1. CONFIRMATION Level 2 Parent Orientation

2. Why do you want the Sacrament of Confirmation for your teen?

3. Email Address: confirmation@saintkateriparish.org Confirmation Website: www.skconfirmation.org New Website Coming Summer 2015 www.skym.org Confirmation Office Phone Number: 661-296-3180 Ext 7908

4. The Goal for Confirmation Preparation is Discipleship Discipleship means to make a conscious decision to follow Jesus in the midst of His church and to direct one’s life with this always in mind. In other words, our goal is to help the teens served by High School Confirmation develop a personal relationship with Jesus that affects how they live their life on a daily basis.

5.  The Confirmation Sacrament is a celebration of our faith in the Holy Spirit. It completes the baptismal graces. The graces received through this Sacrament are intended for individuals wanting to serve through Evangelization, sharing Christ with others, and Martyrdom, dying to self for others and Christ.  High School Confirmation Prep is intended to bring about conversion in the hearts of teens so they see Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life and therefore come to the Sacrament with hearts properly disposed to receive it.

6. Catechesis The Goal of Catechesis is to bring about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Saint Kateri High School Confirmation will continue to use the CHOSEN curriculum with this goal in mind New goal is to play the CHOSEN videos in the small group spaces instead of the Hall so facilitators can use as it was intentionally designed. www.AscensionPress.comwww.AscensionPress.com Leader Guide available to check out or view in the Confirmation office & DVD’s available to view in Confirmation office Lessons #’s covered in L2 are: 13 Holy Spirit, 14 Confirmation, 15 Mass, 16 Marriage, 17 Holy Orders, 19 Saints, 22 Chastity Students to bring CHOSEN guide (use the same one for all 2 years) & bibles to regular Sunday 4pm Sessions-replacement of CHOSEN guide is $20 Bibles are $5 Parent & Sponsor Guides from CHOSEN are excellent resources and provide “Conversation Starters” Parent Guide $10 --- Sponsor Guides $9

7. Scripture  Students each received a personalized copy of the New American Bible during Level 1  Same version of Scripture that is read at mass  Facilitators will guide the candidates during small group time on how to find the readings they will hear at mass in their bible

8. Format of Regular Sunday Sessions Approximately 2 Sunday sessions per month Teens report to small group space by 4pm promptly May be dropped off as early as 3:45pm Small groups will view videos together & discuss Mass 5:30pm-teens go to Mass with their small group Families invited to sit with teen’s small group for Mass to help create & build community within small groups Parent must email facilitator or send a note with teen if their teen is not attending Mass that day and pick their teen up before Mass begins at 5:30pm

9. Small Group Structure Remains the Same as Last Year  Adult Facilitator  Confirmed Teen Peer Leader  8-9 Teen Candidates

10. Additional Elements  Saint Report due 1 st day back—Sunday, August 16  Weekly Mass Attendance  Retreat Experience at The Oaks Camp in Lake Elizabeth January 29-31  Christian Living aka “Parish Life”  Attendance at Triduum masses during Holy Week  Reconciliation (at Penance Services or weekly offered)  Rite of Enrollment Sunday, March 6 (tentative)during 5:30pm Mass  Life Teen always open on Saturday evenings to teens  Discernments March 1, 2 & 3 (tentative)  3 Parent & Sponsor Formation Sessions  1-2 Small group service projects led by facilitator for just their small group  Rite of Confirmation Rehearsal & Mass possible dates: April 29, May 13 or 20

11. Retreat January 29-31  Located at The Oaks in Lake Elizabeth www.theoakscamp.org www.theoakscamp.org  Confidential Retreat Documents due January 10 (If you do not know what these are, PLEASE call or email Confirmation office!)  Luggage Drop-Off Thursday, February 19 6-7:30PM in Hall 3  Retreat Drop-Off on Friday at 5pm in the Hall 123  Teens will be provided with pizza dinner before leaving  Buses will load at 6pm  Luggage pick up available at the Labyrinth at 1:30pm  Buses will return with the teens at St Kateri about 2pm  Wrap-Up Session for Teens & Families & Sponsors immediately after in the Church-about 45 minutes

12. Main Goals for Level 2 Retreat  Teens recognize that Heaven is their home and the Church is always their “home away from home”  Teens recognize Who Jesus is and the effect of His sacrifice  Teens recognize through the crucifixion the depth of love that Jesus has for them  Teens provided multiple ways to respond to Jesus’ through Confession, Intercessory Prayer, Personal Prayer in Adoration and/or written letter to Jesus

