Need help lighting the fire in Confirmandi

[Karianne]

Something is afoot in our parish this year that is quite disturbing. We have a crisis in our 7th graders who are preparing for Confirmation, both in our parochial school and religious educ.program.

Among the requirements of those seeking Confirmation, journaling of Sunday homilies throughout the liturgical seasons up until Confirmation day, as well service hours are to be performed and also individual family meetings with the pastor. Nearly half of the families are not fulfilling these requirements…and have no concern to do so. Their lack of interest has totally mystified us this year. In the past, we might have one or two children who have balked the preparation or fell short of it…but we are seriously considering postponing Confirmation for those who are not taking this preparation seriously.
But we wonder if that is even a viable option. We really need some prayers as well as ideas that might jolt these families into realizing the importance and value of this Holy Sacrament.

If anyone has any suggestions, we are very grateful and open!

Oh yes, I do! Go to at least five of the families and find out why from them directly. Sometimes, when both parents work they are too tired to do what is expected of them.
My Confirmation Day was one of the highlights of my life. I’m not sure that it’s essential that the parents be involved though, in my parish we were not even allowed to choose our own sponsers.

 

[puzzleannie]

And I never said all of them. I said almost universally they aim at community building at the expense of the sacraments. I stand by that statement.

Show me that I am wrong in that assessment, and I will gladly retract my statement.

universal is not all? okay if you say so, with this broad expertise, which many of us laboring in the vineyard envy, may I ask why you are not involved yourself in this ministry? May I also suggest we all spend a little time meditating with the Last Supper discourses in John’s gospel where Jesus calls for unity among his followers, yes, and gets involved in some interactive community building. Foot-washing, the original ice-breaker. Yes, among other things, confirmation prep does involve community building.

 

[Santos]

As a Catholic I never really understood the importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation. It was never clearly taught to me. I have two sisters and one brother and all have been Baptized but none Confirmed…

This is how I presented the Importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation to my wife, who is now taking her Confirmation classes and is very excited to receive this Sacrament.

To be Baptized (born of water and the Spirit) is to be born into the New Covenant family of God.

To be Confirmed is a maturity of that new life in the family of God, to be sealed with the “Holy Spirit”, or to be sealed with the Spirit of “Truth”.

Confirmation is also known as the “Sacrament of the Holy Ghost”, the “Sacrament of the Seal”. From the external rite it is known as the “imposition of hands”, or as “anointing with chrism”.

Expain to the parents in detail how the Sacrament is administered by the bishop, and how this very Sacrament is rooted in Sacred Tradition, ever since Aron was anointed by Moses.

At the beginning of the ceremony there is a general imposition of hands, the bishop meantime praying that the Holy Ghost may come down upon those who have already been baptized: “send forth upon them thy sevenfold Spirit the Holy Paraclete.” He then anoints the forehead of each with chrism saying: “I sign thee with the sign of the cross and confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” Finally. he gives each a slight blow on the cheek saying: “peace be with thee”. A prayer is added that the Holy Spirit may dwell in the hearts of those who have been confirmed, and the rite closes with the bishop’s blessing.

Share with parents some writings of the Early Church Fathers, as they saw this Sacrament to be Very Important:

"After coming from the place of washing we are thoroughly anointed with a blessed unction, from the ancient discipline by which in the priesthood they were accustomed to be anointed with a horn of oil, ever since Aron was anointed by Moses…So also with us, the unction runs on the body but profits us spiritually, in the same way that Baptism is itself a corporal act by which we are plunged in water, while its effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from sin. After this, the hand is imposed for a blessing, invoking and inviting the Holy Spirit." —Tertullian (200/206 AD)**

“As Novatian seemed about to die, he received Baptism in the bed where he lay, by pouring - if, indeed, such a man can be said to have received it at all. And when he recovered from his illness he did not receive the other things which, in accord with the law of the Church, it is necessary to have;** nor was he sealed by the bishop. And since this was not done, how could he have the Holy Spirit?**” —St. Cornelius I, Pope (251 AD)

