2017/18 CONFIRMATION INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND SPONSORS

Transcription

1 2017/18 CONFIRMATION INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND SPONSORS St Gabriel Catholic Church 3016 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC Tel: (704) * FAX: (704)

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Welcome Letter Parent Meetings Registration and Fee Guidelines Sponsor Information Confirmation Packet Information 2. Learning Targets for Confirmation /18 Confirmation Calendars 4. Sponsor Information 5. Service Project Suggestions and Service Project Form 6. Clothing Drive Suggestions

3 March, 2017 Dear Parents, Welcome to the St. Gabriel Confirmation program. Your son/daughter will soon begin another step in his/her faith journey. In this beautiful sacrament, confirmands are sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You have been a great influence in your child s religious education. We know that you will continue to support him/her in preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation. To be eligible for Confirmation, students must have completed sixth, seventh and eighth grade in religious education or Catholic school before receiving the sacrament in ninth grade in PARENT MEETINGS As a parent of a Confirmation student you are REQUIRED to attend ONE of the following meetings. Please RSVP online at SUNDAY, APRIL 23, at 6:30 pm, in the Parish Center Cafeteria (school); or, MONDAY, APRIL 24, at 7:00 pm, in the Parish Center Cafeteria (school); or, THURSDAY, APRIL 27, at 7:00 pm, in the Ministry Center, Room C. REGISTRATION AND FEE GUIDELINES This year, registration and fee payment may be made online. The $80 fee covers the cost of materials and the retreat. You will find the registration form and payment module at If you do not have access to a computer, please call me at , ext. 219, and I will mail you a registration form and packet. If you have a financial hardship, please contact me before registering. The form will ask you to provide: 1. Student s name, address, school name, birthdate and parent information. 2. Confirmation name (this may be your son/daughter s baptismal name or the name of a saint). One name is sufficient (for example: Mary or John, not Mary Elizabeth Smith). 3. You must provide a Baptismal certificate for your child if he/she was not baptized at St. Gabriel. 4. If your child was baptized at another church you must also provide the name and address of the church. Most churches do not provide this information on their certificates.

4 SPONSORS 5. If your child was baptized at St. Gabriel please give us the baptismal date; a certificate is not required. 6. Provide name of SPONSOR with an AND address. ** ** SPONSOR: A baptized, confirmed and mature practicing Catholic who is willing to share his/her faith. The sponsor may be a relative or friend but NOT the confirmand s parent. Sponsors are required to obtain a letter in good standing from their church (demonstrating that they are practicing Catholics). Sponsors in high school or college do NOT need to obtain a letter in good standing. I will send a letter to the sponsor outlining the Confirmation program and their responsibilities as a sponsor as soon as I receive your registration form. Please have a prayerful discussion with your son/daughter as to who he/she plans to ask to be his/her sponsor. Failure to register and provide all required info by the parent meeting assumes that your child will NOT be confirmed this year. CONFIRMATION PACKET BEFORE you complete your registration form and pay the Confirmation fee, please access the CONFIRMATION PACKET at www. stgabrielchurch.org/confirmation. It contains: 1. Confirmation Calendar 2. Confirmation Learning Targets 3. Service Hour form 4. Service Hour Suggestions 5. Clothing Drive Suggestions for the clothing drive to be held December 1 st and 2 nd 6. Letter to the Sponsor I look forward to meeting you at one of the parent meetings in April. In faith, Trisha Stewart, Confirmation Coordinator Cc: Father Frank O Rourke, Pastor Susan Krasniewski, DRE

