Saint Agnes Catholic Church

The Sacrament of Confirmation

“Come Holy Spirit and enflame our hearts
with the fire of divine love!”

2015-2016

Saint Agnes Catholic Church

Arlington, Virginia

SAINT AGNES CHURCH

1910 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, VA 22207-3016

703-525-1166 (voice) 703-243-2840 (fax)

November 30, 2016

Dear Parents of Confirmation Candidates,

Greetings in Christ. We look forward to accompanying your family as you prepare your son/daughter to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Our goal throughout this time of preparation is that your child and family will grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus and his Church, and the parish community of St. Agnes.

The Sacrament of Confirmation strengthens us and obliges us to be witnesses to Christ by word and deed and to spread and defend the faith. To this end, preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian towards a more intimate union with Christ and more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit- his actions, his gifts, his inspirations. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1309)

We ask that you assist your child in going over the pages in this packet. Please review this packet with your child, as you are his/her primary teacher. There are essential parts of this packet that are time sensitive, and must be filled out and turned in at various times throughout the process of preparing for Confirmation.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Frederick Edlefsen Rev. Rich Miserendino

Pastor Parochial Vicar

Confirmation Essentials and General Instructions

“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. (CCC 1302)

Greetings in Christ and welcome to the Saint Agnes Confirmation program. This section of the program outlines the basic “need-to-know” information for Confirmation parents and candidates at the Parish. We’ve made some updates and changes to the program, and hopefully this section will be of help in guiding you through them.

Introduction:

The Sacraments are tangible signs of God’s love for us and real transformative forces in our life. They are a participation in God’s own life, which is a tremendously generous gift. Because love is free or it is not love at all, God’s gifts in the Sacraments can only be freely and willingly received. Confirmation in particular is the Sacrament which perfects the gift we’re given in baptism; it strengthens our faith, fills us with the life of God through the Holy Spirit, and gives us a mission to share the Gospel in the world. It is the gift of a commission, a gift to be a disciple and a missionary. Confirmation is NOT becoming an adult in the Church, but is rather a necessary initial step towards that goal. It IS an opportunity for the candidate to make their faith “their own”.

We as a Church have a duty to God in ensuring that His gifts are understood and respected and to each candidate to ensure that they’re reasonably prepared, freely willing and ready to receive the gift of Confirmation. To that end, we as a community look for signs of readiness from the candidates. These signs are an outward, observable measure which indicates an inward readiness to receive Confirmation. As such, we ask that candidatesmeet the following requirements as expressions of their readiness to receive the Sacrament.

Signs of Readiness to Receive Confirmation:

1)Regular Mass attendance (All Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation). The program for encouraging this habit and maintaining accountability is detailed below.

2)Selection of a patron saint and submission of a paper outlining who the saint is and why he or she was chosen.

3)Selection of a Confirmation sponsor and completion of the sponsor eligibility form.

4)15 hours of community service and a short paper reflecting on this experience.

5)Completion of the Parent/Sponsor/Candidate Questionnaire.

6)Completion of Steps 1-5 by August 1, 2017

7)An interview with the Parish Priest in the Summer of 2017.

8)Participation in the Confirmation Retreat in Fall 2017.

9)Participation in the Confirmation Rehearsal and Liturgy.

Details and specific requirements for each of these “signs of readiness” can be found in subsequent sections of this packet. A summary list of these tasks and dates for completion follows immediately after this section. All dates are flexible and helpful suggestions EXCEPT August 1, 2017, the Final Due Date for ALL Materials in 1-5.

August 1, 2017 is the fixed, firm, non-negotiable and ultimate deadline for all Confirmation materials in 1-5 above. Registration for the Confirmation Retreat in the Fall of 2017 will only be allowed upon successful submission of all materials in 1-5 by the August 1, 2017 deadline. If materials are not submitted by this time, it will be taken as a sign that the candidate is not ready to receive Confirmation at this time, the candidate will not be permitted to register for the retreat and will be required to wait until next year to receive the Sacrament.

Priest Interview and Retreat Details:

As part of the preparation for Confirmation, each candidate will have a 15 minute interview with either of the two Saint Agnes Priests in the Summer of 2017. These interviews are usually done in groups of three candidates at a time. The schedule for these interviews will be decided at a later date, based on Priest and candidate availability.

