1. Confirmation Information
Evening for
Parents & Confirmandi
30th November 2017
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

2. Aims: To understand the Sacrament of Confirmation
and the journey of preparation to receive the Sacrament
St Bedes Catholic Middle School (Academy)
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

3. Opening Prayer: We gather today as a community of faith
in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
We welcome especially the young people who are preparing for Confirmation and those members of their families who will support them on that journey. As members of this faith community, we too, will support and pray for them as they prepare to celebrate this sacrament. We ask God’s blessing on all who are gathered here and pray that our time of preparation for Confirmation may be filled with grace.
Our Father……..
Amen
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

4. The Importance of Confirmation
Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments of the Church.
It is the third of the three Sacraments of Initiation into the Church which are necessary for people to become full members of the Church. The other two Sacraments of initiation are the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist.
Confirmation completes what Baptism begins.
Full members of the Church
Baptism
Eucharist
Confirmation
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

5. This year….
This Academic Year, we have decided to make this opportunity available to Year 7 and for any Year 8 pupils who for whatever reason were unable to make their Confirmation last year.
This will endeavour to bring us a little more in line with the rest of the Diocese who Confirm in Year 6.
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

6. What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?
1285    Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”
..Catechism of the Catholic Church
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

7. Through Confirmation the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are received: wisdom and understanding, counsel and fortitude, knowledge and piety and fear of the Lord. These gifts can help a person to live as a follower of Christ.
Through receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit it is hoped that the Candidate will through their thoughts, words and actions bear the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: Charity, Joy,
Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Longanimity, Mildness, Faith, Modesty,
Continency, Chastity.   
It is a means by which the Candidate publically professes their faith and shows their commitment to becoming a full member of the Church.
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

8. SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION MODEL – FIRST EDUCATORS IN FAITH
In the beginning……..
IDEAL
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION MODEL
The three-legged
stool of the three
Key elements needed
for a successful
Confirmation
Sacramental Programme.
These are;
Family
Parish
Catholic School
– FIRST EDUCATORS IN FAITH
FAMILY/HOME
CATHOLIC SCHOOL SUPPORTING FAMILY & PARISH
PARISH COMMUNITY LOCAL CATHOLIC CHURCH/ ACTIVE AND WORSHIPPING
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

9. From the Catechism:
2685. “The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer. Based on the sacrament of marriage, the family is the ‘domestic church’ where God’s children learn to pray ‘as the Church’, and to persevere in prayer. For young children in particular, daily family prayer is the first witness of the church’s living memory as awakened patiently by the Holy Spirit.”
Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

10. First steps on the journey…..
Some questions to ask yourself before we go any further………
Confirmandi:
As a young person to be Confirmed, what can I do to show my commitment?
What promises will I make on my Enrolment?
What gifts of the Holy Spirit would I most like to receive? Why?
What fruits of the Holy Spirit would I most like to receive? Why?
What special Saint’s name have I chosen? Why?
How may your Family/Parish/School help you further?
Parents and Sponsors:
As a parent/family how will I help my child?
As a Sponsor how will I support the candidate?
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

11. Who helps us on our journey?
The Holy Spirit! Remember to pray regularly as part of your ongoing preparation
and invite the Lord into your journey
He will guide and strengthen you as you take this important step in faith
Your Parents/Carers/Family members
Your Sponsors -
Parish Communities – OLMC Redditch - Fr Tony & Fr Craig & Catechists
St Peters Bromsgrove– Mgr. Graham & Miss Downes
School – Mr Roberts & Mr Payton
Miss Howard-Biggs & RE Teachers
Lay Chaplain – Miss Downes
Archdiocese of Birmingham – Bishop Robert Byrne
You! As a Confirmand you are responsible for the completion of your workbook and fulfilling the promises that you have made on your Enrolment and the daily practise of your faith and regular attendance at Mass.
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

12. The Journey….What happens now?
You decide with your family!
Invitation Letter with Sacramental Programme dates (available this evening)
Enrolment Form to be completed – return to your Parish by 15th December 2017
Confirmation Enrolment Ceremony – Certificate of Commitment - Special Masses in February rd February (Sat) & 4th February 2017 (Sun)
Each Candidate is also asked to write a letter of application to the parish priest briefly saying why he or she now feels ready to prepare for Confirmation and how they intend to live out their faith commitment. This is to be handed in with your Enrolment Form. A template is available.
Attend Sacramental Programme preparation sessions after school x 5 sessions
These will begin on Monday 8th January 2018.
My Confirmation Sponsor – A practising Catholic over age 16 and who has been Confirmed themselves – but NOT an immediate family member; i.e mum, dad, brother, sister. However, auntie and uncle, grandparents, cousins are fine.
Why a Special Name - Catherine, Anthony, etcetera.
Retreat at Harvington Hall in May 2018.
Ongoing – daily prayer, attendance at weekly Mass, providing service to others, going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Conferring of the Sacrament by Bishop Robert Byrne in July 2018
4th July 2018 at St Peter’s Bromsgrove & 5th July 2018 at OLMC Redditch
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

13. Sacramental Preparation Sessions:
These will be held in St Bede’s School on Monday evenings from
pm for pupils who belong to the Parish of Mount Carmel and in St Peter’s Community Centre Bromsgrove for those pupils from St Peter’s from pm.
You will each receive a copy of Confirmed in the Faith and this is at a cost of a suggested donation of £5 per book to be paid at the start of the Preparation Sessions.
Each of the five sessions need to be attended and all chapters of the workbook are to be completed in between sessions. It would be helpful if each candidate owned their own Bible to assist with their studies.
These sessions will begin on Monday, 8th January 2018.
All dates will be posted onto the School Website and
ed out to all parents.
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

14. Receiving the Sacrament:
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be conferred on you in your own Parish church and Bishop Robert Byrne will be the Principal Celebrant and will lay hands on you for you to receive the Holy Spirit.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
St Peter’s Bromsgrove
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

15. A reminder why….. Again, here’s the Catechism:
Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit—in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life.
You are ready with greater spiritual maturity and intelligence to embrace the challenges of life that you will face with humility and dignity in the likeness of Christ.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is rooted in the event of Pentecost: the day upon which the disciples were sent the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus before He died (John 14:15, 14:26, 15:26) and before He ascended into Heaven (Luke 24:49, Acts 1: 4-5, 1:8). It was through the power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Pentecost that the disciples were able to leave the Upper Room and go out into the streets of Jerusalem to proclaim the Good News (Acts 2:1-42).
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)

16. Thank you for coming this evening.
Any Questions……
Thank you for coming this evening.
Final Blessing
St Bedes Catholic Middle School (Academy)
St Bede’s Catholic Middle School (Academy)