Name: THE CONFIRMATION PREPARATION PROCESS

Transcription

1 Name: THE CONFIRMATION PREPARATION PROCESS Freshmen & Sophomore Confirmation Preparation Handbook and Vital Signs Journal Edition Printed Fall 2011

2 I, Confirmation Enrollment Agree to: 1. Cooperate to the best of my ability with the parish program preparing me for the Sacrament of Confirmation 2. Participate in faith formation sessions and youth ministry activities and try to place my talents at the service of others 3. Pray for growth in faith, hope and love 4. Strive for greater maturity 5. Accept more responsibility in my family, my Church and my community I ask the help of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit in this agreement Signature Date My formal celebration of the rite of Enrollment is scheduled for: Youth s Prayer to St. Anne Dear St. Anne, Mother of the Mother of God-become-human, please bless our parents who said "yes" to life. Warm our hearts with love for them. May we give them every reason for joy, not distress. Into your hands we commit our future. Teach us to say "yes" to God's plan for us in all the years ahead. Amen.

3 What Does Confirmation Celebrate? The Sacrament of Confirmation is the third and final Sacrament of Initiation. To be initiated into the community of those who believe in Jesus means that you have become like Jesus, you practice His way of life. The special graces of this Sacrament come to a person who has committed oneself to Christ and to Christ s way of life. It is during these adolescent years when you begin to exercise your independence that you must decide whether you will be a follower of Christ or not. Your parents can no longer make this decision for you. The number one thing to keep in mind is that this is YOUR journey, not your parents, not your Grandma s or Grandpa s. Make it YOURS, answer the call that Jesus calls you to every single day!! If you choose to make the Catholic faith that you have grown in your own, we celebrate this great step in the Sacrament of Confirmation. We gather to affirm and Confirm the faith that has taken root in you. This affirming and confirming strengthens you and gives you the courage to express your faith more freely and experience the Gifts of the Holy Spirit more fully. Within the Confirmation preparation experience, there naturally are the various components and steps in the process that can be seen in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, sometimes guidelines become requirements, and even worse, seen as hoops to go through. The fact is, God calls us to Himself each and every day in simple, yet profound ways. The question to us is: how will we respond to that call? The whole purpose of the Confirmation preparation process is to give us a way to realize how God is truly active and present to us in such a real way each and every day. In this immediate preparation process for Confirmation, we will be involving a lot of different people besides yourself as a Candidate for Confirmation. The whole purpose of involving so many in such an intense process is to help you realize what this faith is all about, but most importantly to remind you of God s action in your life. Be assured that all those involved are your number one cheerleaders!!! Whatever you need, we are here for you!! With God, the Holy Spirit as our guide, great things will happen!!! Welcome to an adventure of a lifetime!!! Your Friends and Companions in Christ, Fr. Steve Brice Pastor John Schmitt Coordinator of Youth Ministry 1

4 Table of Contents How Do I Prepare For the Sacrament of Confirmation?... 3 Immediate Phase of Confirmation Preparation... 4 Confirmation Conferences and Interviews... 4 Small Group Conferences... 4 Interviews with the Pastoral Staff... 4 Confirmation Retreat... 4 What is the Role of the Confirmation Sponsor?... 5 First Communion Buddy and Rite of Enrollment... 5 Letter to the Bishop... 6 Do I Need to Choose a Confirmation Name?... 7 The Vital Sign Journal... 8 Vital Sign #1: Service Vital Sign #2: Knowledge Vital Sign #3: Prayer & Worship Vital Sign #4: Church Community Journal Summaries Confirmation Name Selection Form John Schmitt Coordinator of Youth Ministry & Confirmation 700 W Bridge St. (715) x306 (office) (715) (fax) johns@stanneswausau.org 2