13. The goal of “Parish Life” (aka Christian Living) is to help our teens find a place in the parish where they are valued, can share their gifts and/or grow their faith  Reflections for 5 Christian Livings due Aug 1, 2015  Teens are asked to join a St. Kateri ministry for L2  Complete list of ministries available on Parish Life page of website by August 15  Teens pick a ministry that fits their interest, gifts & schedule  Teens must commit to a ministry directly to the person in charge of that ministry by Sept 6 AND inform their facilitator at Sept 6 session  May be a ministry they serve in or a ministry that serves them  Teens to visit Spiritual Growth Fair w/a parent after any Mass on August 23 to help find a ministry

14. One Example of Christian Living :  Jr. High Edge Peer Leader:  Commitment: Either 1 st Session (Oct through Dec) or 2 nd Session Jan through March)  Attend a Training Session: Sept or Jan  Description of duties: Peer leaders will be assigned to a group of students with an adult facilitator. They will be participating in group activities such as icebreakers games, skits and promoting discussion within the group by sharing, encouraging jr high students to participate. Peer leaders are to lead by example with enthusiasm and their love for Christ. May also use their gifts by sharing their faith in large group catechetical talks or music if they feel called to do so  # of available spots: 15 per session (30 total spots)

15. Other Possible Examples: (we are working on making them happen!)  Music Ministry  Life Teen Bible Study  Respect Life Ministry  Family Ministry  Religious Ed Classroom Assistant  Little Church Classroom Assistant  Children’s Ministry of the Word during 10:30 mass  Altar Serving  Ushering  Special Liturgy Preparation  Hospitality

16. Triduum Masses during Holy Week  Beautiful masses with great significance to our faith  Only happen 1 time per year  Attend with a parent and/or sponsor  March 24 7-8:30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper with washing of the feet  March 25 at 1pm or 7:30 pm Good Friday Service includes Veneration of the Cross

17. Reconciliation  Teens will be encouraged to attend often throughout Level 2  Participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once during L2 is necessary to be prepared to receive Sacrament of Confirmation  Assists the heart to be properly disposed to receive the Sacrament  Teens may attend Reconciliation during an Advent Penance Service, Lenten Penance Service or any of the Confession times offered weekly at local parishes (SK: Sat 3:45-5pm, OLPH Sat 8:45-10am & 3:30- 4:15pm, St. Clare Sat 9:30am & 4:30pm)

18. Rite of Enrollment  Rite of Enrollment during Sunday 5:30pm Mass on March 6 (tentative)  Sponsor presence requested as they are part of the rite  A parent may stand-in for a sponsor for rites only, not the Rite of Confirmation Mass  Opportunity for candidates to make a public commitment of their desire to receive the Confirmation Sacrament  Opportunity to connect candidates to the wider parish community and for the parish community to show their loving support  Parents and Sponsors invited to session with Fr. Albert in the Hall at 4:15pm on March 6  Sponsors retrieve their teen candidate from small group at 5pm and then find seat together in the Church

19. Discernments  Designed to help Confirmandi in their preparation process to discern God’s plan for them, where they are in their relationship with Jesus and their desire to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation  Scheduled in 20 minute intervals on March 1, 2 & 3 (tentative)  Occurs earlier this year than last

20. Confirmation Saint  Teens encouraged to find a saint that inspires them personally  Teens are to complete a saint report about their saint over the summer between Level 1 and Level 2 Check website for requirements  Teens received instructions for the report at their L1 Discernment  Bishop will use their saint name during conferral of the Confirmation Sacrament  Saint Name goes on their certificate  A special handout will be given at the Confirmation Mass with a sentence by each teen sharing how their patron saint inspires them

21. Choosing a Sponsor  The best sponsor is someone that is truly excited about their Catholic faith and wants to share it with your teen  Must be 16 years old and a Confirmed, practicing Catholic  May be male or female  May not be a parent  Must be eligible to receive the Sacraments and expected to receive Holy Communion at the Mass of Confirmation  Sponsors are asked to commit to being in regular contact (weekly ideal) with their candidate so they can share their faith, answer questions and discuss the Confirmation journey. Text, skype, email, snail mail, social media, phone calls, etc are all valid avenues for regular contact  Sponsors are asked to commit to attending 3 Parent & Sponsor Formation Sessions  Sponsor guides from CHOSEN are available for purchase through the Confirmation office  Must have Sponsor name and contact info to register for Level 2

