Confirmation

Typically preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation begins as Freshman (9th grade), continues through Sophomore year (10th grade), and the Sacrament of Confirmation takes place in September of your Junior year (11th), but arrangements can be easily made for older teens as well.

The first year of Confirmation prep. is considered general catechesis. This means that the main structure for first year catechesis comes from the Life Teen program which meets in our new ministry hall; Annunciation Hall every Sunday at 7:00 PM. However, in addition to Life Teen, you will also attend a retreat to help you in your spiritual formation as well as imitate Christ through acts of service.

All paperwork and requirements for Confirmation can be found in the documents section of this page.

After you've completed your first year of Sacrament prep. you may begin Confirmation 2 (Chosen). This year, you will attend our Chosen program which takes place Sunday evenings at 5 PM in our ministry hall; Annunciation Hall. for specific preparation for Confirmation. In addition, you are encouraged to still grow in faith and community with your peers by attending Life Teen throughout your second year of Confirmation prep.

Just like in Confirmation 1, all teens will also do Christlike service to help them emulate our Lord. In Confirmation 2, you will also attend a weekend Chosen retreat to help prepare you to receive the Sacrament.

All paperwork and requirements for Confirmation can be found in the documents section of this page.

As part of your spiritual formation and Sacrament preparation, all teens in Confirmation 2 are required to attend the mandatory "Chosen" retreat which takes place in February.

If you're unable to attend the retreat with our parish, it is your responsibility to find another parish that will allow you to go with them on a similar retreat. Since this requirement is from the Archdiocese, all parishes that offer youth formation should have a retreat, but not all of them have extra space for non-parishioners. Please keep in mind that most of these retreats are held between January and March and that they fill up very quickly, so if you cannot attend with us please make arrangements with another parish as soon as you can.

Please contact David with any questions or assistance in finding a parish with an open retreat.

All Confirmation students are asked to do service both within the parish and in the local community. In Confirmation, you will be annointed with oil. In Greek, the word for "annointed one" is Christos which is where we get the title Christ. To emulate Christ we are called to do what He did and do as he commanded us to do. Throughout scripture Christ commanded us to serve the poor, the needy, and the oppressed.

"Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”" (Matt. 25: 34-46)

To prepare us to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and to be annointed, we are asked to serve in ways that Christ calls us to and to develop a desire to continue to serve and love others daily. The best place to begin to understand how he is calling us, is the Coroporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

Corporal Works of Mercy:

• To feed the hungry
• To give drink to the thirsty
• To clothe the naked
• To harbour the harbourless
• To visit the sick
• To ransom the captive
• To bury the dead

• To instruct the ignorant
• To counsel the doubtful
• To admonish sinners
• To bear wrongs patiently
• To forgive offences willingly
• To comfort the afflicted
• To pray for the living and the dead

Chosen is our program for the second year of Confirmation preparation which is specific Sacrament catechesis. Chosen meets on Sundays at 5:00 p.m. in Annunciation Hall for all teens who have already completed their first year of Confirmation preparation. Forms and general information can be found in our documents section of this page.

The Chosen program is developed by Ascension which develops resources for Catholic Faith Formation.