5 How Do I Prepare For the Sacrament of Confirmation? Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation began at your Baptism and has continued throughout your life. The most important part of your formation has come from the way of life practiced by your family at home. The Process of Faith Formation provided by a parish is an important aid to families in forming their children in the Catholic faith. The title of this book Confirmation Preparation Process refers to the preparation process leading up to its finale, the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. This process is broken down into two phases typically (though not always the case) during Freshmen and Sophomore years. Freshmen year: Regularly attend Mass Receive this Confirmation preparation guidebook and Vital Signs Journal Familiarize yourself with the process ahead Begin making entries in your Vital Signs journal Regularly attend Faith Formation sessions or Newman High School religion classes in order to continue to grow in your faith Sophomore Year: Continue what you have continued/begun in freshmen year Enter into the immediate preparation phase of your Confirmation preparation at the fall Confirmation Orientation Session During this time of reflection we are looking for four Vital Signs that indicate your life has taken on a Catholic Christian character and you are ready to affirm your faith at the celebration of Confirmation. Just like a pulse and breath are signs there is life in a body, these four signs are signs Christ s spirit is in your soul. In other words, how alive are you in your Catholic Faith? Those Vital Signs are: 1. Service You seek to serve Christ in service to others Serving others has become a part of your life 2. Knowledge You understand the Catholic faith well enough to share it with others You know that Confirmation preparation is not the end but the beginning of a lifetime of discovery in our Catholic faith 3. Prayer Prayer has become an important part of your life Consistent prayer is essential to grow in friendship with Christ Regular and active participation in Eucharist and the Mass is essential 4. Church Community You are an active part of the wider Catholic, Christian community You see the commitment it takes to continue to grow within the Catholic community 3

6 Immediate Phase of Confirmation Preparation The immediate phase of confirmation preparation typically begins during your Sophomore year at the Confirmation orientation session. Though you have been preparing for Confirmation since the day of your baptism, the immediate preparation phase marks the final steps of preparation for your full initiation into the Church in the celebration of Confirmation. The following pages explain the details of this process. At the orientation, you will receive a calendar and documentation explaining all of the deadlines and details of each of these steps along the journey. If at any time you have questions, do not hesitate to ask your catechist/small group leader or the coordinator of Confirmation. Confirmation Conferences and Interviews Small Group Conferences As a way to get to know each youth better, all candidates will be asked to meet in a small group (3-4 peers) with the coordinator of Confirmation. These conferences are nothing too serious or formal, they are just a chance to get to know each other and what your thoughts and reflections are on preparing for Confirmation. Interviews with the Pastoral Staff As one of the final steps of the preparation process, each confirmation candidate will be asked to sign up for an individual interview with a member of the parish pastoral staff. These are intended as a way to hear your ideas, thoughts and reflections about the preparation process that you have gone through. Ultimately, it will be your chance to set the course of your involvement in the parish community after Confirmation. These interviews are scheduled in late March. Sign-ups for these will be available in February/March. Confirmation Retreat In an effort to unite those preparing for the Sacrament, there is the annual class Confirmation retreat focusing on our personal commitments to the four Vital Signs. By gathering a team of peers, adults and other faith leaders all in one location for a weekend experience with you the candidates, it is our hope that this experience will be one that you will remember as a key moment in your faith and spiritual lives. The retreat is annually scheduled in late winter. Permission slips and additional details are available at the Sophomore Confirmation Orientation Session. The retreat payment is collected sophomore year when each youth is enrolled in the Confirmation preparation process. If the date of the retreat conflicts with your personal schedule, you must contact the coordinator of Confirmation in writing by the third Wednesday of December to discuss other retreat possibilities. 4

7 What is the Role of the Confirmation Sponsor? One the day of Confirmation, your parents and sponsor will place their hands on your shoulder as you are anointed. By standing beside you at this time, they testify with their own life that you are ready; you have truly become a disciple of Christ. This testimony is important to the Bishop and community who rely on your sponsor and parents who know you intimately and therefore know of your faith with certainty. The ideal person to be your Confirmation Sponsor for the time of preparation is your Baptism Sponsor who has walked with you throughout your faith life. If he or she is not available then another Confirmed and active Catholic person who knows you and who is a support to you in your faith life would be appropriate. A parent may not be the Sponsor. To fulfill his/her role, the Sponsor needs to spend time with you sharing his/her faith. One way the two of you can do this is by sharing your Vital Signs Journal with your Sponsor. Each sponsor will also receive a confirmation sponsor journal. Sponsor criteria o Confirmed, practicing adult Catholic at least 18 years of age o May not be your parent o May be an older sibling, catechist, relative etc. o Will attend the Confirmation rehearsal o Along with your parents, he/she will present you to the Bishop at the Rite of Confirmation Details to remember o Your sponsor must be selected and indicated on the Sponsor Application o Sponsor must be able to attend the sponsor/candidate session o If your sponsor is not a member of the Church of St. Anne he/she must have his or her pastor complete the recommendation portion of the sponsor application form o Plan on meeting with your sponsor at least four times before the celebration of the Sacrament First Communion Buddy and Rite of Enrollment As a real and present way to celebrate the connection of all the Sacraments of Initiation, you will be paired with a young person preparing for his or her First Communion. Here is how the buddy program works: Attend the Rite of Enrollment in Fall o Meet your buddy in person o Participate in all of the activities that are scheduled for that day o Exchange contact information in order to keep in touch through the Sacramental preparation process Prepare a short letter to introduce yourself to your buddy and how you are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Details to include are: o Your name, family background & year in high school o Things you like to do in your spare time, such as sports, hobbies and other involvements o What you remember about preparing for your First Communion 5

