Confirmation Prep - 8th-10th Grade

Sunday, August 27, 4 PM Student, Parent, Catechist meeting notes

Walking our faith journey means walking with others.  We, everyone of us, are the Church of Today, and the Church of Tomorrow.  We are the people who are going to pass on our Catholic Faith to the next generation, and the next, and the next.   Mothers, fathers, grandparents, godparents, catechists, neighbors, family, the people involved in the Church and friends, all play a role in our faith community.  Set an example.  Get involved.  

​Our part of this journey is helping the young people prepare for this third and final Sacrament of Initiantion. That is what this program is all about - helping them to say "Yes, I am ready to make the committment to be a Catholic for the rest of my life."  We do this preparation work through classes, experiences, example and prayer.  

Let's go over some of the class portions of this preparation process.  We are using a new text book, "Decision Point" from the Dynamic Catholic Publisher.  This is Matthew Kelly's group.  As you know, Matthew Kelly encourages us to be the "best version of yourself."   Every section of this Confirmation Program is available on line.  Parents and students are encouraged to look over the videos, talk about class work, re-view or re-watch segments.  TV commercials are repeated several times during an hour to make sure we actually "get" the message the advertisers want to sell us.  Go over the lessons at home to make sure we/you/your teen is actually "getting" the lesson.  The link is Dynamiccatholic.com/confirmation.  

The class syllabus for each grade level is in the "Important Documents" column on this page.

Other Important information:

• Absent?  Please send  an email to nholpuch@stedna.org.  I can glance at 10 emails in a few seconds.  Voice mails take at least 1 minute each and I just don’t have time to listen and write down, print and then delete all those voice mails before class time.  And I do print out the emails absence notes.  
   
• Class time is from 4-5:15 pm.  Be on time.  The doors will be locked at 4:20 PM.  Ideally, the students will be headed into Church to join their families for Mass at the end of class. Please arrange a meeting place in church with your teen.  If you are picking you teen up after class, pick up at the north east end of the lot.  Until we break ground (which looks like it might be in Spring/summer of 2018), that is at this end of the parish grounds.  By the basketball nets is ideal. 
   
• The 9^th graders will be attending the Holy Fire conference on Oct. 21.  This will be at the UIC pavilion from in Chicago.  I still need to order buses, but it looks like we will leave St. Edna at 8:30 AM and return around 6 PM. 
  
  • More information will be available at one of the future classes.  If your teen cannot attend, please let your catechist know ASAP.  This is being counted as class time and an alternative experience will need to be arranged.  
  • Each catechist will be responsible for their own class.  AND WILL need 1-2 parent volunteers to help with the class. 
  • Everyone is responsible to Bring A Lunch.  Brown bag and disposable, please. 
  • If you want your 8^th grader to attend, a parent needs to attend.  Let me know how many are joining us so I can plan for space on the bus.  

Class of 2017

The retreats are over and now the final steps of Confirmation Preparation.  The Confirmation students need to write a letter to Bishop Kane and Fr. Bob Heidenreich (our Administrator) telling them why that are ready to be Confirmed.  The outline for these letters are listed below under important documents "letter to Bishop and Pastor".  Please do not address your letter to Fr. Rich Yanos.  These letters are to be dropped off at the Parish Office, to the attention of Nancy Holpuch, before September 1, 2017.  

During the school year, you will NOT attend the first class on August 27. Your first class will be on September 17th.  All of the Confirmation class of 2017 will meet in the Lower Level of the Hurley Center for the final 3 classes.  Those dates are Sept. 17, Sept. 24 and October 8.  

The Confirmation Ceremony will be on Saturday, October 28 at 10:30 AM. Rehearsal will be on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2:30 PM in the Church. 

Class of 2018

I have received many of your Saint papers.  Some of these reports are addressed to the Bishop and Pastor.  The Saint papers ARE NOT THE SAME as your letters to the Pastor and the Bishop.  Guidelines for these assignments can be found in the Important Document  column on this page. 

The Holy Fire Event is being planned.  Check out the link for the Arch. of Chicago information about this event. 

