Parent Information

Confirmation Information

• Date: announced when provided by Bishop
• Location: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
• Time: Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the Confirmation Mass. Students arriving late to the Confirmation Mass will not be confirmed.
• Attire Guidelines For Candidates And Sponsors
  • Please wear hair off the forehead for application of chrism oil by the Bishop.
  • Please make respectable and modest choices when selecting your confirmation clothing:
    • Men: Suit or Sport Jacket and Dress Pants (no jeans), Dress Shirt and Tie, Dress
      Socks, and Dress Shoes (no sneakers).
    • Women: Dress or Dress Skirt (knee length or longer), Pant Suit or Dress Pants (No Shorts or Jeans), Blouse (Chest, Back, Midriff and Shoulders must be covered. No halter tops or spaghetti straps), Dress Shoes.

CONFIRMATION REQUIREMENTS
 
FAITH FORMATION: St. Joseph’s holds weekly sessions from September to May at various times depending on grade level. More than five (5) absences from these sessions will result in repeating the year. There will be events (including Masses and retreats) with required attendance. Alternative events may be considered at the discretion of the Confirmation Coordinator, Pastor, and the Director of Religious Education. Every effort is made to publish these dates prior to the start of the year.
 
CONFIRMATION NAME: If the Candidate chooses, they may select a patron saint they feel called to follow as a model for their life in Christ. This saint name will be used during Confirmation, but a patron saint is not required and should only be chosen if the Candidate feels strongly about choosing a patron saint.
 
MASSES / HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION: The Candidate should be a faithful Sunday Mass attendant. Sunday Mass is a celebration of our Catholic faith and as a family asking for full initiation of a member into the Church, faithful attendance is a part of that commitment. Attendance is also expected at Holy Days of Obligation which celebrate the feasts of our church.
 
MINISTRY EXPERIENCE: Stewardship of prayer, service and giving.  is very important to the life of a Christian. Our candidates are called to exercise their faith through a significant ministry experience to help prepare them for lifelong stewardship. This is for the benefit of the student so that they can experience the joy of serving others and develop the habit of practicing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. All students are responsible for discovering such ministry opportunities, and although some may be found at St. Joseph’s (such as volunteering for VBR, or Altar Serving on a regular schedule for the whole school year), the parish is not responsible for supplying them.
 
Specific Ministry Experience Guidelines:

• Candidate must complete 20 hours total during their two years of confirmation preparation.
  • At least one experience each year must be three or more hours in a single act of service.
  • 10 hours must involve the Corporal Works of Mercy.
• Regularly expected life activities (e.g., babysitting or doing chores in one’s own family) will not be counted as ministry experience.
• Students not able to complete all 20 hours by their given dates will be deferred from their confirmation year and have to re-complete another full year of confirmation formation.

 
PRAYERS: Our faith is rich and full of traditions and ideas that are uniquely Catholic. Candidates should know all of the “Prayers to Know by Heart” (see below) including being familiar with the general order of Holy Mass in order to receive Confirmation.
 
RECONCILIATION: Monthly Confession is recommended, and special services will also be held periodically.
 
REHEARSAL: Candidates, parents, and sponsors must attend the rehearsal for the Confirmation Mass. Rehearsal is held the Wednesday prior to Confirmation. Any student not attending or not on time for the rehearsal will not be allowed to receive Confirmation at the Masses the rehearsal is for. Any student missing rehearsal will not be allowed to receive Confirmation.
 
RETREATS: Confirmation candidates must attend one spiritual retreat day per year during Confirmation preparation. Retreats are very valuable part of the preparation process as candidates will encounter Jesus through various activities, prayer experiences, and in fellowship with each other and the Retreat Team. Friendships are solidified which will support their faith life, and personal relationship with Jesus is strengthened for mature spirituality.
 
SACRAMENTS: Celebrating the sacraments is a special part of the Confirmation journey. Prior to the Confirmation Mass, the Candidate must have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confession. Those Candidates who have not received First Holy Communion will do so at the Confirmation Mass with the Bishop.
 
SPONSORS: Each Candidate is required to select a Sponsor according to the guidelines provided in the Rite of Confirmation (see below). The sponsor will watch in love and prayer over the progress of the Candidate in the Confirmation journey. Following the celebration of Confirmation, the sponsor should continue to be a friend, witness and guide to the newly confirmed. Sponsor qualities include someone who the Candidate is comfortable speaking frankly and openly with about their faith or other personal questions, communicates with the Candidate often communicates via email, telephone, and/or personal visits, and will ideally be able to attend at least one of the Sponsor Workshops with the Candidate.
 
Each Sponsor must:

• Have received or celebrated Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation.
• Be someone whose life is exemplary witness to the Gospel and be a fully initiated, practicing Catholic who is in full communion with the Church.
• Be sufficiently mature with strong and continuing influence on the Candidate.
• Be at least 16 years of age.
• Not be the parents of the Candidate (some other familial relationships acceptable).
• Complete the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Sponsor Certificate stating that he/she is a practicing Catholic who attends Mass faithfully, and, if married, has a sacramental marriage that is in good standing with the Church. The certificate requires the signature of the pastor where they attend as well as the Church Seal of their Parish.
• Attend the sponsor workshop.
• Attend the Confirmation Mass Rehearsal and Confirmation Mass or have a stand-in selected by the Candidate.
  
  

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For more detailed information on St. Joseph's religious education programs and policies, see our Religious Education Guidebook.