8 o What you look forward to in preparing for Confirmation o Promise to pray for your buddy o Anything else you would like to add o This letter is due along with your Confirmation Sponsor Application You will not need to mail your letter to your buddy. Simply give it to your buddy at the end of the rite of enrollment celebration You may go above and beyond with additional letters or time with your buddy as you choose Letter to the Bishop Each candidate is asked to write a letter to the Bishop of our Diocese, to request that he Confirm you. Each letter should have the following basic format: Address your letter to: The Most Reverend Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse All letters must be typed with your signature at the bottom Each paragraph can include the following information: Introduce yourself to the Bishop. Tell him about yourself (extra-curriculars, hobbies, family background etc), your feelings about the Church and your faith, and how you feel about being confirmed. Formally request to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, and WHY you want to be confirmed. You may also share some of your experiences in preparing for Confirmation, why you chose your sponsor, what has helped you to be ready for this Sacrament, tell him about your retreat experience. Tell how you plan to share your gifts with your parish family. Seal your letter in an envelope with your name on the outside of the envelope. The formatting of the letter should be a basic formal business letter format: The Most Reverend Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse 3710 East Avenue South La Crosse, WI Dear Bishop : Paragraphs of your letter, covering all the information mentioned above. Your Name Your Address Your City, State & Zip Date the Letter is Written Sincerely, (or any other appropriate salutation) Signature Deadline: All letters will be sent to the Bishop s office with the Confirmation Mass plans. Plan ahead!! 6

9 Do I Need to Choose a Confirmation Name? Because you received your name at baptism, we encourage you to keep the name you were given at Baptism. Keeping the same name connects the fact that Confirmation is the full initiation into the Church that began at Baptism. However, because of the long-standing tradition of those being Confirmed as youth picking a new name, you may choose to do so. The name you choose will be recorded as part of your full Christian name in the permanent Sacramental records of the parish. Your Options If the choice is made to add a new name, it MUST be a Christian name. It should reflect a saint whom you can admire and imitate. Check out some web-sites to learn about saints who really lived the Catholic way of life: o - This website is a Catholic Encyclopedia and has biographical information on saints. o - This website has a collection of facts and information on saints. o - This website has information on saints. The saints are listed in alphabetical order. o - This website provides a list of prayers to saints. o org/features/saints/byname.asp o o At confirmation, the Bishop will ask you to tell him about the saint you were named after at Baptism or the saint s name you chose for Confirmation. Use these websites and other resources as a guide to find out this information. If you choose to take a Confirmation name, please complete the Confirmation Name Selection Form (the final page of this book) and return to the coordinator of Confirmation the same day as when you submit your letter to the bishop. 7

