Confirmation 2018 1
Get Ready for Confirmation! What do you need to do for Confirmation? - Submit a Confirmation Registration Form by the October 9, 2018 deadline. If you don t tell us you want to be confirmed, we won t know. - Finish Grade 8 of Religious Education: either Summer Session 2017 or GIFT monthly program (sessions September 2017 through June 2018; if you miss more than one session it may be the case that you won t be confirmed until the next year). - Select a Confirmation name. This should be the name of a saint or a person in the Bible. - Complete the pages of this journal (See page 13 of this document) and submit it to the Religious Education Office by the March 5, 2018 deadline. - Complete 20 hours of service. See page 7 for Stewardship information. - Select a sponsor. Not everyone can be a sponsor. A sponsor is a fully initiated Catholic (has received Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation) over the age of 16 who can show proof that they are a registered parishioner at a Catholic parish. If the person is married, they must be in a valid Catholic marriage. A parent cannot be a sponsor. The point of a sponsor is to have a practicing Catholic who can vouch for you as you take this final step in joining the Catholic Church. See page 5. - Ask your sponsor to go to their parish and obtain a sponsor certificate. When is Confirmation? We don t know yet. Sometime in Spring 2018. The date is determined by the bishop s schedule because a bishop is the one who confirms. We do know that Bishop Checchio has stated that Confirmation will be held on weekday evenings only. We will be requesting dates in April 2018, but the final scheduling decision is made by the bishop s office. When we know, we will let you know. Where is the Confirmation Journal? It s the last six pages of this document. See page 13. Where do are the stewardship forms? There is one in this document (page 11) but you can always download it from the parish website: churchofthesacredheart.net. 2
CONFIRMATION CANDIDATE 2018 CHECKLIST Due Date Confirmation Registration Form Monday, Oct. 9, 2017 Attendance at Confirmation Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 Candidate/Sponsor Retreat Sponsor Eligibility Certificate Monday, Mar. 5, 2018 Confirmation Journal Monday, Mar. 5, 2018 Attendance at Confirmation Candidate Retreat (and Saturday, Mar. 10, 2018 celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation) Stewardship Hours Forms Monday, April 2, 2018 Confirmation Rehearsal Confirmation Mass TBD TBD by Bishop s schedule 3
Church of the Sacred Heart 200 RANDOLPH AVENUE SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ 07080 908-756-0633 FAX 908-757-5655 CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION FORM Candidate Name: First Middle Last Address: Street City State Zip Father s Name: First Last Mother s Name: First Last (Maiden Name) Family email address: Church of Baptism: Address: Street City State Date of Baptism: Month Day Year Confirmation Name: Sponsor Name: First Last Sponsor s Parish: Parish Address: Street City State (Candidate Please Check One) I attend Holy Savior Academy I attend Religious Ed Program 4
Requirements for Confirmation Sponsors (taken from The Code of Canon Law, canons 874, 892 and 893) A sponsor must be 16 years of age or older. A sponsor must be fully initiated into the Catholic Church, in other words, has received Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. The sponsor must be a practicing Roman Catholic, in other words, attending weekly Mass, receiving Communion and going to Reconciliation/Confession at least once a year. If married, he/she must be in a valid Catholic marriage in other words, married according to the laws of the Catholic Church. A parent may not be a sponsor. This is not an honorary title. The sponsor must actively strive to live out their commitment to Christ and to the community life of the Church. This is a person who will be able to support and direct the candidate in matters of the Catholic faith in union with the Most Blessed Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The sponsor will support the Confirmation candidate both by their prayers and by the Christian example of their daily life. Sponsors are required to provide a Certificate of Eligibility for Sponsorship. This certificate is obtained by the sponsor from the parish office of the Catholic Church where he/she is a registered member. 5
