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Confirmation

In the Old Testament the prophets announced that the Spirit of the Lord would rest on the hoped-for Messiah for his saving mission.  The descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus at his baptism by John was the sign that this was he who was to come, the Messiah, the Son of God.  He was conceived of the Holy Spirit; his whole life and his whole mission are carried out in total communion with the Holy Spirit whom the Father gives him “without measure.”

This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiah’s, but was to be communicated to the whole messianic people.  On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the Spirit, a promise which he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost.  Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim “the mighty works of God,” and Peter declared this outpouring of the Spirit to be the sign of the messianic age.  Those who believed in the apostolic preaching and were baptized received the gift of the Holy Spirit in their turn.   -Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1286-1287

This outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the Sacrament of Confirmation

Confirmation for teens at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish takes place at the end of your 10th grade year.  Preparation is a two year process, beginning in ninth grade.

The class schedule and other information about Confirmation are found below.  Please email the rectory with any questions – barbm@sacredheartshrine.org.

To register for confirmation preparation click HERE.

Absenteeism:

Makeup work will be assigned for any missed class time.

Students missing classes must make up the classes at home.

Regular Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation Mass attendance is a serious part of being Catholic. Parents of children beyond the age of reason (about 7 years old) are obligated not only to attend Mass at these times, but to make sure their children attend as well.

The amount of time we have to teach is very limited (children spend more class time at their regular school in one week that they do at Faith Formation in one year) so please make every effort to have your child attend every class.

 

Discipline:

To ensure a productive learning environment for all the students, fair and consistent disciplinary procedures have been set. They are outlined below so there will be no confusion and everyone knows ahead of time what is expected.

  • During the first day of classes students will be informed by their catechist of the behavior expected of them in class.
  • Any student who shows a consistent unwillingness to follow one or more rules will spend the remainder of class in the office. I know that it is important for parents to know if their child is causing discipline problems. Therefore parents will be kept informed if their child is ever sent to the office.
  • If any student is sent to the office 3 times in one semester a parent-catechist-director conference will be scheduled to discuss alternatives.
  • Tardiness: Students who are late need to report to the office before going to class. Being late for class causes the student to miss valuable class time, and is very disruptive to the class. If this becomes a habit with any student, parents will be informed of the problem.

 

Parents are welcome to observe (but not disrupt) their children’s class at any time. Simply notify Julie Manheim and the catechist before class begins.

THE EFFECTS OF CONFIRMATION

It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

  • It roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, “Abba! Father!”;
  • It unites us more firmly to Christ;
  • It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
  • It renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
  • It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God’s presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.  -St. Ambrose

Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the “character,” which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness.

This “character” perfects the common priesthood of the faithful, received in Baptism, and “the confirmed person receives the power to profess faith in Christ publicly and as it were officially (quasi Ex officio).”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1302-1305

Mass Schedule

  • Saturday: 4:00 p.m.
  • Sunday: 8:30 a.m.

First Friday Adoration

  • After 8:00 AM Mass - 6:00 PM

Holy Days of Obligation

Holy Days of Obligation

Confessions

  • 1/2 hour before every Mass
  • 3-3:45 p.m. on  Saturday
  • by appointment

Devotions

  • Holy Rosary: after all 8:00 a.m. Masses
  • Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: all Fridays after 8:00 a.m. Mass

Links