10 The Vital Sign Journal The majority of this book includes the pages of your Vital Sign Journal. This is a place for you to collect experiences you have had that express the presence of the four Vital Signs in your life. For most people, who have been living their faith, they need only collect for their journal examples of the things they have been doing over the years. We are asking all youth as they enter freshmen year to start keeping a Journal/Scrapbook of their spiritual activities so that when they become sophomores, their work will already be done. If you have not kept a journal throughout the past, it is not too late to begin during your sophomore year. In the following pages, we explain our expectations for the journal in more detail. We are asking you to have a series of journal entries for each of the Vital Signs. The entries can be of any nature, a written reflection, photographs, a letter of testimony from a supervisor, or a work of art. The Spirit manifests itself in many ways and we encourage you to be creative and free in expressing your faith. When you gather for the Journal Sharing Sessions in spring of your sophomore year, each Candidate will have the opportunity to share his/her journal summaries for the Vital Signs with the other members of his or her small group. This sharing of your faith life with your peers will have many positive effects. It will be a tremendous encouragement to your peers to live out their faith. It will affirm in your own mind and heart that you are living the faith. It will prepare you for professing your faith on Confirmation day. Finally, it will strengthen you for sharing your faith the rest of your life after Confirmation day. How Are Your Vital Signs? 8

11 Notes: 9

12 Vital Sign #1: Service Jesus said I come not to be served but to serve. (Mark 10:45) Service is the giving of one s time and talents to assist someone in need outside of the parish community without expecting or receiving payment in return. Even more specifically, it is serving Christ by serving others. You may already be doing service projects for school or an organization you belong to. These may also be used in your Confirmation Journal. We are not asking you to do extra service for Confirmation, simply give us evidence that such service has become an integral part of your life. Examples include: helping coach a grade school sport, serving meals at the Salvation Army, mowing a neighbor s lawn (for free), participating in a walk to end cancer, or be on a committee working to end world hunger, the list is endless!!! Responsibilities that are part of being a family do not qualify, like babysitting for a younger brother or sister, or raking your own lawn. Furthermore, volunteering for parish events such as Fish Fries, Polka Fest, Vacation Bible School etc. will not count towards this vital sign. Since service to and with the St. Anne s parish community is so important to growth in the community of Christ, it is its own category that will be explained in Church Community (Pg. 30). Vital Signs Journal Minimum Expectations At least four journal entries reflecting on this Vital Sign. 10

13 SERVICE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Service Record #1 Date of Service event: Name of Organization or individual(s) served: Location of Service site: Answer one or more of the following: What happened at this service site? What did impact did this have on others? What impact did this have on you? 11

14 SERVICE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Service Record #2 Date of Service event: Name of Organization or individual(s) served: Location of Service site: Answer one or more of the following: What happened at this service site? What did impact did this have on others? What impact did this have on you? 12

15 SERVICE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Service Record #3 Date of Service event: Name of Organization or individual(s) served: Location of Service site: Answer one or more of the following: What happened at this service site? What did impact did this have on others? What impact did this have on you? 13

16 SERVICE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Service Record #4 Date of Service event: Name of Organization or individual(s) served: Location of Service site: Answer one or more of the following: What happened at this service site? What did impact did this have on others? What impact did this have on you? 14

17 Notes: 15

18 Vital Sign #2: Knowledge We do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy (Col 1:9-11) One characteristic of a Christian is that he/she understands his/her faith sufficiently well to be able to share it with others. For the knowledge vital sign there are two ways you will be asked to share this knowledge of your faith: 1. Vital Sign journal entries: Share a meaningful experience that shows you have a working knowledge of your faith on a high school level such as: writing up a class you liked, a research paper you have done, a poem you can interpret, or a witness talk you are ready to give 2. Small group sharing: Shortly before you are confirmed during your small group sessions, you will share your knowledge in each of the following areas: Know by heart the following prayers and tenants of faith The Sign of the Cross The Lord s Prayer The Hail Mary The Ten Commandments The Apostle s Creed The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit Scripture Know how to find any verse in the Bible if given the name of the book, chapter and verse. Know how to find the accounts of Christ s birth, death, resurrection and outpouring of his Spirit at the first Pentecost in the Bible Vital Signs Journal Minimum Expectations At least three journal entries reflecting on this Vital Sign Be able to share a few of the prayers by heart Be able to demonstrate your knowledge of scripture Consistently attend and participate in regularly scheduled Faith Formation Sessions and/or Newman Catholic School Religion classes 16

19 KNOWLEDGE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Knowledge Record #1 Date of Experience: Topic or theme of experience: Answer one or more of the following: How did this experience help you to grow in knowledge of your faith? What did you learn new or explore that you otherwise would have not experienced if it wasn t for this event? If the impact of this event was due to the personality of the leader, describe the impact he/she had on you. 17