22. Life Teen  The most prolific youth ministry in the Catholic Church  Life Teen is separate from Confirmation but open to all Confirmandi  Teens can bring their friends, all high school students are welcome- Catholic or not  Participation in Life Teen is highly encouraged!  Leads teens closer to Christ by participating in lively youth masses and offering a fun, teen-centered community in which to grow in faith  Saint Kateri Youth Mass is every Saturday at 5:30pm  Following the Youth Mass, Life Teen ministers and CORE members lead “Life Nights” that start with a yummy dinner  Life Nights Themes are either faith-building, social or deal with current teen issues  Is a drop in program, after registering for the first night of attendance teens are welcome to come as often or as little as works for them  2 Inspiring retreats offered each year, one in the summer & one in the winter July 24-26 & January 8-10  Current 8 th graders are eligible to attend Life Teen Retreat this July  Check out their website for more info: www.bkym.org or the Life Teen International site www.lifeteen.comwww.bkym.org

23. Confirmation Preparation is a Family Journey  Parents asked to commit to attending 3 Parent & Sponsor formations and weekly Mass with their teen, including Sunday 5:30 on regular Confirmation session days  Parent and family members’ attitudes greatly affect their teen’s experience  Confirmation Prep L2 provides the time and space for teens to explore and understand how life as a disciple is lived so they can respond to Jesus’ call personally.  This invitation and opportunity to make faith in Jesus and His Church their own will only be effective if your teen is supported by you prayerfully, vocally and physically  Momentum/frequent participation, is crucial to growth in faith and understanding therefore regular attendance needs to be a family priority  Regular attendance is also necessary for small group community

24. Parent & Sponsor Formation  Please attend at least 3-the first will be:  1. Sunday, September 27 7-8:30pm in the Church: 1 st night of parish wide series “Liberate”  Designed to encourage conversations & interaction with your teen as well as inspire parents & sponsors  Teens check-in with facilitator 15 minutes before event start & introduce parent/s & sponsor to facilitator to help encourage community & communication between parent/sponsor & facilitator  If unable to attend night 1 of the series, please attend another evening in the Liberate series on Sept 28 or 29  Out of town sponsors, please check website for other options

25. Rite of Confirmation Mass & Rehearsal  We are assigned a date for the Confirmation Mass by the Bishop’s office, usually by October  Can occur any day of the week between Ash Wednesday & Pentecost  Most likely dates are: April 29, May 13 or May 20- however there is no guarantee we will actually get one of those dates. Could be on a random week night  Rehearsal will be scheduled for about 1 week before the Mass (usually a Friday)  Candidate & Sponsor attend Rehearsal & Mass— another adult may stand in for sponsor at the Rehearsal only

26. The Confirmation Program Needs Volunteers How can you help?  Become a facilitator-this ministry will not happen without facilitators  Office Help (days, weekends or evenings)  Set Up before sessions  Audio Visual help during sessions  We provide training. All we need are willing hearts to commit their time! Please email us confirmation@saintkateriparish.org if you are interested.confirmation@saintkateriparish.org

27. Registration  Online Registration Opens May 6 and closes May 30  Cost is $300.00 – all materials and level 2 retreat costs are included in registration fee  Payable by check to “St. Kateri Church”  Payment plan available but must turn in payment agreement plan with registration paperwork— payment agreement plan is available by email request confirmation@saintkateriparish.orgconfirmation@saintkateriparish.org  Registration is not complete until all signed paperwork and payment have been received  You will receive an email confirming receipt of your payment when the registration has been processed

28. Registration cont’d Items needed to gather BEFORE starting the online registration process:  Sponsor’s name and email  Emergency Contact information  Health Insurance Information

29. How to register  You will receive an email inviting you to register for L2 on May 6 by the end of the day if your L1 account is paid  Click on the link to register for Level 2  Enter registration access code SKCL2 (code is case sensitive, be sure to use all capital letters)  Enter information for any blank fields & make ANY changes you may have—example: change of address, phone, email, health/medical, grade in school, etc.  Click the box to “save” information before submitting to avoid re-entry of info if a required field was missed  You will receive an email confirming your online registration. Follow instructions in that email to complete your registration.  Registration is not complete until we have received the signed paperwork along with full payment or 1 st payment & signed payment plan agreement. You will know we have received it when you receive an email receipt of the payment.

