Confirmation in a Faithful Community
The Sacrament of
Confirmation
Our Lady of Peace Church
Candidate Information Handbook
Faith Formation Office
838-9983
Faith Formation Cell
323-8101
Anointed in the Spirit
CONFIRMATION CANDIDATE RESPONSIBILITIES
Our Lady of Peace Church welcomes you to our Confirmation preparation program. Our preparation program will follow the mandated curriculum implemented by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops from the Center for Ministry Development. We also use the books, Anointed in the Spirit and The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, both from Saint Mary’s Press. We are excited about this year’s program and are praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in initiating our candidates in the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The junior year of high school is filled with many exciting and challenging moments. In addition to those moments is a time for preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The candidates will now be responsible for their own faith journey. The Confirmation team is here to help each individual candidate find, develop, and strengthen a relationship with Jesus Christ.
As well as working on spirituality and their relationship with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the candidates are preparing to receive a sacrament. Confirmation is a Sacrament of Initiation: therefore, Canon Law requires certain information about the candidate. The following are the candidate’s responsibilities. These responsibilities must be met by the candidate in order to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at Our Lady of Peace Church.
Baptismal Information: Baptismal information for each candidate is due upon registration. Candidates not baptized at Our Lady of Peace must turn in a copy of their baptismal certificate. Candidates baptized at Our Lady of Peace do not need to submit a copy of their baptismal information but must provide date or approximate date of Baptism.
Attendance: Attendance is a very important part of this preparation process. Each session is an opportunity for the strengthening of the candidate’s relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. All of the sessions are a time to discover the meaning of that relationship in his/her life. Candidates are expected to attend all Confirmation sessions. There are a limited number of sessions and sometimes we meet only once in a month. Please try to make them all.
Confirmation Name: A ritual of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the choosing of a Confirmation name. The chosen name must be that of a canonized saint of the Church. Scripture names of holy persons or angels from the Old or New Testament may also be chosen. If a candidate’s baptismal name is that of a saint, he/she may want to use that as their Confirmation name. This choice highlights the relationship between Baptism and Confirmation. All Confirmation names must be found in the resource Butler’s Lives of the Saints. This resource is in the Religious Education office.
THE INTERNET IS NOT A DEPENDABLE RESOURCE FOR SAINT’S NAMES AS NOT ALL OF THE INFORMATION THERE IS ACCURATE.
ALL CONFIRMATION NAMES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE FAITH FORMATION OFFICE BEFORE THEY MAY BE CONSIDERED FINAL.
Please check the current Confirmation calendar for due date.
Confirmation Sponsor: The purpose of a Confirmation Sponsor is to be a support and guide to the candidate during the Confirmation preparation process; a Catholic Christian to accompany the candidate on his/her spiritual journey to the Sacrament of Confirmation. The sponsor must be someone who is living a Christian witness by attending Mass regularly, celebrating the Eucharist, and actively living out the mission of Jesus Christ. Since Confirmation is the completion of Baptism, one’s godparents might possibly be a choice for the Confirmation sponsor. The candidate should have his/her sponsor chosen by the end of September so that they can attend the Rite of Enrollment in October. If a sponsor is not selected by then, a parent may stand in. Following are the sponsor eligibility requirements for Confirmation as per Canon Law of the Church:
1. The sponsor must already be fully initiated into the Catholic Church, i.e. having already received the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confirmation.
2. The sponsor must be 16 years of age or older.
3. The sponsor must be living a life of faith in keeping with the function of a sponsor. This requirement renders ineligible those who do not practice the faith.
4. Neither the father nor the mother of the one to be confirmed can be the Confirmation sponsor.
5. Both the Rite and the Code of Canon Law envision only a single sponsor per candidate. It is desirable but not required that the Confirmation sponsor be the same as the Baptismal sponsor.
Confirmation Interviews: Candidates will be interviewed by their facilitator once during the preparation process. This interview is a good opportunity for the candidate to ask questions and discuss, one on one, issues that may be concerning them. Interviews are scheduled after school hours and in the early evening. Candidates will have advance notice of the interview time. The interviews will be scheduled for some time in March or April. If a candidate is unable to make the scheduled interview time, he/she must contact their facilitator to reschedule or switch with another candidate who has the same facilitator.
Service Projects: As confirmed Catholics, candidates are initiated into the Christian community of Our Lady of Peace Church. Candidates commit themselves to the mission of Jesus through service to others. An integral part of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the candidates’ involvement in one group service project and the completion of ten (10) hours of individual service.
Group service projects will be coordinated by the Confirmation team and will take place at the Emmaus Soup Kitchen. An opportunity for the candidates to participate in the group service project will be offered each month.
Service hours done for a candidate’s high school can be used toward the ten (10) hours of individual service for Confirmation. All service hours must be completed by February 16th. If you are unable to complete hours by this time please call Mrs. Mang in the Faith Formation Office 838-9983.
Confirmation Retreat: The Confirmation retreat is an essential step in the candidate’s spiritual journey. The Diocese of Erie requires that all candidates attend a Confirmation retreat before they are confirmed. The retreat is being held on Martin Luther King Day here at Our Lady of Peace from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Candidates needing to attend elsewhere must notify Mrs. Mang as soon as possible.
Confirmation Preparation Forms: The following forms must be turned in to the candidate’s small group facilitator or to Mrs. Mang:
Certificate of Intention
Confirmation Name Information
Confirmation Sponsor Information
Emmaus form
Individual Service Hours Information.