Choosing Your Confirmation Name Wondering what Confirmation name to choose? Consider a saint s name! While you can use the name you were given in Baptism, by selecting a saint s name for Confirmation, you gain the added benefit of having this saint as a patron in heaven who can intercede for you with God! Saints Names for Girls Names Meaning Feast Day Interested Not Interested Zoe Life May 2 Elizabeth Consecrated to God Nov. 17 Victoria Victory Dec. 23 Anna Gracious July 26 Lucy Light Dec. 13 Claire Bright, Clear Aug. 11 Emma Whole June 27 Alice Noble, Kind June 15 Emily Hardworking June 17 Natalie The Nativity July 27 Sophia Wisdom Aug. 1 Alexandra Defender March 3 Saints Names for Boys Names Meaning Feast Day Interested Not Interested Xavier Savior Dec. 3 Robert Bright Fame Sept. 17 Vincent Victor April 5 Jason Healer July 12 Jude Praise Oct. 28 Charles Strong Nov. 4 Patrick Noble March 17 Justin Just June 1 Dominic Belonging to God Aug. 8 Thomas Twin Jan. 28 William Resolute Sept. 2 Aidan Fiery One Aug. 31 Learn more about a saint you re interested in by visiting www.catholic.org/saints. 6
Stewardship Hours When someone joins a religion (and celebrating Confirmation is the last step of initiation into the Catholic Church), they have to 1) Learn what the religion believes (take classes), and 2) Make a good faith effort to practice the religion. The stewardship, or service, hours we require of Confirmation candidates are the way that the young people demonstrate they are making a good faith effort to practice their religion. Service hours are not about showing that the Confirmation candidate is a good person. Service hours are about showing the candidate is a disciple of Jesus Christ. Not every good deed a person can do is about discipleship. The good deeds done in the name of Jesus Christ build the Kingdom of God. We do this through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Corporal Works of Mercy Feed the hungry. Give drink to the thirsty. Visit the imprisoned. Visit the sick. Bury the dead. Shelter the homeless. Examples of What To Do Participate in a walk-a-thon to raise funds to cure a disease fundraiser Collect food for the hungry Help an elderly person by raking their leaves Help in a religious education class as a catechist aide Pray for the deceased Spiritual Works of Mercy Warn the sinner. Instruct the ignorant about faith Counsel the doubtful. Pray for the living and the dead. Bear wrongs patiently. Comfort the sorrowful. Forgive all injuries. Examples of What You CANNOT Do Clean out a closet at home Volunteer at a public school Participate in a town-wide cleanup Tutor a younger student in math Put flags on graves Coach a sports team Work at a concession stand (When in doubt, look at the Works of Mercy!) Notes: A total of 20 hours are required. You can transfer up to 3 hours (and only 3 hours total) from suitable service performed while you are working for another organization, such as the Scouts. 7
You cannot use any hours from a ministry, such as being an altar server or lector. Use the stewardship forms provided in your red folder or found on the parish website. Ideas for Service Parish Events and Needs Knight of Columbus Lenten Fish Fry Dinner Fund Raiser, Fridays in Lent 4PM-8PM School Cafeteria, Contact Religious Education Office to sign up. Special Friends Luncheons - Second Saturday of every month in Holy Savior Cafeteria Noon-1:30PM (check on-line parish calendar for dates) Contact Religious Education Office to sign up. Social Concerns Food Thanksgiving Collection - early November Contact Religious Education Office to sign up. Church of the Sacred Heart Rosary Society - Plainfield Soup Kitchen, 2 nd Sunday of the month. Contact: Contact Sacred Heart Rosary Society OTHER: From time to time the Religious Education office will send out emails with opportunities for service. Watch your email! Walk-a-thons and 5Ks Crop Walk To walk, sign up at church after Masses in October or on the day of the event. You can either get pledges from friends, neighbors and family or simply make a donation to walk. Life Choices, Walk for Life October 7, 2017 Merrill Park, Iselin, 9 am to noon. Watch the bulletin for details or check their website, lifechoicesrc.com World Mission Sunday Walk Third Sunday in October, Watch the bulletin for details. OTHER: The American Cancer Society and many other groups hold walks and 5Ks to raise money to combat various illnesses. There are societies that work on behalf of those with autism and the Special Olympics. All of these are good service opportunities. Family Shelters and Special Needs School Ozanam Family Shelter, Edison, NJ near Busch campus, Rutgers, 732-324-8200 Cerebral Palsy League, Jardine Academy private school for disabled children, Cranford, NJ, thecplinc.org, 908-709-1800 x111 to volunteer 8