5 ST. GABRIEL CHURCH RELIGIOUS ED LEARNING TARGETS FOR CONFIRMATION In preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation, ninth graders will understand: That Confirmation is one of seven sacraments That Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation That Confirmation provides the strengthening and continuation of Baptismal graces That the sacrament of Confirmation configures us to Jesus Christ That, in Confirmation, the Holy Spirit provides gifts for discipleship That being confirmation means being transformed for fuller witness and service That a sponsor is a mentor providing guidance in the faith That Confirmation is another step in our journey to God That Confirmation only has meaning in relation to Baptism and Eucharist That Confirmation calls us to share the faith That the anointing in Confirmation is the seal of Baptismal grace That the embrace of Confirmation opens us to the gifts of the Holy Spirit That Confirmation is, essentially, a sacrament of call and response That Confirmation enables us to share the gifts of the Holy Spirit That Confirmation is NOT a rite of passage, a Bar Mitzvah or declaration of becoming Catholic That Confirmation should be celebrated in community In preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation, ninth grades will be able: To explain that a sacrament is an encounter with Christ and a celebration of the presence of Jesus Christ To name the seven sacraments To name and explain the three sacraments of initiation To list and explain some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit To explain why the Eucharist is the heart of our religious tradition To name some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit To profess their belief in the mystery of the Trinity To recite basic prayers, such as the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed and Act of Contrition To define Confirmation as a sacrament of initiation its relationship to Baptism and the Eucharist To describe Confirmation as a sacrament of community To know who presides at the conferring of the sacrament of Confirmation To understand that the anointing with oil signifies the presence of the Holy Spirit and is the sign of the sacrament of Confirmation To explain why Confirmation cannot be separated from Baptism and the Eucharist

6 2017/18 CONFIRMATION CALENDAR SUNDAYS - 1:45-3:00 3:30-4:45 6:30-7:45 SEPTEMBER 10, 17 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS OCTOBER 1, 8, 15 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS NOVEMBER 5 RETREAT (PARENT & STUDENT) PARISH CENTER CAFETERIA 12:15 PM - 4:45 PM NOVEMBER 12, 19 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS DECEMBER 1 SPONSOR/PARENT LETTERS DUE St. Gabriel Church c/o Trish Stewart 3016 Providence Rd. Charlotte, NC DECEMBER 1, 2 SERVICE PROJECT MINISTRY CENTER, 1 ST FLOOR (CLOTHING DRIVE) 6:00-7:30 pm on Friday, December 1, or, 10:00-11:30 am on Saturday, December 2 DECEMBER 3 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS JANUARY 2018 CONFIRMATION REHEARSAL TO BE ANNOUNCED AND CEREMONY

7 2017/18 CONFIRMATION CALENDAR WEDNESDAYS - 6:30-7:30 SEPTEMBER 13, 20, 27 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS OCTOBER 11, 18, 25 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS NOVEMBER 5 RETREAT PARISH CENTER CAFETERIA (PARENT & STUDENT) 12:15 PM - 4:45 PM NOVEMBER 1, 8, 15, 29 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS DECEMBER 1 SPONSOR/PARENT LETTERS DUE St. Gabriel Church c/o Trish Stewart 3016 Providence Rd. Charlotte, NC DECEMBER 1, 2 SERVICE PROJECT MINISTRY CENTER, 1 ST FLOOR (CLOTHING DRIVE) 6:00-7:30 pm on Friday, December 1, or, 10:00-11:30 am on Saturday, December 2 DECEMBER 6 CLASS PARISH CENTER CLASSROOMS JANUARY 2018 CONFIRMATION REHEARSAL TO BE ANNOUNCED AND CEREMONY

8 ST. GABRIEL CHURCH FAITH DEVELOPMENT CENTER 3016 PROVIDENCE ROAD CHARLOTTE, NC Dear Confirmation Sponsor, Congratulations and welcome to the confirmation program at St. Gabriel. What a great honor for you to share your faith journey with your confirmand! A sponsor is defined as a friend for the journey, one who attempts to put one s own search for God, with all the moments of pain, joy, hope and despair, at the disposal of those who want to join the search but need help. Through your close relationship with the confirmand and by your faith, by your active membership in the Catholic Church and your frequent reception of the sacraments, you will enable your confirmand to make the CHOICE to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. In order to fulfill your obligation as a sponsor, you are asked to do the following: 1. To meet with the confirmand during the confirmation process to share and support the confirmand s journey; 2. To pray for the young person you have been asked to sponsor; and, 3. To write a personal letter to your confirmand expressing how you feel your faith has influenced your life and the hopes you have for the confirmand. Please mail your personal letter to the confirmand to the attention of Trish Stewart, at St. Gabriel Church (address above) by no later than Friday, December 1, Please do not mail your letter to the confirmand. Please write the full name of your confirmand on the back of the envelope. Write your name and address on the front upper left hand corner of the envelope. Under your name, in the return address, write Sponsor. Please see sample envelope on the following page. 4. You must receive a Letter in Good Standing from your church. This letter is verification that you are a practicing Catholic at your parish. Be sure to include the name of the person you are sponsoring. Please mail your Letter in Good Standing to St. Gabriel Church, c/o Trish Stewart, 3016 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211, by no later than Friday, December 1, The Letter in Good Standing is to be mailed separately from your letter to the confirmand. Please write Letter of Good Standing under your name in the return address. 5. To participate in the January, 2018 Confirmation Ceremony and Rehearsal.