30. Frequently Asked Questions  Are teens expected to attend Sunday 5:30pm Mass? Yes, on the day of a regular Sunday Confirmation session, attendance at the 5:30 Mass with their small group is expected as part of the session. We also encourage our Confirmation families to sit with their teen’s small group to help build community with the other families in your teen’s small group, with their Peer Leader and with their Facilitator. Weekly Mass attendance is expected for preparation of the Confirmation Sacrament. Teens are welcome to attend any Mass on the weekend they do not have a Confirmation session. We encourage all high schools teens to try the Saturday 5:30 Mass whenever they can. Regular Mass attendance is considered when discerning a candidate’s readiness for receipt of the Sacrament. We strongly encourage families to attend Mass with their teen candidate every week.  What if my teen needs to leave early? When there is an occasional conflict, a parent may retrieve their teen early from the session. However, a parent must email the facilitator or send a note with their teen letting them know when their teen will be picked up. If a parent is retrieving their teen from a Confirmation session early, they must do so before Mass begins at 5:30 so our volunteers do not miss Mass waiting for you/providing supervision.

31. FAQ’s cont’d  What if I am unable to afford the $300 registration fee right now? We do have payment plans available. Please email the office at confirmation@saintkateriparish.org to request a payment plan or partial sponsorship application.confirmation@saintkateriparish.org  What if my teen misses a session? Can they make it up? Yes. If a teen misses 2 or less sessions, they have 2 options. #1 We ask the teen & parent read through the missed lesson together in their CHOSEN book & discuss it. Teens then need to write the answers from the “Watch It” section, write a reflection based on 1 item from the “Challenge of the Week” & then turn these into their facilitator or #2 A teen & their parent or sponsor set up a time to come in and watch the missed video & go over the lesson. If a teen misses more than 2 sessions, please schedule a time for parents and teen to meet with the Youth Director.  What if we discontinue during the year, do we get a refund? If the Confirmation office is notified at least 3 weeks before the retreat, we can refund $200. 2/3rds of the registration fee goes directly to retreat costs. The rest goes to material costs that are expended or budgeted for based on the number of enrollees at the close of registration

32. FAQ’s cont’d  How many sessions can my teen miss and still remain in the program? This question would need to be answered on a case by case basis. Humans get sick, grandmas turn 100 and teams earn their way to national championships. In other words, there are certain events in life that are unavoidable or so special that one must not miss them. When important events like these conflict with a meeting time, we ask that you just let your teen’s facilitator know and make sure your teen does the make-up. If a teen misses a session or two, your facilitator will follow up and try to help your family discern if the Confirmation preparation we are offering is going to be able to meet the needs of your family. If your teen will be committing to something during the 2014-15 year that will frequently conflict with the scheduled meetings, we ask you to consider completing the Confirmation Prep at a parish whose schedule better fits your family needs. If you have a unique situation that cannot be solved by attending another program, please feel free to speak with us in person so we can find a solution together.

33. FAQ’s cont’d  What if my teen has to miss part or all of the retreat? Teens need to attend the whole retreat. Arriving late, leaving early or missing a portion diminishes the experience for your teen and the other members of their small group. If you already know your teen will not be able to attend the retreat or might need to leave early, please let us know right away. We may have to ask you to reconsider registering for Level 2 this year. Sometimes we are able to find a place for your teen at another parishes’ retreat, but this is not guaranteed. Also, we do adapt and change the content of our Level 2 retreat based on the specific needs of the teens that are attending L2 so attendance at a different retreat would definitely diminish their experience. Additionally, there is no way to replicate their small group.  What if my teen has special needs? If your teen has special needs, please be sure to indicate it on the registration form. Additionally, please call, email or speak to us in person to bring your teen’s needs to our attention. We do adapt to the needs of the individual teen and the more communication that can happen between the Confirmation team and parents, the better we can serve them.

34. FAQ’S cont’d  What sort of formation or experience do you require of the facilitators and peer leaders? All of our facilitators and peer leaders are volunteers. All adult volunteers are fingerprinted and Virtus trained. We provide training on how to run a CHOSEN small group lesson to both Facilitators and Peer Leaders. Additionally, we ask all facilitators to participate in their own small group experiences to remain growing & active in their faith. We also provide retreat specific training for our Peer Leaders. Our Peer Leaders are high school or college students that have completed their own Confirmation prep in the last year or two.

35. Thank you for attending! Have a blessed evening