The subject matter of the interview will be a general knowledge of the faith. There is a section of this packet entitled “Our Catholic Faith: Things to Know” which will help give guidance in regard to what to study. All candidates should own a Bible and a Catechism, as they will be useful in preparing for this interview.

The Confirmation Retreat is also a wonderful opportunity to spend a day in prayerful preparation for receiving this Sacrament. All candidates will be required to complete the Retreat as a sign of readiness to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Details for the Retreat will be forthcoming, and depend on the number of candidates as well as the date for Confirmation given to us by the Diocese. Please stay tuned for details in this respect.

New Additions and Updates to the Program:

RegularMass Attendance Program:

Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is an essential part of our Faith, and essential to preparation for Confirmation. It is our God-given way of fulfilling the Commandment to keep Holy the Sabbath. To encourage this habit of Mass attendance, all candidates are required to meet Fr. Rich Miserendino or Fr. Edlefsen (or a delegate) in the back of the Church by the Saint Agnes Statue at the beginning or end of Mass each Sunday to receive a small “Holy Card” and to check in. The Holy Card will contain an image and prayer of a saint that we’ll be celebrating in the next week. Thus, it will help the candidates in getting to know different options for patron saints and keep in touch with the prayer of the Church. It will also help the Priests to get to know the names of the candidates and help them to better grow in their Faith. The whole process should take mere minutes each Sunday.

Candidates who cannot make it to Mass at St. Agnes on a given Sunday may fulfill the requirement by bringing Fr. Rich a bulletin from the Church where they attended Mass while traveling, etc.

This policy will begin on Sunday, January 1, 2017, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Candidates who have failed to check in for more than two weeks in a row will receive a personal phone call from Fr. Rich, enquiring if they would still like to continue to prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Further absences from Mass will be taken as a sign that a candidate is not ready to receive Confirmation, and that candidate will be required to wait until the next year to progress.

Parent/Sponsor/Candidate Questionnaire:

The Questionnaire portion of the Confirmation packet has been reworked from two sets of 30+ questions to the current set of 10 topics. Each topic has a 7-10 minute YouTube video associated with it, and is meant to provide food for thought and conversation between parents or sponsors and their children/candidates. It is also a way for both adults and children to learn about their faith and to bring attention to the various media resources which have good Catholic content. The questionnaire will generally take between 2-3 hours to complete. Thus it might be better to split it into segments and handle it over the course of several days.

Proposed means of preparing for Confirmation:

The final addition to the program is an optional plan for prayerfully preparing and studying for Confirmation. It is a suggestion and is not mandatory. It divides the content of our Faith to be learned and lived among the seven months between December 1, 2016 and August 1, 2017. Each month has weekly suggested prayer topics and definitions, scripture to meditate on, and a monthly Confirmation goal in terms of paperwork or service hours. Parents and candidates should feel free to use this entire framework, make variations as they please, or ignore it entirely.
The goal of creating the above plan is to give parents and candidates a tool to grow in their faith, and to minimize busywork and rote memorization in preparation for the Priest interviews.

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation:
Due Dates and Other Important Calendar Notices

Due by January 31, 2017

 Patron Saint Form & Reflection Paper

Each candidate is asked to write a brief reflection paper on the Saint who they have chosen as their patron, intercessor and companion.

Due by February 28, 2017

Sponsor Certificate of Eligibility Form

The candidate is required to select a person to be his or her sponsor. The sponsor must complete the Sponsor Certificate and his/her pastor must sign it.

Due by March 31, 2017

Sponsor/Parent/Candidate Questionnaire

Using the list of questions provided, each candidate is asked to work with their parents or sponsor to answer each question. Answers should be typed up on a separate piece of paper.

Due by April 30, 2017

Service Hours

Jesus came "not to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). These service hours are meant to represent the candidates' intentions of becoming full members of the Church, which is a servant community in imitation of our Lord.

Due by May 31, 2017

Service Reflection Paper

Each candidate is asked to complete a report on their experience completing their Service Hours. More detailed information is included in this packet.

Due by August 1, 2017 - All of the above. Nothing may be outstanding by this date in order for the candidate to register for the Confirmation Retreat.

Summer 2017

Final Confirmation Meeting with the Parish Priests

Each candidate will meet with one of the parish priests during the summer preceding Confirmation. More information regarding dates will be available in the months to come.

