Confirmation Prep- Your Opinion

[apostolicfaith]

Right now we are working on ways to improve the Confirmation process. Catholics are more likely to hear about a good RICA experience before they hear about a good Confirmation preparation experience. There is no reason Confirmation prep can’t be more effective. We have already figured out ways to make prayer/devotions and Mass more a part of the program. It would be a program for both public and private school students whose sponsors come with them to class. We have figured out a way to assist those who truly do not want to go through the program at this time.
We are looking for more ways to improve. It was said to me, “Confirmation candidates just aren’t asked to commit themselves to Christ as they should.” Any suggestions on how to add this element?

Any suggestions- things you didn’t like in preparing for Confirmation or things you did like. Maybe even elements you wish were present but were not.

THANKS!

 

[Nickkname]

I didn’t like the heresy my Confirmation prep instructor used. It was for good intentions - in order to get teens to connect with Jesus - but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Basically, she said that the thirty years after the finding of Jesus in the temple was a giant punishment for disobeying Mary and Joseph (“a very long grounding”, in her words), even thought the Church and the Bible CLEARLY teach this isn’t the truth. Also, I hated the fact that my former instructor tried to tell me that Adam and Eve never existed, that they were just symbols or something.

During my Confirmation class I didn’t understand 99% of what was being told to me, because I was so new to the Faith, but, I listened nevertheless and I kept my heart open to the Holy Spirit. Tell your Confirmation candidates to do this - it is the right thing to do.

 

[TheDoctor]

We are looking for more ways to improve. It was said to me, “Confirmation candidates just aren’t asked to commit themselves to Christ as they should.” Any suggestions on how to add this element?!

Two quick ideas:

1. Attendance at Mass is a must. Part of each week could be spent studying the upcoming Mass readings or reflecting on last week’s. Try to engage them in how specifically they see Jesus calling them to be His disciples through His Word - how did the readings or the homily speak to me, or not speak to me, about what I need to do this week to be a committed follower of Christ?
2. Individual or group service opportunities (helping at a shelter, soup kitchen, nursing home, etc.) and group reflection - am I willing to do this if it is not required? Why or why not? How do I see Jesus in the faces of those I serve?

God Bless!

 

[apostolicfaith]

Two quick ideas:

1. Attendance at Mass is a must. Part of each week could be spent studying the upcoming Mass readings or reflecting on last week’s. Try to engage them in how specifically they see Jesus calling them to be His disciples through His Word - how did the readings or the homily speak to me, or not speak to me, about what I need to do this week to be a committed follower of Christ?

God Bless!

what an amazing idea. This helps more than you could know. We have time for a Catholic “lab” after some classes.
Examples: Instruction on Eucharist, Lab=Adoration & Benediction
Instruction on Mary, lab=Praying the Rosary

We only have about 45% of the classes that could ever work to have a “lab” but this helps fulfill the spiritual aspect we were looking for for the instruction nights. THANK YOU

 

[a_pilgrim]

We are looking for more ways to improve. It was said to me, “Confirmation candidates just aren’t asked to commit themselves to Christ as they should.” Any suggestions on how to add this element?

The Sacrament of Confirmation is, in my opinion, the most misunderstood of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Over the years it has had “meanings” attached to it that are not based on theological fact, to the point that many Catholics today believe it to represent a point at which the individual receiving the sacrament is “confirming” his or her own committment to God and His Church. This false belief has become the framework under which many (if not most) confirmation preparation programs have become directed.

Granted, the service hours, class activities, retreats and the like that have become so closely associated with what is referred to as “confirmation preparation” are all admirable activities in and of themselves. They should not, however, be attached to the the sacrament as a condition for its reception. The Sacrament of Confirmation is a free gift from God - no strings attached. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, whereby an individual becomes a full member of the Catholic Church. In my opinion (and the OP did ask for opinions), there is nothing to be gained by withholding full membership in the Church and the graces associated with this powerful sacrament until an individual is well into their teen years.

It is not the individual who does the “confirming” - it is the bishop. In this sacrament, he is “confirming” the valid baptism of the individual and, hence, their full membership in the Church. And in doing so, he seals that baptism with special graces from the Holy Spirit, graces that, frankly, today’s youth can greatly benefit from by having during their early, formative years. Why withhold those graces during a period wherein they are quite possibly needed the most?

In the early days of the Latin Church, the Sacrament of Confirmation was administered immediately after baptism, as is still the practice in the Eastern Catholic Churches. It was only after the Latin Church began to grow that these two Sacraments of Initiation were separated - and then only out of derefence to the bishop’s schedule. The passing of the years seems to have brought with it the lengthening of the separation between these two sacraments, such that today it seems all but forgotten that this is a Sacrament of Initiation, intimately associated with the Sacrament of Baptism. As such, it seems to have taken on meanings that were never intended, most notably that it represents a formal committment on the part of the recipient to follow a life in Christ. And along with this assumed meaning came the “prerequesites” that have come to be attached to the reception of this sacrament today.

