CONFIRMATION

Level 2Parent Orientation

Email Address:

confirmation@saintkateriparish.org

Confirmation Website:

www.sktym.org

Confirmation Office Phone Number:

661-296-3180 Ext 7908

The Goal for Confirmation Preparation is Discipleship

Discipleship means to make a conscious

decision to follow Jesus in the midst of His

church and to direct one’s life with this

always in mind. In other words, our goal

is to help the teens served by High

School Confirmation develop a personal

relationship with Jesus that affects how

they live their life on a daily basis.

The Confirmation Sacrament is a

celebration of our faith in the Holy Spirit. It

completes the baptismal graces. The graces

received through this Sacrament are

intended for individuals wanting to serve

through Evangelization, sharing Christ with

others, and Martyrdom, dying to self for

others and Christ.

High School Confirmation Prep is intended

to bring about conversion in the hearts of

teens so they see Jesus as the Way, the Truth

and the Life and therefore come to the

Sacrament with hearts properly disposed to receive it.

CatechesisThe Goal of Catechesis is to bring about a personal relationship

with Jesus Christ.

• Saint Kateri High School Confirmation will continue to use the

CHOSEN curriculum with this goal in mind

• We will combine the Chosen ciriculum with Focus Ministries

Seek conferences and Mathew Kelly’s Decision Point

• Leader Guide available to check out or view in the

Confirmation office & DVD’s available to view in Confirmation

office

• Lessons #’s covered in L2 are: 13 Holy Spirit, 14 Confirmation, 15

Mass, 16 Marriage, 17 Holy Orders, 19 Saints, 22 Chastity

• Students to bring CHOSEN guide (use the same one for all 2

years) & bibles to regular Sunday 4pm Sessions-replacement of

CHOSEN guide is $20 Bibles are $5

• Parent & Sponsor Guides from CHOSEN are excellent resources

and provide “Conversation Starters” Parent Guide $10 ---

Sponsor Guides $9

Scripture

Same version of Scripture that is read at

mass

Facilitators will guide the candidates

during small group time on how to find

the readings they will hear at mass in

their bible

Format of Regular Sunday Sessions

Approximately 2 Sunday sessions per month

Teens report to small group space by 4pm promptly

May be dropped off as early as 3:45pm

Small groups will view videos together & discuss

Mass 5:30pm-teens go to Mass with their small group

Families invited to sit with teen’s small group for Mass to help create & build community within small groups

Parent must email facilitator or send a note with teen if their teen is not attending Mass that day and pick their

teen up before Mass begins at 5:30pm

Small Group Structure Remains the Same as

Last YearAdult Facilitator

Confirmed Teen Peer

Leader

8-9 Teen Candidates

Additional Elements Saint Report due Tuesday Aug. 21rst. They can be dropped off or

e-mailed to confirmation@saintkateriparish.org

Weekly Mass Attendance

Retreat Experience at The Oaks Camp in Lake Elizabeth March 1-

3rd

Christian Living aka “Parish Life”

Reconciliation (at Penance Services or weekly offered)

Rite of Enrollment Sunday, Jan. 28th (tentative)during 5:30pm

Mass

Life Teen always open on Saturday evenings to teens

Discernments scheduled in March (tentative)

3 Parent & Sponsor Formation Sessions

1-2 Small group service projects led by facilitator for just their

small group

Rite of Confirmation Rehearsal & Mass possible dates: April 13,

20th or May 4th

Retreat March 2-4th Located at The Oaks in Lake Elizabeth

www.theoakscamp.org

Confidential Retreat Documents due Feb. 11th (If you do not

know what these are, PLEASE call or email Confirmation

office!)