20 KNOWLEDGE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Knowledge Record #2 Date of Experience: Topic or theme of experience: Answer one or more of the following: How did this experience help you to grow in knowledge of your faith? What did you learn new or explore that you otherwise would have not experienced if it wasn t for this event? If the impact of this event was due to the personality of the leader, describe the impact he/she had on you. 18

21 KNOWLEDGE VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Knowledge Record #3 Date of Experience: Topic or theme of experience: Answer one or more of the following: How did this experience help you to grow in knowledge of your faith? What did you learn new or explore that you otherwise would have not experienced if it wasn t for this event? If the impact of this event was due to the personality of the leader, describe the impact he/she had on you. 19

22 Vital Sign #3: Prayer & Worship Rising very early before dawn, Jesus left and went off to a deserted place, where he was absorbed in prayer. (Mark 1:35) Prayer is a life-long process that can never be ignored. Even during the best of our times of growth with God in prayer, we always seek to grow more. The fact is, Christ calls us to Him each and everyday. Just as we desire to grow in relationship with other people in our lives, we must also seek to grow in relationship with our Triune God through communal and personal prayer. The Candidate needs to demonstrate that prayer has become a regular part of his or her life, both private prayer and prayer/worship with the community. Other experiences that may be added would be weddings, baptisms, funerals or other religious services you may have attended. Vital Signs Journal Minimum Expectations Journal entries Three experiences of celebrating Sunday Eucharist One experience of celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation within the last year One retreat experience within the last year Three experiences of personal prayer Continue to grow and develop a personal life of prayer Sketch by: Miranda Orlikowski (Confirmed at St. Anne s 2009) 20

23 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Celebration of Mass #1: Sunday Mass Date of Mass: Week in week out, we have the chance to celebrate the gift of the Eucharist Jesus gave us in the Last Supper. How does this routine of the ceremonies of Mass challenge you to see your growth in faith in a new way? 21

24 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Celebration of Mass #2: Mass Celebrating a Holy Day or Feast of the Church Date of Mass: The Church calendar holds up these celebrations (i.e. Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, holy days of obligation etc.) for us to see how grand our faith can be. How does your experience of these celebrations show you this? 22

25 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Celebration of Mass #3: Mass Commemorating a Celebration of Life Date of Mass: Answer one or more of the following: How does this experience of Mass for a family or friend s celebration of life (i.e. baptism, wedding, funeral, house Mass, Mass before a sports competition, school Mass, morning Mass etc.) make the celebration more sacred? 23

26 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: Date of Reconciliation: Answer one or more of the following: By seeing the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a way to repair the breaks in relationship with each other, the Sacrament is more than just focusing on what to say or do (i.e. prayers, and actions) when confessing your sin to a priest. How does this particular experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation show you that this is more about repairing this relationship with the community? 24

27 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Retreat Experience: Date of Retreat: Answer one or more of the following: The word retreat literally means to pull back, how did this retreat experience allow you the chance to pull back? What did you pull back from? How did this pull back allow you to focus on other areas of life? Retreats allow us the chance to grow in relationship/friendship with each other, how did this retreat introduce you to other people you may not have known before? How did you truly grow in what it means to be a friend? Retreats also allow us the chance to grow in relationship with God, how did you grow in your understanding of who God is in your life? How did you grow in relationship with God through this retreat? 25

28 Personal Prayer Background: Every person s prayer life is as unique as every individual. Thus, there are many ways we can personally pray. One form of prayer may feel comfortable to you, while it is not comfortable for someone else. The challenge then is to find our own way to pray. The hope of this section is to begin reflecting on this personal process of prayer. Examples of Personal Prayer (the list is endless, but here are a few examples): Prayer before a test Prayer for a sick friend or family member Reflecting on scripture Meditation Praying the Rosary Prayer before bed or when you wake up Personal prayer before a meal (even at a restaurant) Resources to Explore for more ideas and prayer forms: Sacred Space prayer Creighton University Daily Prayer Daily Liturgy of the Hours Prayers from Around the World Pray-as-You-Go Prayer podcasts Find a prayer app on your smartphone St. Anne s Prayer Chain Journal Entries: For all of the following journal entries, feel free to answer any of the following: 1. How is your personal prayer life? Do you pray at all? Do you see the value in personal prayer? Why or why not? How can you grow in prayer? 2. When we pray for others (family, friends etc.) we turn our worries to God. How has prayer challenged you to surrender and trust God during this situation? How does this show you all things are in God s time, not ours? 3. The tradition of our Church shows us a treasury of many prayers and prayer forms. What has become your favorite prayer or prayer form? How have you grown in your prayer life by experiencing some of these many different forms? 4. Create your own question and answer it. 26

