verification of Christian Service” form to the back of the paper or the poster!

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Retreat Day!Mark your calendars!! March 24, 2019 will be such a special day for your Confirmation candidates AND for you!! We want to make this a day that will be treasured!

Here’s the line up of events on this special day!!

*9 a.m. mass—kids wear their Confirmation shirts and sit together in a reserved section for mass

*10:05-10:25—go to their regular classes to turn in their service papers/projects

*10:30-11:00—go to the main Church for Confirmation rehearsal (sponsors or parents welcome at this time)

*11:00—head to the gym to begin the retreat with NET Ministries!!!

*3:00—Parents and sponsors are invited to attend their OWN mini-retreat from 3-5 p.m. in the Upper Room North Wing with Mark White, a deacon candidate!

*5:00 p.m.—Both retreats, candidate and parent, are finished!!

What is NET Minstries? NET Ministries are teams of 10-12 young adult Catholics from 18-28 who agree to travel around the country for a year of service to put on retreats for the Catholic youth of our country! Check them out at http://www.netusa.org. ALSO: They have a van for their supplies but depend on parishes for lodging and food during the course of their visit. Would you have space in your home for 2-3 of these amazing young Catholics (and their van) for the evenings of March 24 and 25?Why does the diocese require a retreat before Confirmation?

+Retreats give us time away from our normal busy lives and allow us to focus in a different way on the way God tries to speak to us. They are special opportunities for us to encounter Christ in a new and powerful way! Confirmation retreats in particular focus on how the Holy Spirit wants to assist us in our life of faith!+PLEASE make this retreat a priority!! I know there are a million activities that may compete with this day, but this is a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME experience!! If your child absolutely cannot make this day, he/she MUST attend a retreat at another parish, or s/he will have to wait two more years to be confirmed—(1st year is diocesan policy and

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2nd year because we aren’t offering Confirmation next year).

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Other Important Information:

T-shirt orders : due by Nov. 18, 2018 (either to the RE office or to their Confirmation class)

Confession before the Sacrament of Confirmation o 5:30-6:30 p.m. on April 24, 2019o Pizza will be offered in the gym that eveningo Any final information needed to cover will be addressed

at that time.

Rehearsal for the Sacrament o 10:30-11 a.m. on March 24, 2019o 1 hour before the Sacrament of Confirmation

Pictures o Offered the morning of the sacramental mass

The parish purchases one 4x6 group picture for everyone.

Individual orders before the mass are ordered through a photographer the parish provides.

What to wear on the day of Confirmation o Red is the traditional color of Confirmation. It is no

longer required but does look very nice!o Clothes for both young men and young women should

be modest and dressy. Guys: button-up shirt or polo, dress pants (no

shorts or flipflops) Girls: no off-the-shoulder or spaghetti strap tops or

dresses; dresses should be close to the knees or longer.

Hair should be styled away from the forehead for the anointing with the chrism oil.

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