Luggage Drop-Off Thursday, March 1 6-7:30PM in Hall 3

Retreat Drop-Off on Friday at 5pm in the Hall 123

Teens will be provided with pizza dinner before leaving

Buses will load at 6pm

Luggage pick up available at the Labyrinth at 1:30pm

Buses will return with the teens at St Kateri about 2pm

Wrap-Up Session for Teens & Families & Sponsors immediately

after in the Church-about 45 minutes

Main Goals for Level 2

Retreat

Teens recognize that Heaven is their home and the

Church is always their “home away from home”

Teens recognize Who Jesus is and the effect of His

sacrifice

Teens recognize through the crucifixion the depth

of love that Jesus has for them

Teens provided multiple ways to respond to Jesus’

through Confession, Intercessory Prayer, Personal

Prayer in Adoration and/or written letter to Jesus

The goal of “Parish Life” (aka Christian

Living) is to help our teens find a place in

the parish where they are valued, can

share their gifts and/or grow their faith

Reflections for 5 Christian Livings due Aug 1, 2015

Teens are asked to join a St. Kateri ministry for L2

Complete list of ministries available on Parish Life page of

website by August 15

Teens pick a ministry that fits their interest, gifts & schedule

Teens must commit to a ministry directly to the person in

charge of that ministry by Sept 6 AND inform their facilitator

at Sept 6 session

May be a ministry they serve in or a ministry that serves them

Teens to visit Spiritual Growth Fair w/a parent after any Mass

on August 23 to help find a ministry

One Example of Christian Living:

Jr. High Edge Peer Leader:

Commitment: Either 1st Session (Oct through Dec)

or 2nd Session Jan through March)

Attend a Training Session: Sept or Jan

Description of duties: Peer leaders will be assigned

to a group of students with an adult facilitator. They

will be participating in group activities such as

icebreakers games, skits and promoting discussion

within the group by sharing, encouraging jr high

students to participate. Peer leaders are to lead by

example with enthusiasm and their love for Christ.

May also use their gifts by sharing their faith in

large group catechetical talks or music if they feel

called to do so

# of available spots: 15 per session (30 total spots)

Other Possible Examples:(we are working on making them happen!)

Music Ministry

Life Teen Bible Study

Respect Life Ministry

Family Ministry

Religious Ed Classroom Assistant

Little Church Classroom Assistant

Children’s Ministry of the Word during 10:30 mass

Altar Serving

Ushering

Special Liturgy Preparation

Hospitality

Reconciliation

Teens will be encouraged to attend often

throughout Level 2

Participation in the Sacrament of

Reconciliation at least once during L2 is

necessary to be prepared to receive

Sacrament of Confirmation

Assists the heart to be properly disposed to

receive the Sacrament

Teens may attend Reconciliation during an

Advent Penance Service, Lenten Penance

Service or any of the Confession times

offered weekly at local parishes (SK: Sat

3:45-5pm, OLPH Sat 8:45-10am & 3:30-

4:15pm, St. Clare Sat 9:30am & 4:30pm)

Rite of Enrollment

Rite of Enrollment during Sunday 5:30pm Mass on Jan

28th (tentative)

Sponsor presence requested as they are part of the rite

A parent may stand-in for a sponsor for rites only, not

the Rite of Confirmation Mass

Opportunity for candidates to make a public

commitment of their desire to receive the Confirmation

Sacrament

Opportunity to connect candidates to the wider parish

community and for the parish community to show their

loving support

Parents and Sponsors invited to session with Fr. Albert

in the Hall at 4:15pm on March 6

Sponsors retrieve their teen candidate from small

group at 5pm and then find seat together in the

Church

Discernments

Designed to help Confirmandi in their

preparation process to discern God’s

plan for them, where they are in their

relationship with Jesus and their desire to

receive the Sacrament of Confirmation

Scheduled in 20 minute intervals on

March 20, 21 & 22 (tentative)

Occurs earlier this year than last

Confirmation Saint Teens encouraged to find a saint that inspires

them personally

Teens are to complete a saint report about their

saint over the summer between Level 1 and Level

2 Check website for requirements

Teens received instructions for the report at their

L1 Discernment

Bishop will use their saint name during conferral

of the Confirmation Sacrament

Saint Name goes on their certificate

A special handout will be given at the

Confirmation Mass with a sentence by each teen

sharing how their patron saint inspires them

Choosing a Sponsor The best sponsor is someone that is truly excited about

their Catholic faith and wants to share it with your teen

Must be 16 years old and a Confirmed, practicing Catholic

May be male or female

May not be a parent

Must be eligible to receive the Sacraments and expected to receive Holy Communion at the Mass of Confirmation

Sponsors are asked to commit to being in regular contact (weekly ideal) with their candidate so they can share their faith, answer questions and discuss the Confirmation journey. Text, skype, email, snail mail, social media, phone calls, etc are all valid avenues for regular contact

Sponsors are asked to commit to attending 3 Parent & Sponsor Formation Sessions

Sponsor guides from CHOSEN are available for purchase through the Confirmation office

Must have Sponsor name and contact info to register for Level 2

Life Teen

The most prolific youth ministry in the Catholic Church

Life Teen is separate from Confirmation but open to all Confirmandi

Teens can bring their friends, all high school students are welcome-Catholic or not

Participation in Life Teen is highly encouraged!

