Confirmation This Sunday – Hope They Come Back Monday!

STG5163_SThis Sunday, my 8th graders will celebrate their Confirmation! I look forward to the opportunity to participate in this wonderful celebration and to witness the completion of their Christian Initiation, knowing that I had a hand in bringing them to this day. Thank you Jesus!

On this coming Monday evening, we cross our fingers and hope that they all come back for class! Luckily, the DRE has established a culture over the years that expects every child to return after Confirmation for their remaining 5 or 6 classes. As a result, we’ve been enjoying nearly 100% return these past few years! Here’s hoping the trend continues.

I plan to put together a guided reflection for Monday evening, based on the experience of the Confirmation Mass on Sunday – an opportunity for them to reflect on their encounter with Christ in this sacrament. I will share it with you come Monday or Tuesday. I also will go over their confirmation exams with them as a group and also individually to give them some solid feedback and affirmation.

Have a great weekend! For those of you working with the RCIA, may your celebration of the Scrutinies be an enriching experience for all involved!

About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

5 Comments

    • Thanks Nick! Thanks also for the fine materials on the Scrutinies that I was able to link to in this post!

  1. Hi Joe,
    Does your parish have high school youth ministry? How do you bridge the young people into participation in parish in high school years?

    • Linda, I believe the parish has a part-timeyouth minister and I recall her making a pitch to the kids on one of their last evenings together. I really don’t know for sure how many get involved in it but it would seem that an effort is made to bridge them into this.

    • Linda,

      Our confirmation is in the fall. One of our deacons at our parish is in charge of youth ministry. Although our youth ministry pales in numbers compared to the religious ed program and those confirmed, we do have an active youth ministry program. Right after our confirmation practice, there is a retreat that all candidates are invited to. It is a retreat for them to learn more about youth ministry and their lives beyond confirmation. It is not a mandatory retreat but if it were me, I would probably consider making it mandatory (why not?).

      Anyway, it seems to me that because of this introduction to the youth ministry program, those involved REALLY want to be involved. Sometimes it’s the enthusiasm not just the numbers that matters.

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