(Check due dates on the calendar)
This information is necessary for church records and must be submitted to the facilitator before the candidate can receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The forms are found in this Information Packet. They will also be available online at http://www.olp.org
DISCIPLINE
BEHAVIOR CODE OF CONDUCT FOR STUDENTS
The goal of the Our Lady of Peace Religious Education Behavior Policy is to encourage students to make appropriate choices regarding their actions. In order to achieve this goal and to provide a safe and well ordered program in which students can learn to follow Jesus' call to love, a well defined set of behavioral limits, consequences and procedures must be established and understood by everyone involved with the Religious Education Program.
BEHAVIORAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS:
1. Respect is to be shown for all students and catechists as well as other adults in leadership roles.
2. Students are not to touch, write on, or damage in any way the contents of desks and cubbies or any other items in the room.
3. Students are expected to display Christian values in the way they dress, speak and behave.
4. Students are expected to be present only in the areas of the building for which they have permission at a specific time.
5. Students are expected to act in a safe manner in and around the school building.
6. The use of all electronic devices during the hours of religious education is prohibited. These devices will be taken away from the student and given to the Faith Formation Director. A parent will need to come into the building and get that device from the Faith Formation Director.
7. Use or possession of illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco of any kind is strictly prohibited. These items will be seized and parents notified immediately. Students will be immediately removed from the classroom and taken to the Faith Formation Office. A decision will then be made as to whether or not the student can remain in the program.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
The primary objective of a behavior policy is the reinforcement of positive behavior. Students must accept and acknowledge that they have a choice between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. When they choose to exceed the defined limits they must accept the disciplinary consequences of that choice.
The Faith Formation Director has the primary responsibility for establishing and enforcing program behavior limits and supporting the catechists in their efforts to maintain classroom discipline. Parents have the responsibility to be aware of the program's Behavior Code of Conduct for Students and to work with the program in reinforcing appropriate behavior. Communication between the Faith Formation office and the home must be open and supportive in both directions.
CONSEQUENCES
1. Students whose behavior becomes a continual problem in the classroom will be sent out of class to the Faith Formation office. Students who exhibit disrespectful or disruptive behavior will be given a written warning by the Faith Formation Director. This written warning will be signed by the student and the Faith Formation Director. The written warning report will be kept on file in the Faith Formation office and the parents will be notified.
2. On the first offense, the Faith Formation Director will read the written warning and discuss the student's behavior with him/her. After a discussion the student will either return to the classroom or be kept out of the classroom for the duration of the session. Anytime a student is sent from class to the Faith Formation Director, their parent(s) will be contacted either by phone, in person, or in writing.
3. When the student receives a second written warning from the Faith Formation Director, the parent(s) will be contacted immediately. The student will be sent home.
4. In order to return to the classroom, the student and parent(s) will meet with the Faith formation Director and catechist to resolve the issues. A possible solution may include having the parent(s) sit in on the class for a few weeks to observe their child and his/her interaction with the catechist and other students.
5. If the situation cannot be resolved, the parent(s) will assume the responsibility for religious education at home. Accountability will be made to the Faith Formation Director through monthly conferences.
6. The student will be admitted into the program in the next calendar year with no prejudice.
7. The Faith Formation Director or pastor retains the right to make exceptions to the disciplinary procedures.
8. We recognize that children may make mistakes and the role of the catechist at times will be one of guiding and correcting those mistakes. Catechists will handle discipline problems in a positive manner. Catechists are encouraged to handle minor discipline problems in the classroom.
Any form of abusive treatment (either verbal or physical) by either a catechist or student is strictly forbidden. Catechists must never abuse a child verbally or touch a child in a way that could be construed as punitive. Students who verbally or physically abuse either a catechist or a student will be immediately suspended from the program for the remainder of the year. The parents will then assume the responsibility for the child’s religious education. Both forms of abuse should be reported to the Faith Formation Director.
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Sample of a Warning Report
Our Lady of Peace Faith Formation
Warning Report
Date ______
Catechist Name______
Class ______
Name of Student ______
Report of Incident ______
______
Signature of Student ______
Signature of Faith Formation Director ______
First Warning/ Second Warning
For Office Use: Parent Notified ______Filed ______
WEAPONS POLICY
In order to ensure a safe and Christian environment, it is forbidden for anyone to possess a weapon or any object/material/substance that could be used as a weapon or confused with a real weapon by any reasonable person (toy guns, etc) in the building, or within the geographic boundaries of Our Lady of Peace Church, or in any location used by the parish to conduct any catechetical activity, or in any conveyance providing transportation to or from any activity related to the religious education program.
Weapons or potential weapons will be confiscated by the Faith Formation Director when this action does not place her in danger. If the student has used a weapon against another person or will not surrender the weapon or offending object/material/substance immediately and willingly, the local police will be called first, followed by notification of the parent(s). This is a zero tolerance policy.
Any student who violates this policy will be subject to immediate parish disciplinary action over and above any civil/criminal action brought by inured parties.
The student will be removed from the Religious Education class and an alternative method of Religious Education will be negotiated with the parent(s) for the remainder of the year. Judgments about re-admittance to the program for the following year will be made on a case by case basis and this decision is at the sole discretion of the pastor.
If the incident involves an exchange of bodily fluids (for example, as in a wound which breaks the skin), the student(s) will be asked to submit to medical tests for transmittable diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis B as recommended by a doctor. These tests will be at the parent(s’) expense. In the name of being a community of Christians motivated by care and respect, this policy asks that the results of these tests, which are governed by guidelines of strict confidentiality, be openly shared with the respective parties on a need to know basis.