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Confirmation Program Each person passes through many stages of life. Most often, one stage leads to the next. For example, when students complete their elementary school education, they do so with their sights fixed on high school and, even perhaps college. As part of faith formation, we also pass through a series of steps. Primary among these is baptism, which opens the way to faith and regular Sunday participation in the Eucharist. As young people grow and mature, they come that moment when, perhaps, having been baptized as an infant, they seek to complete the sacraments of initiation. This is done with the celebration of Confirmation. Some stages of life have very explicit beginnings and endings, such as the beginning of elementary school at kindergarten and ending with eighth grade graduation. Other stages of life, rather than having beginning and endings, are really steps to something greater. Confirmation is not an ending, but rather a new beginning – the commencement and commitment to a more mature life in Christ. Since faith formation done within the community of the church, every effort should be taken to assure that the community where young people make their decision to follow Christ more faithfully is done carefully. One of the questions facing the American Bishops is when to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. The National Directory states that since there is such a diversity of opinion, the Bishops have left the question up to the individual areas. In the past we have had two distinct but closely related programs of preparation for Confirmation: one at Carroll Catholic School and the other as part of our Religious Education Program. As a means of strengthening the nature of the community in which our young people gather and prepare for confirmation, beginning in 2009, confirmation will be celebrated at the ninth grade level. By placing confirmation a year later, the same curriculum, opportunities for Christian Service and retreats as well as social activities will serve to strengthen the interpersonal relationships that are such a significant part of the high school years within the context of a small faith community. During the next several months, the Director of Religious Education, Pastor, Youth Ministry Team and others will work together to develop a program that will be dynamic, fit within the busy lives of those entering high school and foster lifelong appreciation of our Roman Catholic Faith. Input from parents will also be sought during this developmental process. In order to fully prepare a student for this Sacrament, we believe that a minimum of two years of religious education is necessary before the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Those not enrolled in a religious education program the year prior to beginning study for Confirmation will be required to participate in an introductory year of faith formation before beginning study for Confirmation. There are three mandatory parent meetings to assist parents in preparing their child to receive Confirmation including participate in at least one evening of parish sponsored adult education. Please see adult education opportunities in this handbook. Students with excessive absences may have their reception of the Sacraments delayed if, in the assessment of the Director of Religious Education and Pastor, the student is not adequately prepared. For those students in the eighth grade in the fall of 2006, the Sacrament will be celebrated Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. For those being confirmed in March 2007, there will be a mandatory parent meeting on October 19, 2006. There will be no Confirmation celebrated in 2008. |