Fall 2017

Confirmation Retreat

In early fall, the Confirmation Class will participate in a Confirmation Retreat. More details will be available in the summer of 2016 for your planning purposes.

(Continued on next page)

Confirmation Rehearsal

Attendance is required at the Rehearsal for the candidate for Confirmation as well as one adult. Sponsors are not required to attend; however, if they are available, they are highly encouraged to attend. This rehearsal will be scheduled for the week of the Confirmation Liturgy.

Confirmation Liturgy

Saint Agnes Parish is scheduled to have a fall Confirmation. The date of the Confirmation Liturgy is set by the Diocese and we will provide it to you as soon as we are made aware of the date.

Our Catholic faith: Things to Know

These topics are necessary knowledge for preparation for Confirmation. Please ensure that your child knows and can explain these aspects of our faith. Definitions and helps can be found via google or in the Catechism.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17):

1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD ’s Day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
    

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12):

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Cardinal Moral Virtues (Virtues are Stable Habits to Do Good)

Cardinal Moral Virtues are habits that lead to good natural human action. They are:

PrudenceTemperanceFortitudeJustice

Theological Virtues

Theological Virtues specifically direct us to God and lift up the other virtues above to be filled with God’s life. They are:

FaithHopeLove

1

Gifts of the Holy Spirit (The Gifts of the Spirit Perfect the Virtues Above)

1

Wisdom

Counsel

Understanding

Knowledge

Piety

Fear of the Lord

Courage

1

Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy

“Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto Me.” Matthew 25:31-46

Corporal Works of Mercy / Spiritual Works of Mercy
Feeding the hungry. / Counseling the doubtful.
Giving drink to the thirsty. / Instructing the ignorant.
Clothing the naked. / Admonishing sinners.
Sheltering the homeless. / Comforting the afflicted.
Visiting the sick. / Forgiving offenses.
Visiting the imprisoned. / Bearing wrongs patiently.
Burying the dead. / Praying for the living and the dead.

The Seven Sacraments

BaptismConfirmationEucharistConfessionHoly OrdersMatrimonyAnointing of the Sick

Prayer of St. Augustine

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,

that all my thoughts may be holy.

Act in me, O Holy Spirit,

that all my work too may be holy.

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,

that I love but what is holy.

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,

to defend all that is holy.

Guard me then, O Holy Spirit,

that I always may be holy.

A Suggested Confirmation Plan: Preparing for the Sacrament

This is a Suggested Roadmap to Preparing to Receive the Sacrament

This portion of the Confirmation packet was revised to create a suggested monthly “plan” for candidates to grow in their faith and prepare for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in the fall. It should be stressed that this system is a proposal and not a requirement. The due-dates for the goals are also suggestions, with the exception of the final date, August 1st, which is fixed.

Each month is divided into four weeks, with one item to be memorized and prayed for each week of the month. The structure is as follows:

-Each month has a Confirmation-related scripture verse suggested for meditation

-Week One details a Cardinal Moral Virtueor aTheological Virtue

-Week Two details a Gift of the Holy Spiritwhich perfects the virtue from week one. Weeks Three and Four reflect on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

-Each month ends with a goal for some part of the Confirmation preparation requirements, such as a due date for service hours or picking a patron saint.

For each week of the month, the candidate is encouraged to write both the Scripture verse of the month and that week’s virtue and definition on an index card or post-it note. On a separate index card/post-it, he or she can also write a short prayer asking God for that week’s virtue or gift, or the grace to be attentive to that week’s work of mercy and to carry it out.

A sample prayer for the virtues or gifts:

“Come Holy Spirit, help me to grow in your virtue/gift of ______. Today give me eyes to see where you want me to grow in this way, and the strength and grace to accept the challenge.” - - - Then an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be (or similar).

A sample prayer for the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy:

“Come Holy Spirit, help me to be attentive to the needs of others in my life today. I pray especially for the grace to help those in need of ______. Especially I pray for [insert sick or deceased etc here].

- Then an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be (or similar).

The candidates should feel free to write their own prayers if desired. Once written out, the candidate can stick those index cards on their bathroom mirror and pray/read it while brushing their teeth in the morning and evening, thus developing a habit of reading scripture and praying for virtue.