“It is necessary for him that has been baptized also to be anointed, so that by his having received chrism, that is, the anointing, he can be “the anointed of God” and have in himself the grace of Christ. But in turn, it is by the Eucharist that the oil with which the baptized are anointed is sanctified on the alter.” —St. Cyprian of Carthage (254/255 AD)

**Share with parents what the revelation of Jesus Christ says about this Sacrament; anointing: **

The 144,000 Sealed: “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees untill we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal…” —Revelation 7:1-4

Finally, Share with all Parents that we must not fail to fulfill the promises we’ve made to God (at our children’s baptism) in the spiritual growth of our children and godchildren unto the Sacrament of Confirmation. We have an obligation within the family of God to assist the growth of our children and godchildren in their spiritual lives. As adopted sons of God and members of His family, the Church, the baptized must live in harmony with the Family of God. Parents and godparents have promises to provide an example of faith to “help the baptized to lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism, and to fulfill faithfully the obligations connected with it” (canon 872).

The Sacrament of Confirmation:
Acts 19:5-6 - Paul imposed hands on baptized, received H. Spirit
Acts 8:14-17 - laid hands upon them, they received Holy Spirit
2 Cor 1:21-22 - put seal on us & given Holy Spirit in our hearts
Eph 1:13 - you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit
Heb 6:2 - instruction about baptism & laying on of hands

God Bless, Santos

P.S. End Time Prophecy:
"In the days of peace that are to come after the desolation of revolutions and wars, before the end of the world, the Christians will become so lax in their religion that they will refuse to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, saying, “It is an unnecessary Sacrament.” -St. Vincent Ferrer (14th Century) -My Patron Saint

 

[marci]

I was confirmed in the late eighties. I went Sunday nights for two hours. I think that we went eight or nine months, each year for two years, it basically followed the school year . I was lucky the couple that did our instruction were very good (eventhough I may not have appriciated them at the time). There was no journaling, service projects, or retreats, but we did have homework and we were tested. I remember doing ALOT of memorizing, and I still remember some of their lectures to this day.

I don’t have any answers for the OP, my parents were very devout and missing mass and not going to catechism or confirmation classes, was just not something we even thought about. (Eventhough I was by no means a perfect child)

I will say though, that I agree with some of the posts, I think too many restrictions have been made when it comes to catechism these days. I think it is a reaction to the lack of knowledge and faith that is rampent among many catholics today. But, I think that the emphasis on the school type structure is not the answer.

How about making kids memorize things again, like the Ten Commandments, or even the basic prayers? How about giving them the tools to defend teaching, like why we confess to priests, why baptism removes original sin, why we believe in the Immaculate Conception. What good do service projects do to help a young catholic talk to someone about their faith and try to evangelize?

Honestly, I don’t think that learning about the faith so as to be a defender of the church, and to lead others to the truth, has anything to do with modern day catechism. I home school my kids and I use a catholic program that is traditional and the faith permiates all of the subjects, but we have a specific religion class every day. Even my youngest is expected to memorize. My oldest (third grade) knows all of the necessary prayers, the ten commandments, what the Eurcharist is, the Sacraments, Original sin, and so much more I can’t name it all here.

Eventhough he knows much more than the diocese expects for 1st Communion canidates, the local parish priest refused to let him recieve. He said that he (my son) would have to come to catechism classes for two years every Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. (except summertime) anyway because it would not be fair. I was amazed that a priest would refuse the Sacrament to a little boy who was well taught, knew what he needed to know, and attended regular mass with his family.

Eventually, I found a priest who was happy to let him receive, but for awhile I thought I might have to travel out of state to the city where my homeschool curriculum is headquartered.

Somehow I don’t think Jesus would have denied my son receiving Him, but I could be wrong.

 

[netmilsmom]

Marci,
My parish takes homeschoolers. LOTS of them.
The kids have to know the first 50 CCC questions,

That is what should be required of a First Communicant. Whether they were taught by a “Formation” class or Seton Homeschool.