29 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Personal Prayer Experience #1: Type of prayer form: Date of prayer experience: Journal question I have selected (from above): 27

30 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Personal Prayer Experience #2: Type of prayer form: Date of prayer experience: Journal question I have selected (from above): 28

31 PRAYER AND WORSHIP VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Personal Prayer Experience #3: Type of prayer form: Date of prayer experience: Journal question I have selected (from above): 29

32 Vital Sign #4: Church Community If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. You are the Body of Christ, each one of you is a member of it. (I Corinthians 26:27) The Candidate needs to demonstrate that he/she has strong friendships with other believers and is an active part of the Christian community. Earlier, the experiences related to the Service component were defined as experiences of helping those outside the parish community, experiences of involvement within the community beyond Sunday Eucharist would be appropriate for this part of the Journal. Vital Signs Journal Minimum Expectations Parish Life At least three experiences of participating in events organized by the parish. (ex.: attending any event organized through the office of Youth Ministry, or any other parish organized event) Sponsor Relationship At least one experience of sharing your journal with your Sponsor. We ask that the Sponsor add his or her reflections on the experience in the Journal entry. Broader Christian Community At least one experience of Christian community not organized by the parish. (ex. consoling a friend in distress, helping a friend make a difficult decision or a late night heartfelt conversation with an older relative) 30

33 CHURCH COMMUNITY VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Parish Life Answer any of the following: Big events at St. Anne s Parish (like Polka Fest, Fish Fries, the celebration of the feast of St. Anne in July) have been around since the parish was founded in How does this event show you the rich history St. Anne s celebrates? How do you see yourself, as a teenager, as a part of the greater parish community? Do you feel respected as a teenager in this parish? Why or why not? How do you see the offerings by the office of youth ministry as a way to grow your involvement? How did it feel working together at parish events with other parishioners that are both older and younger than you? Parish Life Record #1 Date of Experience: Name of event or experience: 31

34 CHURCH COMMUNITY VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Parish Life Answer any of the following: Big events at St. Anne s Parish (like Polka Fest, Fish Fries, the celebration of the feast of St. Anne in July) have been around since the parish was founded in How does this event show you the rich history St. Anne s celebrates? How do you see yourself, as a teenager, as a part of the greater parish community? Do you feel respected as a teenager in this parish? Why or why not? How do you see the offerings by the office of youth ministry as a way to grow your involvement? How did it feel working together at parish events with other parishioners that are both older and younger than you? Parish Life Record #2 Date of Experience: Name of event or experience: 32

35 CHURCH COMMUNITY VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Parish Life Answer any of the following: Big events at St. Anne s Parish (like Polka Fest, Fish Fries, the celebration of the feast of St. Anne in July) have been around since the parish was founded in How does this event show you the rich history St. Anne s celebrates? How do you see yourself, as a teenager, as a part of the greater parish community? Do you feel respected as a teenager in this parish? Why or why not? How do you see the offerings by the office of youth ministry as a way to grow your involvement? How did it feel working together at parish events with other parishioners that are both older and younger than you? Parish Life Record #3 Date of Experience: Name of event or experience: 33

36 CHURCH COMMUNITY VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Sponsor Relationship Answer one of the following: Who have you chosen as your sponsor and why? What do you admire in him/her? What can he/she show or teach you about growth in faith? In sharing the journal with your sponsor, what was the conversation like? What was his/her reaction to the experiences you shared? Date of Experience: 34

37 CHURCH COMMUNITY VITAL SIGN EXPERIENCE RECORD Broader Christian Community Answer one of the following: How have you been able to put your faith into practice with/to others besides attendance at Mass? Do you have friends or relatives who are not Catholic? Does their perspective challenge you in your faith life? How do you personally respond to these challenges? Date of Experience: 35