Leads teens closer to Christ by participating in lively youth masses and offering a fun, teen-centered community in which to grow in faith

Saint Kateri Youth Mass is every Saturday at 5:30pm

Following the Youth Mass, Life Teen ministers and CORE members lead “Life Nights” that start with a yummy dinner

Life Nights Themes are either faith-building, social or deal with current teen issues

Is a drop in program, after registering for the first night of attendance teens are welcome to come as often or as little as works for them

2 Inspiring retreats offered each year, one in the summer & one in the winter July 24-26 & January 8-10

Current 8th graders are eligible to attend Life Teen Retreat this July

Check out their website for more info: www.sktym.org or the Life Teen International site www.lifeteen.com

Confirmation Preparation is a Family Journey

Parents asked to commit to attending 3 Parent & Sponsor

formations and weekly Mass with their teen, including

Sunday 5:30 on regular Confirmation session days

Parent and family members’ attitudes greatly affect their

teen’s experience

Confirmation Prep L2 provides the time and space for teens

to explore and understand how life as a disciple is lived so

they can respond to Jesus’ call personally.

This invitation and opportunity to make faith in Jesus and His

Church their own will only be effective if your teen is

supported by you prayerfully, vocally and physically

Momentum/frequent participation, is crucial to growth in

faith and understanding therefore regular attendance needs

to be a family priority

Regular attendance is also necessary for small group

community

Rite of Confirmation Mass &

Rehearsal

We are assigned a date for the Confirmation Mass by

the Bishop’s office, usually by October

Can occur any day of the week between Ash

Wednesday & Pentecost

Most likely dates are: April 13, April 20 or April 27-

however there is no guarantee we will actually get

one of those dates. Could be on a random week night

Rehearsal will be scheduled for about 1 week before

the Mass (usually a Friday)

Candidate & Sponsor attend Rehearsal & Mass—

another adult may stand in for sponsor at the

Rehearsal only

The Confirmation Program Needs Volunteers

How can you help?

Become a facilitator-this ministry will not happen without facilitators

Office Help (days, weekends or evenings)

Set Up before sessions

Audio Visual help during sessions

We provide training. All we need are willing hearts to commit their time!

Please email us confirmation@saintkateriparish.org if you are interested.

Registration

Online Registration Opens May 6 and closes May 30

Cost is $320.00 – all materials and level 2 retreat costs

are included in registration fee

Payable by check to “St. Kateri Church”

Payment plan available but must turn in payment

agreement plan with registration paperwork—

payment agreement plan is available by email

request confirmation@saintkateriparish.org

Registration is not complete until all signed paperwork

and payment have been received

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your

payment when the registration has been processed

Registration cont’d

Items needed to gather BEFORE starting the online

registration process:

Sponsor’s name and email

Emergency Contact information

Health Insurance Information

How to register You will receive an email inviting you to register for L2 on

May 6 by the end of the day if your L1 account is paid

Click on the link to register for Level 2

Enter registration access code SKCL2 (code is case sensitive,

be sure to use all capital letters)

Enter information for any blank fields & make ANY changes

you may have—example: change of address, phone, email,

health/medical, grade in school, etc.

Click the box to “save” information before submitting to

avoid re-entry of info if a required field was missed

You will receive an email confirming your online registration.

Follow instructions in that email to complete your registration.