Confirmation date:  We have received the date for your Confirmation Mass.  It will be on November 3, 2018 at 10:30 AM with Bishop Frances Kane.  

Class dates for 2017-2018 school year.  

Classes will be from 4 PM until 5:15 PM on Sundays.   We are still finalizing our Parish calendar.  The dates below are tentative.  If you miss more than 2 classes per school year, there will be homework assigned to help you keep up with your class.  Sessions will meet: 

• August 27       Parent/Student/Teacher session in lower level
                        of the Hurley Center.  
                        Class of 2017 DOES NOT ATTEND. 
• Sept. 17, 24    All students.  Class of 2017 meets in the lower
                        level of the Hurley Center for it's final 3 classes. 
• Oct. 8             All students.  
• Oct 21            Holy Fire event at the U.I.C. Pavillion for 9th grade
                        students. 
• Oct. 22           Rehearsal for the Class of 2017.
• Oct 28            Confirmation at 10:30 AM.  Students and sponsors
                        should be in their assigned seats by 10:10 AM. 
• Nov. 5             Regular class, followed by Candidacy Ceremony for the
                        class of 2019 at the 5:30 PM Mass.
                        Parents, and sponsors if they are already chosen,  
                        are asked to attend, and sit with their Confirmation candidate.                                   
• Nov. 12           Regular classes.
• Jan. 7, 21        Regular classes. 
• Feb. 4, 11        Regular classes.
• March 4, 11      Regular classes.
• March 18         Final class of the season.  All are invited to attend the
                         5:30 Liturgy after this class.

Pick up procedures: I have written this before, but again I ask you....
If your teen is NOT attending the 5:30 Liturgy, you are to pick them up at the North East Parking lot: The parking area where Rectory was or by the basketball hoops. DO NOT pick up your teen in front of the Church, under or near the Canopy or in the Handicap parking spots. With the 5:30 Liturgy starting soon after class ends, the parking lot is very busy and we have had some issues with this timing.

Confirmation Preparation Overview

Begins in 8th grade. Our 2-1/4 year program concludes with our Confirmation Mass in November of the students' sophomore year. Classes are held on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 pm and conclude at 5:15 pm so that our students can attend the 5:30 pm Sunday Liturgy. 

Class texts are from the Dynamic Catholic Institute.  We will be using the series "Decision Point"  that has been developed by Matthew Kelly and his team. This series is the most comprehensive Confirmation preparation program around and will be used for both years.  

In addition to class time, our Confirmation candidates are also required to:

• Participate in service opportunities.  "One required, two desired."
• Attend a retreat that is specifly tailored for Confirmation students.  During the summer after the second year of Confirmation classes.
• Write a paper about the Saint they are choosing to guide them.  Include: Basic information on the Saint and why you feel inspired by this Saint. 
• Write a letter to the Bishop and our Pastor.

 

Confirmation attendance expectations:   If you are going to miss a class,  please email Nholpuch@stedna.org before class time. It is expected that you will be committed to attending these classes.  You have the syllabus for the class work:  Do the work for a missed class before the next class.

Students are encouraged to pick their sponsors during their first year of classes. This will allow the Sponsors to fully participate in this faith journey with the teens. Sponsors need to be a practicing, confirmed, Catholic who is over 16 years old, and is not the student's biological or adoptive parent. Students are encouraged to select their Godparents, Grandparents or other strong role models of the faith for this important position.

Notes for Parents

All classes for the St. Edna Confirmation Preparation classes will start each class with this prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ, be with us whom you have brought together for this Confirmation Program.  Teach us, touch our hearts. 
Guide us so that we may be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit:  The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of right judgement, the spirit of courage, the spirit of knowledge, the spirit of reverence adn the spirit of wonder and awe.
Bless all of us who seek You and expecially the candidates for Confirmation.  This we ask, in confidence, of You who live and reign forever. Amen.

Folders, books, syllabus and bags are available for the first year students. We want the teens to use this folder and bag as set place for all things Confirmation. Second year students will have a new folder, book and syllabus.                       

I also ask that you check this website for information on a regular basis.   I update the website often.