As a Sacrament of Faith, Confirmation completes the Christian commitment begun in Baptism. The four components of the Confirmation program for adolescents are:
- Community (developing their sense of belonging to the Church and parish community)
- Message (having a well-developed understanding of the faith)
- Worship (regular, active participation in the Sunday Eucharist and personal prayer)
- Service (witnessing Christ’s life of service through projects that assist those in need)
Regular and active participation in the Sunday Eucharist is central to our faith and is the foundation of Confirmation preparation. As such, our Sunday 5pm Youth Mass is the centerpiece of our Confirmation program; all other components supplement regular and active participation in the Eucharist. From the music, to the homilies, to the Spirit-filled sense of vibrancy and joy, the Sunday 5pm liturgy is designed to touch the hearts and minds of our young people and draw them closer to God and the Church.
Classroom work, driven by the Dynamic Catholic curriculum, supplements participation in the Sunday liturgy, and fosters in our students a well-developed understanding of the faith. Classes meet as scheduled (usually once or twice a month) following the Sunday 5pm Youth Mass.
A Spiritual Retreat, held in the Confirmation II year, assists the candidates in becoming people of prayer, and is integral to the preparation for the Sacrament.
The Christian Service component of the program challenges the candidates to model Jesus’ life of service. These projects help to foster an understanding of the centrality of service in the Christian life.
Our program is designed as a two-year commitment which typically begins in the fall of Grade 9 (Confirmation I) and is completed in the spring of Grade 10 (Confirmation II). (Individuals enrolled in a Catholic school may be exempt from attending the first year.)
If your Grade 10 student was not part of our Grade 9 program, please let us know. We will work together with you and your student to ensure that they are prepared for our Grade 10 program and ready to be confirmed with their class in the spring.
We also encourage participation in our newly reinvigorated Youth Ministry program. The focus of this program is to help give our young people a lived connection to Christ Jesus and the community of the Church, and help them to grow in faith as young adults. Youth Ministry also offers service opportunities within and outside our Collaborative, as well as social and recreational activities, to help our young people strengthen their connections to each other and to their community.
For more details and information about our Confirmation Preparation Program please visit the Religious Education Program website.
For More Information
Please email Linda Messore at linda.messore@sjspwellesley.org