Registration is not complete until we have received the

signed paperwork along with full payment or 1st payment &

signed payment plan agreement. You will know we have

received it when you receive an email receipt of the

payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are teens expected to attend Sunday 5:30pm Mass? Yes, on the day of a regular Sunday Confirmation session, attendance at the 5:30 Mass with their small group is expected as part of the session. We also encourage our Confirmation families to sit with their teen’s small group to help build community with the other families in your teen’s small group, with their Peer Leader and with their Facilitator. Weekly Mass attendance is expected for preparation of the Confirmation Sacrament. Teens are welcome to attend any Mass on the weekend they do not have a Confirmation session. We encourage all high schools teens to try the Saturday 5:30 Mass whenever they can. Regular Mass attendance is considered when discerning a candidate’s readiness for receipt of the Sacrament. We strongly encourage families to attend Mass with their teen candidate every week.

What if my teen needs to leave early? When there is an occasional conflict, a parent may retrieve their teen early from the session. However, a parent must email the facilitator or send a note with their teen letting them know when their teen will be picked up. If a parent is retrieving their teen from a Confirmation session early, they must do so before Mass begins at 5:30 so our volunteers do not miss Mass waiting for you/providing supervision.

FAQ’s cont’d

What if I am unable to afford the $3 registration fee right now? We do have payment plans available. Please email the office at confirmation@saintkateriparish.org to request a payment plan or partial sponsorship application.

What if my teen misses a session? Can they make it up? Yes. If a teen misses 2 or less sessions, they have 2 options. #1 We ask the teen & parent read through the missed lesson together in their CHOSEN book & discuss it. Teens then need to write the answers from the “Watch It” section, write a reflection based on 1 item from the “Challenge of the Week” & then turn these into their facilitator or #2 A teen & their parent or sponsor set up a time to come in and watch the missed video & go over the lesson. If a teen misses more than 2 sessions, please schedule a time for parents and teen to meet with the Youth Director.

What if we discontinue during the year, do we get a refund? If the Confirmation office is notified at least 3 weeks before the retreat, we can refund $200. 2/3rds of the registration fee goes directly to retreat costs. The rest goes to material costs that are expended or budgeted for based on the number of enrollees at the close of registration

FAQ’s cont’d How many sessions can my teen miss and still remain in

the program? This question would need to be answered

on a case by case basis. Humans get sick, grandmas turn

100 and teams earn their way to national championships.

In other words, there are certain events in life that are

unavoidable or so special that one must not miss them.

When important events like these conflict with a meeting

time, we ask that you just let your teen’s facilitator know

and make sure your teen does the make-up. If a teen

misses a session or two, your facilitator will follow up and try

to help your family discern if the Confirmation preparation

we are offering is going to be able to meet the needs of

your family. If your teen will be committing to something

during the 2017-18 year that will frequently conflict with the

scheduled meetings, we ask you to consider completing

the Confirmation Prep at a parish whose schedule better

fits your family needs. If you have a unique situation that

cannot be solved by attending another program, please

feel free to speak with us in person so we can find a

solution together.

FAQ’s cont’d

What if my teen has to miss part or all of the retreat? Teens need to attend the whole retreat. Arriving late, leaving early or missing a portion diminishes the experience for your teen and the other members of their small group. If you already know your teen will not be able to attend the retreat or might need to leave early, please let us know right away. We may have to ask you to reconsider registering for Level 2 this year. Sometimes we are able to find a place for your teen at another parishes’ retreat, but this is not guaranteed. Also, we do adapt and change the content of our Level 2 retreat based on the specific needs of the teens that are attending L2 so attendance at a different retreat would definitely diminish their experience. Additionally, there is no way to replicate their small group.

What if my teen has special needs? If your teen has special needs, please be sure to indicate it on the registration form. Additionally, please call, email or speak to us in person to bring your teen’s needs to our attention. We do adapt to the needs of the individual teen and the more communication that can happen between the Confirmation team and parents, the better we can serve them.

FAQ’S cont’d

What sort of formation or experience do you require of the facilitators and peer leaders? All of our

facilitators and peer leaders are volunteers. All adult

volunteers are fingerprinted and Virtus trained. We

provide training on how to run a CHOSEN small

group lesson to both Facilitators and Peer Leaders.

Additionally, we ask all facilitators to participate in

their own small group experiences to remain growing & active in their faith. We also provide

retreat specific training for our Peer Leaders. Our

Peer Leaders are high school or college students

that have completed their own Confirmation prep

in the last year or two.

Thank you for attending!

Have a blessed evening