SPX CONFIRMATION PREPARATION PROGRAM YEAR TWO What you need to do to complete the second year of the St. Pius X 2016/2017 Confirmation Preparation Program: Step #1: Register for the Year Two Program by completing the following paperwork (either in hard copy or online), and submitting by September 11 th, 2016. This paperwork includes: o Year Two Registration Form and Registration Fee o Diocesan Youth Code of Conduct o Year Two Confirmation Essay This 250 word essay will address the following question: Why is receiving the sacrament of Confirmation important to you? You can type your answer into the Google Docs, which is posted on the Confirmation page of the parish website. Step #2: Choose a Confirmation Mentor to assist you in your preparation for Confirmation. Your Confirmation Mentor is an individual who will provide you with oneon-one guidance as you prepare yourself for the sacrament of Confirmation. Your mentor must be a confirmed Catholic adult who is active in his/her parish, and one who is not a parent. You and your mentor must meet at least six times in the months leading up to the Confirmation ceremony (in the Spring of 2017). For this reason, it is highly recommended, but not required, that your mentor be local to the area. The scheduling of these six meetings is up to you and your mentor! These meetings must occur in a public setting (coffee house, public library, restaurant, in the Parish Gathering Area, etc.) or, if needed, in your home but only if a parent is present. In these meetings, you and your mentor will discuss the six sections outlined in the Confirmation Mentor
Packet. Each section will include a detailed overview of the topic, an article relevant to the topic, and related discussion questions. Once you have selected your Mentor, you must fill out and submit the Confirmation Mentor Information Sheet to Matt (available online) no later than September 25 th, 2016. Step #3: Join a St. Pius X Parish Ministry or Service Team. A list of Parish Ministries and Service Teams are available on the Confirmation page on the Parish website. To join a ministry or team, you must contact the representative that is associated with the ministry/team at the beginning of the Year Two Program, and ask if you can join. Once the representative agrees, you must commit to the schedule he/she provides. Step #4: Attend the mandatory Informational Meeting on Sunday, September 11 th from 1:00-2:00pm in the St. Pius X Church. For teens and parents, the meeting is mandatory. If you have a conflict with this date and time, you must let Matt know in advance. At this meeting, we will be presenting the Safe Environment Training for teens, which is required by the Diocese of the Albany, from 1:30-2:00pm Step #5: Choose a Sponsor and Confirmation Name, and submit the Confirmation Name and Sponsor Sheet to Lindsey by January 30 th, 2017. The Confirmation Name and Sponsor Sheet is available on the Confirmation page on the parish website. Step #6: Attend the Confirmation Rehearsal and Confirmation Ceremony (dates and times TBD). Optional: Attend our Confirmation Retreat, November Mass and Potluck, and High School Youth Ministry events. Information about these events and ministries are available on the Confirmation page of the Parish website. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General So, we aren t meeting with the entire group, like last year? Correct (well, sort of)! We will not be meeting as a big group EXCEPT for: September 11 th at 1:00pm- Informational Meeting in the Church (open to teens, families, and possible mentors) Confirmation Preparation Mass and Potluck (optional) Confirmation Rehearsal (mandatory) Confirmation Ceremony (mandatory) We will also be hosting a Confirmation Retreat (spots limited), and High School Youth Ministry events throughout the year. Both are optional, and not required for the completion of the Year Two Confirmation Preparation program. Where can I find all of the paperwork? You can download all of the paperwork from the Confirmation page on the St. Pius X Parish website (www.stpiusxloudonville.org), or you can find it in the Confirmation basket in the Gathering Area of St. Pius X Church. (Feel free to ask our Information Hub representative if you have trouble finding the basket!) You can turn in any of the forms to Lindsey by: Mail: St. Pius X Catholic Church/ Attn: Matt Flangan/ 23 Crumitie Road/ Loudonville, NY 12211 E-mail: Confirmation@stpiusxloudonville.org In person, at the parish main office. Why do I have to write an essay? Matt wants to get a general idea of where you are on your Confirmation Preparation journey. We are not looking for a specific answer, so don t be afraid to be honest! Confirmation Mentor What do I do if I don t know anyone who can be my Confirmation Mentor?
First, don t fret! Second, contact Matt, and he can help you find a someone to be your Confirmation Mentor. Matt is also available to be a Confirmation Mentor, so don t be afraid to ask! The person I have in mind for my Confirmation Mentor doesn t meet all the requirements you listed. Can he/she still be my Mentor? Contact Matt, and he can discuss it with you! Can my Confirmation Mentor also be my Sponsor? Yes! I m running into an issue(s) with my Confirmation Mentor. What do I do? Get in touch with Matt right away. He can assist you and your Mentor! Parish Ministry/Service Team How will you keep track of attendance for the parish ministry/service team we join? We have asked our representatives to note the attendance of the Confirmation Prep candidates who are joining their ministry/team for the year. Perfect attendance is not required, but responsibility and communication with the representative is. If you fail to honor your commitment to your parish ministry/service team, you run the risk of not getting confirmed this school year, and having to repeat the Year Two program. I m having trouble contacting the representative for the team/group I want to join. What should I do? Let Matt know, and he will help you get in touch with the representative. I am already part of a service group or team outside of St. Pius X. Can that count as joining a parish ministry or service team?
While we understand that there are many great service opportunities outside of St. Pius X to get involved with, we want our Confirmation Prep candidates to get involved within St. Pius X Parish. Parishioner involvement (outside of attending Mass every weekend) is fundamental to keeping a parish alive! I am already involved in a parish ministry/service group that is connected to St. Pius X. Can that count as joining a parish ministry or service team? Contact Matt, and we ll have a discussion about it! Confirmation Sponsor and Name What are the requirements for a sponsor? The requirements for a sponsor are: Must be at least 16 years old Must be a confirmed Catholic who leads a life in harmony with the faith Must not be bound by any Church penalty Must not be the parent of the one to be confirmed What are the requirements for a Confirmation Name? Traditionally, Confirmation candidates choose the name of a saint, or figure from Scripture, for their Confirmation name. A Confirmation name is NOT required to be confirmed! Confirmation Rehearsal and Ceremony How/When will I find out about the Confirmation Ceremony and Confirmation Rehearsal? The date and time of the Confirmation ceremony will be announced by email, posted on the website, and put in the bulletin when it is allowed to be announced. Due to the diocesan process of scheduling Confirmation ceremonies, we will not know the exact date and time of St. Pius X s ceremony until the Bishop releases his schedule. We will let you know the specifics as soon as we know them.
Other So, I don t HAVE to attend the optional events in order to get confirmed? Correct! While Matt hopes you ll come on the Confirmation Retreat, attend the Mass and Potluck, and/or join High School Youth Ministry, it is not a requirement of the program. For all other questions, feel free to e-mail Matt (confirmation@stpiusxloudonville.org).