9 As you can see, the role of sponsor is not simply an honor to bestow on any one but rather a rare opportunity to have someone share his/her faith with the confirmand. It can and should be a wonderful faith filled growth experience for both you and your confirmand. If you should have any questions, please feel free to call me at the Faith Development Center at x219 or me at: tstewart@stgabrielchurch.org. In faith, Trish Stewart Confirmation Coordinator St. Gabriel Church 3016 Providence Road Charlotte, NC Cc: Father Frank O Rourke, Pastor Susan Krasniewski, Director of Faith Formation FRONT OF ENVELOPE Your Name Sponsor/Parent/Letter in GS 123 Anywhere St. City, State, Zip Code St. Gabriel Church Attn: Trish Stewart 3016 Providence Rd. Charlotte, NC BACK OF ENVELOPE NAME OF CONFIRMAND

10 SERVICE PROJECT SUGGESTIONS * Kamp Gabe: Vacation Bible School: Go to Kamp Gabe website; click application tab; Go to the link for an application form Contact Cristin Ackermann at: sacker8472@aol.com Crisis Assistance: 500 Spratt St., Sort clothing for needy people Catholic Social Services: 1123 S. Church St., Collect food items - Sort food - Collect clothing for needy families Second Harvest Food Bank: 500-B Spratt St., , (sort and pack food) Library: Help with children s programs Hospitality House: 1400 Scott Ave Help with families from out of town while visiting loved ones in the hospital Humane Society of Charlotte: 2646 Toomey Ave., Help to socialize animals Loaves and Fishes: (stock food pantries) Other Ideas: Tutoring Babysitting Mowing Grass Helping at Swim Meets Visiting Nursing Homes Hospital Volunteer Programs *These are only suggestions you may have other service projects that you would like to do. Remember, service is something you do for someone for free.

11 ST. GABRIEL FAITH DEVELOPMENT CENTER 3016 PROVIDENCE ROAD CHARLOTTE, NC , ext. 219 (Phone) (Fax) SERVICE PROJECT FORM NAME YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN TEN (10) HOURS OF SERVICE OVER THE SUMMER. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR SERVICE AND THE NUMBER OF HOURS. THE COORDINATOR OF YOUR SERVICE MUST SIGN IN THE APPROPRIATE SPACE BELOW. FORMS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1 ST (NO exceptions!). You may fax or mail them to Trish Stewart at the fax number /address above. 1. Describe your service 2. Signature of the coordinator of your service 1. Describe your service 2. Signature of the coordinator of your service

12 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CLOTHING DRIVE DECEMBER 1 AND DECEMBER 2, 2017 ST. GABRIEL MINISTRY CENTER PLEASE make sure that all items are in GOOD condition; no worn out or tired looking items. PLEASE, NO STAINS, TEARS, MISSING BUTTONS OR FRAYING! Linens/Bath Items: Blankets (all sizes) Sheets and pillow cases (all sizes) Bedspreads (all sizes) Towels Women s and Girl s Clothing- WINTER: Blouses, shirts, t-shirts, Pants, jeans, dress/casual, sweat Jackets, blazers, coats (long/short), casual, sweaters, sweat shirts Shoes Purses/belts NEW underwear NEW socks Men s and Boy s Clothing-WINTER: Shirts, T-shirts Pants Suits Sweatshirts Sweaters Shoes Belts Jackets Suits NEW underwear NEW socks Baby Clothing, Blankets, Crib Sheets Toys: Games Books Bikes Toiletries