Perhaps a valuable first step in any confirmation preparation class would be to educate the anticipated recipients as to the true nature of this powerful sacrament, this wonderful, free gift from God.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

IMHO-
Confirmation seems to take on almost a re-baptism idea. Almost like a “born again” mentality. I think it’s true meaning- a Sacrament of Initiation- is lost.

Do I have ideas for you? No, I am sorry that I don’t. My own Confirmation is something I don’t remember. I mean, I remember it, but it’s kind of lost along with the First Communion.

I LOVE the “lab” time idea. But also, teach the Confirmadi how to prepare themselves for Mass. Go over the importance of the Eucharist with them. Reexamine Transubstatiation. Pull out the Baltimore Catechism and review what it means to be Catholic.

How long is our prep? One year? Two? How often do you meet? For how long? Things like that must be taken into account. Too many Confirmandi don’t understand what they are Confirming (to borrow the neo-definition of Confirmation).

 

[apostolicfaith]

The Sacrament of Confirmation is, in my opinion, the most misunderstood of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Over the years it has had “meanings” attached to it that are not based on theological fact, to the point that many Catholics today believe it to represent a point at which the individual receiving the sacrament is “confirming” his or her own committment to God and His Church. This false belief has become the framework under which many (if not most) confirmation preparation programs have become directed.

Granted, the service hours, class activities, retreats and the like that have become so closely associated with what is referred to as “confirmation preparation” are all admirable activities in and of themselves. They should not, however, be attached to the the sacrament as a condition for its reception. The Sacrament of Confirmation is a free gift from God - no strings attached. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, whereby an individual becomes a full member of the Catholic Church. In my opinion (and the OP did ask for opinions), there is nothing to be gained by withholding full membership in the Church and the graces associated with this powerful sacrament until an individual is well into their teen years.

.

The Catechism and Canon Law both describes a period of time prior to Confirmation where there needs to be proper instruction and a time of prayer. All Sacraments but one have them. They are not necessarily strings but times of formation in which the faithful are prepared. Marriage has prep, Ordination has seminary, Confession has prep and practice, Communion has prep and practice- Confirmation has prep and Baptism does as well. In the Scriptures, baptism takes place after conversion occurs and with infant baptism, the tradition of Mother Church has been to have someone vow to bring them up in the faith. Even now there are pre-baptism classes.
Even all Sacraments require baptism and some require confirmation in order to be received.

So yes, sacraments are free gifts. Not because they dont require formation but because it is not by our merits we receive them but by Christ’s merits. Its a common misunderstanding.

I know that the focus of the Sacrament is not necessarily commitment to Christ but at the same time it is. By commitment to Christ it refers to true conversion and faith which is a necessary and fundamental ingrediant in the God human relationship in which the grace has its context. God offers man grace and this response is faith (C.C.C. 26)

Future references, I know the history of Confirmation and the theoloy of Confirmation and Sacraments in general. I am not upset but I have gotten these explained to me 4 times in one day. I have written books and articles and even given conference talks on the subject and I am well supported by my pastor and bishop. I liked to think my BA in THeology and Philosophy, my certificate in Byzantine THeology and my current work for a MA from Franciscan University, has prepared me well. Thanks for the history and theology lesson. RIght now I am more concerned on helping the candidates who struggle with faith and have no affirmation in the home, no ride to mass etc.

 

[a_pilgrim]

…Communion has prep and practice…

This is not true for all Catholics. There are many Catholic infants who receive all three Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion - in the same ceremony; no prep and/or practice. I stress, these are Catholic infants, in full communion with the See of Peter. These same infants are absolutely free to continue to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion (and certainly do!) from that point on in their lives. Believe me, it’s indeed a special, heartwarming sight to see these toddlers and even babes in arms approach along with their parents to receive Our Lord - certainly brings to mind Our Lord’s very words in Matthew 19:14.

Thanks for the history and theology lesson…

It was certainly not my intent to present my response as a history and theology lesson. I’m neither a historian nor a theologian, and I don’t possess anywhere near the credentials that you’ve shared with us. I’m just an ordinary Catholic guy responding to a request for opinions.

I know that the focus of the Sacrament is not necessarily commitment to Christ but at the same time it is. By commitment to Christ it refers to true conversion and faith which is a necessary and fundamental ingrediant in the God human relationship in which the grace has its context.

All well and good, but I still fail to see where this commitment you speak of is actually tied into the Sacrament of Confirmation. As I said before, it is the bishop who does the confirming, not the individual. He confirms the recipient’s membership in the Church and, in doing so, seals that recipient with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Nowhere in official Church teaching am I able to find the efficacy of those Gifts contingent upon some sort of formal commitment on the part of the recipient, as the general trend in confirmation prep teaching today would seem to indicate. Sure, we’d like that commitment to be there on the part of the recipient, but to teach that it must be there, that this sacrament is all about that commitment, is to artifically alter this sacrament as given to us.

Let me go out on a limb here and ask for a little introspective honesty: Are we perhaps “using” this sacrament as a carrot of sorts to keep our youth involved in the Church? It cannot be denied that many view the Sacrament of Confirmation as a sort of “graduation” from formal religious education - that, once confirmed, the recipients are now “adults” in the Church and no longer children. If this is true, than this is all contrary to what the Church actually tells us about this powerful sacrament, and it is, in my opinion, seriously wrong for us to attach our own agenda, no matter how noble and well-intended that agenda may be, to this God-given Gift.

