TEEN CONFIRMATION
What is expected?
Confirmation is a two-year program at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. Teens must be active with Life Teen in order to sign up for the Sacrament of Confirmation. This includes active participation in our High School Faith Formation sessions (Life Teen) for an entire year. Attending half the year, just a few times, or just being signed up does not translate into active participation. Once a teen completes their formation year, we invite them to sign up for Confirmation Preparation.
Why does it take two years to prepare for Confirmation?
The primary requirement for any person to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation is simply to be baptized. However, the Code of Canon Law also states that one should be "suitably instructed, properly disposed, and able to renew one's baptismal promises" (Canon 889 §2).
To do our best to help parents "suitably instruct" teens, we require an initial first year to help firm up a foundational understanding of the Catholic faith. In addition, the format for our High School Faith Formation (Life Nights) helps teens to not only gain knowledge of the Catholic faith, but also encounter Jesus Christ through interaction with the Youth Ministers, other adult volunteers and their peers. This relational interaction helps teens become "properly disposed" to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
1st Year Process (Formation Year)
Participation in weekly High School Faith Formation sessions is required in order for teens to begin the 2nd year preparation. Teens are eligible to begin the first year once they enter 9th grade. The first year is focused on giving teens a solid foundation in the Catholic faith. Attendance is taken and given to Fr. Norm at the end of the year for review. If participation is lacking, then the teen must fulfill his or her obligation the following year before being allowed to enter the Sacramental preparation process.
2nd Year Process (Sacramental Year)
Once teens have entered 10th grade and actively participated for an entire year in weekly High School Faith Formation sessions (Life Teen), they are eligible to move into the 2nd year phase. Confirmation sessions run from October to May; the process includes a weekend retreat, normally the first weekend in December, and interview with the coordinator. Teens should maintain good attendance during the 2nd year preparation. If the teen misses more than 4 sessions either semester, he or she will be required to repeat the process. Attendance at the Confirmation retreat is a mandatory part of the Confirmation process. If the teen cannot attend the retreat in December, it is the family's responsibility to find and arrange attendance at an alternate retreat; we will help you find one within the Archdiocese.
Items needed at the beginning of the 2nd year:
John Noll
[email protected], (830) 816-5665
ADULT CONFIRMATION
A number of Catholics missed out on the preparation for Confirmation as teenagers, or, have perhaps been away from the Church and are now being drawn to a fuller, deeper relationship with God through their faith. If you are an adult Catholic who was baptized Catholic and received First Communion, but has not received the Sacrament of Confirmation, we invite you to contact Lacey to set up an appointment or discuss or register for upcoming preparation sessions. Sessions will begin mid-October 2022.
Lacey Sorrell
[email protected], (830) 816-5663
CLASES DE CONFIRMACIÓN PARA ADULTOS
Una clase en español para adultos comienza el medio de octubre. Llame a la oficina de la iglesia para obtener más detalles o para registrarse—(830) 816-2233.