High School Confirmation
Rather than being a single class, your preparation for Confirmation through Saint Clare Parish begins the moment you step into the High School Disciple Formation program and lasts throughout your entire time in the program. Your regular involvement in House gatherings, class sessions, and worship experiences--as well as your participation at weekend Mass and in the parish in general--are all ways you become prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Below you will find the formal process for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, as well as links to various forms and resources.
Additionally, below are five specific areas you'll want to pay attention to as you prepare for Confirmation during the three years or so you're in the High School Disciple Formation program. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact your House Leader, Mrs. Stemper, or Fr. Brian. We want you all to flourish! as Catholic men and women, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, and friends today and forever!
The Formal Confirmation Process
1. Every young adult who wishes to be confirmed will need to request to receive the sacrament. This need for a request is the same with all the sacraments (for children under the age of 7, parents make the request for Baptism and Eucharist on behalf of their child). This request for Confirmation can be made at any point along the student's time in the Disciple Formation Program; although, it's anticipated that most students will make the request in their Junior Year of High School. The "Confirmation Request" form is linked below. This is an exercise in Catholic maturity for our youth, and is aimed at keeping young adults as intentional, willing participants in their faith and faith formation.
2. An informal meeting is scheduled between the student, his/her sponsor, and the "Confirmation Board." The purpose of the Confirmation Board is to involve other senior parish members in the sacrament, and to begin making connections whereby the student is welcomed into adult involvement in the Church through Confirmation. The Confirmation Board consists of: Fr. Brian, Anne Stemper, and 2-3 other people who are active in the parish and serve as examples of committed discipleship.
3. The Confirmation Board meeting happens. It is a casual gathering where the student shares: how s/he is already beginning to put the faith into practice in everyday life and life situations, what the student's plans are for continuing his or her faith formation after Confirmation, what the student's Confirmation name will be and how that name signifies this new step in his or her life as a student of Christ, and how the student plans to be involved in the parish or the wider Church as an adult. Unless there is serious reason why a student would be asked to hold off on the sacrament for a little bit, the Board welcomes the student to receive the sacrament. To help prepare for the meeting with the Board, follow the link below in the next section.
4. A formal letter is written by the student to the Bishop (Anne will give details as to what the letter should include). This letter is then given to Anne, who forwards it to the Bishop.
5. Students participate in two preparation sessions and a retreat. While the entire High School Disciple Formation program is meant to prepare students for Confirmation and Catholic living, focused preparation for the sacrament is the subject of these two sessions and retreat. The sessions are times of instruction and reflection, and the retreat is a time of reflecting on the Rite of Confirmation itself through various experiences of: prayer, anointing with unconsecrated oil, the laying on of hands, the taking on of a new name, and so on.
6. The Sacrament of Confirmation is scheduled and takes place. Please note that the scheduling of the sacrament is entirely dependent upon Bishop's schedule. In the Summer months, Bishop's office sends parishes a list of potential Confirmation dates; the parishes respond with their preferred dates; Bishop's office collates the data from the parishes and makes a schedule of Confirmation Masses throughout the diocese. Saint Clare's Confirmation Masses are generally in the Fall of the year. When an annual date for our next Confirmation Mass is confirmed with the Bishop's office, parents and students will be notified without delay so that planning of celebrations can begin. The Diocese of Green Bay has a dress code for Confirmation Masses. Please follow this link for the dress code.
Five Areas of Preparation for Confirmation
Living the life of a confirmed Catholic doesn’t suddenly begin with Confirmation; it begins before the sacrament is received (the sacrament strengthens what a person is already doing and compels them to go further). Students are asked to take on, over the course of their time in the program, an attitude of “living confirmed life” as a sign that they’re truly desiring to be confirmed.
Confirmed Living Now
Confirmed living is, indeed, a "life." It takes form in the flesh-and-blood lives we live. However, there's also some knowledge which goes with it: knowledge about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit which you'll receive in Confirmation, knowledge about what the Church asks of its confirmed members, knowledge about living a life of love and mercy might "look like," and so on. Bishop asks all confirmation candidates to have a good knowledge of these things.
Knowledge of the Faith
When you are confirmed, you will be presented to Bishop by your Sponsor. The Sponsor represents the Catholic community and, by presenting you to Bishop, in effect testifies that you are ready to be confirmed. Because of this, your Sponsor MUST be an already practicing Catholic. The Sponsor is so important, in fact, that the laws of the Church (that is, Canon Law) give some clear expectations.
Choosing a Sponsor
At Confirmation you will be called by name as you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and complete your Christian initiation. You are encouraged to choose a new confirmation name; however, you may decide to use your baptismal name. In either case, the name you use at Confirmation should be important to you. Your confirmation name is reflective of your new life in Christ as an adult, engaged member of his Church. It should have special meaning and should express something about who you hope to become as an adult Catholic.
Choosing a Name
Confirmation incorporates a person more closely to the community of faith (the Church) as a "missionary disciple:" a person who witnesses to his or her Catholic faith in Jesus Christ. And so, just like Baptism, Confirmation isn't a private affair. The Confirmation Board exists as a reflection of this social aspect to the sacrament. Your Board meeting is a chance for you and other adult members of the Church to share and discuss faith.