…I know the history of Confirmation and the theoloy of Confirmation and Sacraments in general… I have written books and articles and even given conference talks on the subject…

You’ve piqued my interest, apostopicfaith! I’m always willing (and anxious!) to learn more, especially from those more knowledgable than me (and there are many! ), and would be interested in reading the books you’ve written. Could you please share with us where we can find your work?

Thank you!

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

RIght now I am more concerned on helping the candidates who struggle with faith and have no affirmation in the home, no ride to mass etc.

I think this should not be tied to “confirmation preparation”. It is something that needs to be done and should continue after Confirmation.

 

[puzzleannie]

I think your instinct is right. Catechetical documents tell us the RCIA model is supposed to be the basis for all sacramental preparation. Begin with inquiry and explanation of basic elements of the faith, esp. the Creed, initial proclamation of the gospel aimed at listeners, sin, the fall, need for a Savior, person of Jesus Christ.

go on to liturgy, Mass, sacraments, what is happening, why, who is acting, effects etc., grace

Christian moral life, commandments & beatitudes, discipleship

Christian prayer and witness (the “service” component of Confirmation prep usually comes under the last 2).

Pilgrim incidentally has correctly described the theology of the sacrament, and the problems that have arisen from incorrect appreciation of that theology.

 

[puzzleannie]

RIght now I am more concerned on helping the candidates who struggle with faith and have no affirmation in the home, no ride to mass etc.

exactly, theology is great but how about practical applications

peer mentoring–in our Jr Hi and HS programs we have children who are coming from 6-8 years Catholic school or CCD with a good background in the faith, solid family foundation and support, and a healthy Catholic identity. yes some of them rebel as teens will, but in the main, a solid bunch. Then we have those who come for 1st year Confirmation prep, who have not been to CCD since 2nd grade, some attend Mass w/family, most do not, and increasingly common, children coming for the first time in middle or HS who have not made first communion and are virtually uncatechized, although nominally Catholic.

We used to “track” so as not to hold back the first group. My thinking has change through experience, and we strategically form the classes into small groups, comprised of both “classes” of children. We let it be know that those who are strong in the faith are expected to be mentors and sponors for others, emphasize community building and faith sharing, and the factor that we come to Christ as a community, formed by Him through the Eucharist. We therefore have a strong Eucharistic focus in all aspects of the program.

Through youth group (not part of CCD), service projects, parish outreaches, and community things they are already involved in, we encourage them to include newcomers in whatever they are doing. Since our public schools have a huge influx of new students every year, we make welcoming in that arena a priority as well, and depend on students to make that happen.

the purpose of service, retreats, any other get togethers are primarily community building and inclusivity, not “confirmation prep” per se. And we have seen gradually an improvement as older teens and young adults continue to function as a community, our parish life in general has benefitted from their example.

 

[TFaith]

**Within our CCD program, we require that the students attend a pre-confirmation class the year prior…giving them two years to hopefully understand what they are going through.

During the first year, depending on the class, we will either review all the sacraments in depth and include several lesson that reflect on prayer (Using the discovery series). If the class seems to be understanding of what the sacraments are, then instead of review for that they will study another program that is about what confirmation is and the gifts that God gives…along with the Prayer program.

Along with this class, we will bring the kids to the city to visit the cathedral. It’s a fun way for them to connect and travel beyond the everyday norm of CCD.

After they complete the first year, they move on to the Confirmation year where the program is mixed with dinner, Mass, community services hours, etc… all that is needed in gaining the full understanding.

My best piece of advice is… connect with these children on a level of trust, understanding, and faith.

If a student can see and feel the energy of a catechist, one that is fully into the spirit of Confirmation, then that alone will have a HUGE impact.**

 

[KathleenElsie]

Two quick ideas:

1. Attendance at Mass is a must. (family should be required to attend also every week and Holy Day) Part of each week could be spent studying the upcoming Mass readings or reflecting on last week’s. Try to engage them in how specifically they see Jesus calling them (personally) to be His disciples through His Word - how did the readings or the homily speak to me, or not speak to me, about what I need to do this week to be a committed follower of Christ? (refuse confirmation if they do no profess to the belief that the Eucharist IS THE BODY & BLOOD OF OUR LORD)
2. Individual or group service (REQUIRED) opportunities (helping at a shelter, soup kitchen, nursing home, etc.) and group reflection - am I willing to do this if it is not required? Why or why not? How do I see Jesus in the faces of those I serve?

God Bless!

IMHO when you have education that does not truly teach the Magesterium of Holy Mother Church then you will not have Catholics that serve God as God should be served. Or how about having other priests and brothers or nuns and sisters come to speak to the youth about how wonderful this choice can be if you are called? The average youth does not know the difference between a brother and a priest or a sister and a nun.
How how about Adoration for the youth? Or how about requiring those that teach and run our programs to be members of the parish they are teaching in. Actions seen by a child are worth a million words.
How about having an adult program the same night and time as the children’s? This way we can teach everyone the CCC.