Nursing Homes and Assisted Living McCauley Hall Nursing Home, Mt. St. Marys, Watchung, NJ (Sisters of Mercy), 908-754-3663 Parker Nursing Homes and Assisted Living (including McCarrick, Somerset, NJ), 732-565-2411 Whispering Knolls, 62 James St., Edison, 732-744-5541 The Chelsea, South Ave., Fanwood 908-654-5200 Care One, Inman Ave., Edison, 908-754-7100 Note: When contacting a site, ask for the volunteer coordinator. Please note that volunteers are typically scheduled several weeks in advance. Food Pantries Community Food Bank of NJ 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, NJ www.cfbnj.org Help the Hungry in our State volunteer at the Community Food Bank Ronald McDonald House Charities www.rmhc.org Ronald McDonald House Charities 145 Somerset St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 PHONE NUMBER: (732) 249-1222 Elijah's Promise 24 Neilson St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 PHONE NUMBER: (732) 545-9002 x11 Food Resource Information: Elijah's Promise is a food pantry. * Make sure you check by calling the food pantry to confirm that they still are in operation and the hours as the hours have not changed. The Society of St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry 27 Abeel St, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 PHONE NUMBER: (732) 257-7722 Food Resource Information: The Society of St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry is a food pantry. * Make sure you check by calling the food pantry to confirm that they still are in operation and the hours as the hours have not changed. South Plainfield Social Services Department 478 Plainfield Ave, South Plainfield, New Jersey 9
PHONE NUMBER: (908) 226-7625 Food Resource Information: South Plainfield Social Services Department is a food pantry.* Make sure you check by calling the food pantry to confirm that they still are in operation and the hours as the hours have not changed. Fish, Inc. 458 New Market Rd, Piscataway Township, New Jersey 08854, PHONE NUMBER: (732) 356-0081 Food Resource Information: Fish, Inc. is a food pantry. * Make sure you check by calling the food pantry to confirm that they still are in operation and the hours as the hours have not changed. Family and Children's Services of Central New Jersey 153 New St, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 PHONE NUMBER: (732) 545-0366 x13 Food Resource Information: Family and Children's Services of Central New Jersey is a food pantry. * Make sure you check by calling the food pantry to confirm that they still are in operation and the hours as the hours have not changed. Heaven's Helper's Food Pantry 165 Green St, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 PHONE NUMBER: 732-742-8942 Food Resource Information: Heaven's Helper's Food Pantry has been serving those in need for over 5 years. We accept donations of dry goods, canned foods and prepared foods (with a bit of notice). Monetary donations are always a help. Donations are accepted by Heaven's Helper's Food Pantry of Woodbridge. * Make sure you check by calling the food pantry to confirm that they still are in operation and the hours as the hours have not changed. Looking for another opportunity? For more locations in New Jersey go to these websites: http://www.jerseycares.org/ http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgibin/id/foodbank.cgi?foodbank=1292 9 http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgibin/id/cityfoodbanks.cgi?city=edison &state=nj Kids Can Volunteer www.volunteermatch.org Note: In the past, we have allowed participation in Color-A-Smile. However, three hours of coloring is really quite juvenile for an eighth grader. Young people at this age are capable of much more meaningful service. So Color-A-Smile while great for middle school will no longer be acceptable for Stewardship hours. 10
Christian Stewardship Experiences A Catholic lives out the Gospel message through participation in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy (see the attached list). We reach out to others in faithful stewardship. As part of the preparation process for the Sacrament of Confirmation, a minimum of twenty hours of Stewardship is required by each Candidate. The Faith Formation Team recommends several different experiences be included in the twenty hours of service and that these be connected to the Works of Mercy. One Service Activity Per Sheet Name of Activity: Location: Date: Supervisor s Name: Signature: CANDIATES FILL OUT THIS SECTION How many hours were you engaged in this activity? Please explain exactly what you did. How did this activity relate to a Corporal or Spiritual Work of Mercy? Please explain which Work of Mercy you were performing during this activity. 11
Confirmation Prepare-O-Meter Are you ready for Confirmation? Circle Yes or No for each question below. For each Yes answer, color one of the segments of the meter. Start from the bottom of the meter. Have you been baptized? Yes No Ready! Have you received your First Holy Communion? Yes No Almost Ready Do you know basic prayers such as the Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be? Yes No Do you understand what Christians believe, as stated in the Apostles Creed? Not Ready Yes No Are you willing to worship God at Mass? Yes No Are you willing to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ by serving others rather than putting yourself first? Yes No 12