38 Journal Summaries In preparation for your Vital Signs Journal sharing sessions, your primary task is to first review all of your completed Vital Sign Experience Records and create a final summary reflection focusing on one experience for each of the four Vital Signs. These are what will be shared in the vital sign journal sharing sessions in spring of your sophomore year, so be very thoughtful and complete in your reflection. Do not worry about length. Quality and depth of reflection, instead of quantity is what your small group leader will be looking for. Here is how you can approach each reflection: After reviewing your journal entries for each vital sign, choose the most meaningful experience you have recorded in your journal for that vital sign. Keep in mind meaningful does not necessarily mean the most fun or exciting. Perhaps the most meaningful experience made you feel uncomfortable. God stretches us in these challenges of life and in the end, we can see how we were opened and changed for the better through these challenges. Literally flash back to that experience and jot down some more thoughts/notes on that experience on a separate piece of paper: o Why was it meaningful? o Who was there? o What memories stick out to you the most? o How has God shaped you through this experience? On a separate piece of paper (or drawing, however you can best express your summary reflection) write out or type your reflection summarizing each vital sign For each of the four Vital Signs choose one of the reflection questions listed below and express it as thoroughly and best as you can. Be creative and free in your expression! Alpha and Omega sketch by: Austin Kraimer (Confirmed at St. Anne s, 2010) 36

39 Service 1. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus says what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me (vs. 45) Read the whole passage listed and reflect on the following. a. How have you seen or experienced the poor and the naked, imprisoned, sick etc. through your service experiences? How does your service experience, in light of this scripture passage, shed new light on how you have served Jesus in your service? b. Does serving others really serve Christ? Why/why not? OR 2. Choose your own passage in scripture and reflect on it in light of your service experience. a. Passage I chose: b. Why I chose it (these few lines are NOT your reflection ): OR 3. Write your own question and answer it for your reflection. Knowledge 1. In 1 Timothy 4:6-16, Paul says to Timothy: Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity (vs. 12). Read the whole passage listed and reflect on the following. a. How have grown in your own example of faith through your formation in the faith? Do you feel that others look down (have contempt) on your experience or witness of faith because you are young? If so, how can you change the way you are perceived? b. In your vital sign experience, who was an example of faith for you in your faith journey? How does his/her example challenge you to personally grow in faith? OR 2. Choose your own passage in scripture and reflect on it in light of your service experience. a. Passage I chose: b. Why I chose it (this is NOT your reflection ): OR 3. Write your own question and answer it for your reflection. 37

40 Prayer & Worship 1. In Matthew 6:9-15, and in Luke 11:1-8 Jesus teaches his disciples the Lord s Prayer and other teachings on prayer. First choose either Matthew s or Luke s version, then read the whole passage listed and reflect on the following: a. All too often we ramble through the Lord s prayer as if it is just another thing to do. How does reading it the way Jesus taught it to the disciples change your perspective? How is your experience of prayer challenged? Why/why not? b. How does the Lord s Prayer and all of the other teachings Jesus did for prayer in these passages shed new light on the Prayer and Worship Vital Sign you are reflecting on? OR 2. Choose your own passage in scripture and reflect on it in light of your service experience. a. Passage I chose: b. Why I chose it (this is NOT your reflection ): OR 3. Write your own question and answer it for your reflection. Church Community 1. In Acts 2:42-47, it says that the community of believers held all things in common, and they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area. Read the whole passage listed and reflect on the following. a. How does the image of the Christian community seen here, relate to your own experience of the modern-day Christian community? What examples in your personal experience best relate to what is told in this passage? b. How does your vital sign experience reflection relate to the Christian community portrayed here? Why/why not? OR 2. Choose your own passage in scripture and reflect on it in light of your service experience. a. Passage I chose: b. Why I chose it (this is NOT your reflection ): OR 3. Write your own question and answer it for your reflection. 38

41 Notes: 39

42 Confirmation Name Selection Form The name I have chosen as my Confirmation name is: I have chosen this name because: Please print your full name, as it will appear in the Confirmation program: First Middle Confirmation Last Candidate Signature Date Parent/Guardian Signature Date If Choosing a Confirmation name, simply tear this form out of your journal and return to the Faith Formation office ON TIME ( ) as indicated in your immediate Confirmation preparation schedule. 40