Confirmation Requirments

[Cmary16]

I’m about to be confirmed in the Catholic Church, I went on multiple retreats, have done community service, attended all the classes, written and turned in my papers, but I haven’t done church service. According to our teachers, the requirements to be confirmed are that we have to have 10 hours of service to the church and 10 hours of service to the community within the 9 months that we start class and then finish it. Supposedly, we are not allowed to be confirmed if we haven’t completed all the hours or turned in the paperwork, I did my community hours and papers but only half my church hours. I have relatives flying in from Europe to see me be confirmed in two weeks.

So my question is, are they allowed to tell me I can’t be confirmed this late into the classes and is it really a requirement everywhere that I must complete 10 hours of church service?

 

[heathernoel]

Wow. I’ve never heard of such a thing I’m about to be confirmed too, and have never written a paper

 

[Cmary16]

Wow. I’ve never heard of such a thing I’m about to be confirmed too, and have never written a paper

Really? That seems unfair then… shouldn’t there be requirements for all churches? If one starts changing them then it could be argued that some people are “more confirmed” than others, which is never true.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

So my question is, are they allowed to tell me I can’t be confirmed this late into the classes and is it really a requirement everywhere that I must complete 10 hours of church service?

I doubt it. If you’re two weeks away from confirmation I highly doubt that they’re going to tell you now that you can’t be confirmed if they haven’t done so already.

 

[jmcrae]

I’m about to be confirmed in the Catholic Church, I went on multiple retreats, have done community service, attended all the classes, written and turned in my papers, but I haven’t done church service. According to our teachers, the requirements to be confirmed are that we have to have 10 hours of service to the church and 10 hours of service to the community within the 9 months that we start class and then finish it. Supposedly, we are not allowed to be confirmed if we haven’t completed all the hours or turned in the paperwork, I did my community hours and papers but only half my church hours.

This seems like it’s a local requirement - with regard to service projects, it seems as if every parish has different requirements. With two weeks to go, you still have plenty of time to put in that last five hours, though.

I have relatives flying in from Europe to see me be confirmed in two weeks. So my question is, are they allowed to tell me I can’t be confirmed this late into the classes and is it really a requirement everywhere that I must complete 10 hours of church service?

I’m sure they are willing to be flexible - and even if they are going to be strict on the ten hours, it’s more likely that they will suggest some projects for you to do, and make sure you get them done, rather than have you not be Confirmed.

I’m also sure you’re not the only person in that situation - there will be more than one person showing up to the Church office in the next couple of weeks, asking for projects to do - you won’t be the only one.

 

[Catholic90]

My son had to write a paper about his Saint, a letter to the priest why he wanted to be confirmed, do a minimum of 10 hours of service spread over 3 different projects, do 2 additional activities with his sponsor, write a page about his experience with EACH of those activities, have an interview with the priest, and attend classes every Sunday afternoon for 2 hours from late September to Late May.

So, 7 papers were required of him. I seriously doubt anyone actually read all 7 papers from 200 kids. I believe there was a checklist and they were just checked off when they turned them in.

 

[heathernoel]

Maybe I should have prefaced my reply with saying that I’m an adult rec’ving Confirmation. Maybe coursework is part of the confirmation process through your schooling

I’m sorry for the confusion.

 

[Barbkw]

You have 5 hours of service left to the Church, correct?

Can you perform some type of maintence project at the Church?

Vaccuum the carpet throughout the Church for a couple of hours, clean the windows in and out for an hour, pull weeds for an hour, etc. ?

In all, it would take you one evening to get that completed.

 

[Mystrx]

You have 5 hours of service left to the Church, correct?

Can you perform some type of maintence project at the Church?

Vaccuum the carpet throughout the Church for a couple of hours, clean the windows in and out for an hour, pull weeds for an hour, etc. ?

In all, it would take you one evening to get that completed.

^I agree with this advice. You should be able to get in 5 hours of service over the next two weeks, just ask your priest, there’s probably something for you to do.

 

[puzzleannie]

I’m
So my question is, are they allowed to tell me I can’t be confirmed this late into the classes and is it really a requirement everywhere that I must complete 10 hours of church service?

the requirements are set by the bishop of your diocese. No pastor or DRE or Confirmation director may add to or subtract from those requirements, although the bishop may allow the pastor (or his delegate) wide latitude in how to interpret and apply them. Speak to your director tomorrow as soon as the office opens and find out your status.

I never heard of a diocese that has a service requirement for adult candidates, but I have not heard everything, yet.