Your Confirmation Journal Now that you have chosen to receive the last Sacrament of Initiation, Confirmation, on your journey to becoming a full Catholic, it is time to reflect on what it is that you are choosing. Keeping a journal is a different special way of praying. It is a time of stillness during which you can discover the action of the Holy Spirit in your life. It is expected that your effort in keeping this journal will reflect both your openness to the Spirit and your commitment to your preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation at this stage in your journey to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. The completion of this journal is a required step in the preparation process. In order to receive credit for completing this step, please return the completed journal to the Religious Education Office by the deadline printed on the Religious Education calendar. (The calendar will be distributed in hard copy form as well as always available on the parish website: www.churchofthesacredheart.net.) Please complete and hand in the following 5 pages by March 5, 2018. 13
Name: Who is God? In the Nicene Creed, we proclaim our belief that God is the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, all that is seen and unseen. We believe in the Most Holy Trinity, which proclaims that God is three Persons in one: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Many people believe many different things about God and find it hard to say what God is really like. Interview your parents, your sponsor, a sibling or cousin, and a friend. Ask them to tell you how they would describe God in as many single words as they can. List the words below. The word used most often was How would you describe God? 14
What Confirmation Means Please write a short essay on the lines below to express your personal feelings about the Sacrament of Confirmation. 15
Choosing Your Sponsor You do not live as a disciple of Jesus Christ by yourself. You live as a member of the Christian community, specifically the Catholic parish to which you belong. A sponsor for Confirmation is someone who has been an example and inspiration of what it means to be a practicing Catholic Christian. This sponsor stands up for you before the community, presents you to the bishop, and witnesses that you are anointed with sacred chrism. The sponsor s influence in your life continues after the celebration of Confirmation because he or she becomes your spiritual mentor. The sponsor is someone you can turn to for help and guidance as you continue to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ in the years ahead. Your sponsor must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church. Who will be your sponsor? (sponsor s name) Why have you asked this person to be your sponsor? 16
Qualities & Characteristics of a Christian What kind of a person is the ideal Christian? And what kind of person do you want to be? Read the qualities below and then check the boxes that apply. Qualities The Ideal Christian The Ideal Christian I Like This Quality Has This Quality Doesn t Have This Quality Courageous Greedy Ambitious Truthful Proud Generous Patient Kind Ruthless Compassionate Empathetic Rude Demanding Gentle Deceitful Angry Joyful Self-Righteous Dependable Irresponsible What qualities do you think are missing from this list? To become a better person, I think I need to 17
Service Self-Assessment Quiz Christian service means more than sharing your talents and interests with others to improve their lives. Any good person has to be willing to help others in need. Christian service means acting as part of Christ s kingdom, announcing and extending His lordship over the earth. Complete the self-assessment below to get some insight into areas in which Jesus calls you to build His Kingdom on earth. What hobbies do you have? What are you interested in but never had the chance to try? Do you have any special skills? o Carpentry o Auto mechanics o Computer repair o Ability to speak a foreign language o Other: If you had a chance to develop a special skill, what would it be? How do you like to work? o Quietly? o On your own? o With a group? o Fast-paced? o Indoors? o Outdoors? What do you care about? Helping people Helping children Helping older people Helping animals Spreading art or music Spreading the use of technology Making things Fixing things Being creative Talking with others Comforting others Teaching others What is one thing in the world that can be really improved? 18