I taught my older daughter out of an old Baltimore Catechism when we were at the happy Catholic Community, to overcome the coloring books they were using.

When we came, midyear second grade, she did fine,

If you son knows, he should not be denied the Eucharist,

 

[marci]

Marci,
My parish takes homeschoolers. LOTS of them.
The kids have to know the first 50 CCC questions,

That is what should be required of a First Communicant. Whether they were taught by a “Formation” class or Seton Homeschool.

I taught my older daughter out of an old Baltimore Catechism when we were at the happy Catholic Community, to overcome the coloring books they were using.

When we came, midyear second grade, she did fine,

If you son knows, he should not be denied the Eucharist,

Hi, netmil(name removed by moderator). I am so glad that your parish is open to homeschoolers! There are many that are, unfortunately, my old parish was not one of them. We do use the Seton program, and along with the regular Religion text, Seton uses the St. Joseph’s 1st Communion Catechism. In our diocese the Sacramental preparation is two years beginning in 2nd grade. Our new parish priest is going to allow my son to receive at the beginning of March, which will basically be the end of his third grade year.

My son did go to a Catholic school for kinder and 1st grade and the diocese allows catholic school children to do their sacramental prep. in 1st and 2nd grade due to the fact that they obviously get more instruction then most kids attending regular public school.

I would like to see more openess in my diocese, but right now I don’t want to rock the boat. I still have three more children to get through communion. I don’t know what I’ll do if my priest leaves before conformation time, but I guess we’ll jump off that bridge when we come to it.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I pray you have a blessed new year.

 

[palmas85]

universal is not all? okay if you say so, with this broad expertise, which many of us laboring in the vineyard envy, may I ask why you are not involved yourself in this ministry? May I also suggest we all spend a little time meditating with the Last Supper discourses in John’s gospel where Jesus calls for unity among his followers, yes, and gets involved in some interactive community building. Foot-washing, the original ice-breaker. Yes, among other things, confirmation prep does involve community building.

Almost universally are the words I used. Is that how you teach, ignore the words and concepts that don’t agree with your aims? I hope not. . Just so you know my good friend, I actually decided to become a catechist. Yep, plopped down the money and took the prescribed courses that the Diocese out here requires. I am a certified catechist and have been for some time Bet you didn’t expect that one did you?? I even go to all the required hours to keep my certification current. I was actually thinking about the Master catechist route, you know something to occupy my time after I retire from the Police. We are at this time, three others and myself trying to put together a program that blends modern teaching methods with traditional Catholic teaching in such a way that the Bishop might accept it for use if not on a general basis at least in the Indult Community.

So I actually speak from some experience in this area. Not as much as you have of course.

I was forced to read Zanzig and Kung and the other reprobates whose ideas and theological theories so heavily influence catechisis these days. I had to sit through the lectures on reconciliation not really being needed if one was truly contrite because the Eucharist in and of itself is salvific or that there really is no original sin because there really wasn’t ever an Adam or an Eve, they are only fables Therefore original sin cannot exist. Do you prescribe to either of those beliefs? Just wondering. Or the really good ones about social justice and if Christ were alive today he would come in the guise of an illegal alien and that the worlds poor are the preferred people of God. Heard it all. had to sit through the inane skits on the glory of the vocation of being single. It was part of the bigger picture you know, everything you do is a vocation. had to hear the speeches from two DRE 's about how for catechisis to be effective we need to be out of the classroom and in the streets, at the homeless shelters, in the garbage dump of Tijuana because that is where we learn what true Catholicism is, not from a book and certainly not from the institutional Church Had to actually attend a so called Missa Corona, you know the one where everyone holds hands around the altar and joins in the consecration along with the Priest? We were taught that is the best way to teach children where their proper place is during the Mass. Not a spectator but as a full participant!!!

But I digress. I’m sorry. Confirmation is a lot more than community building my good friend or even learning that the poor are the preferred people. (ps, not really sure that idea is supported scripturally or by the Catechism, but hey, it sounds good right?) I know it is sometimes, heck, often not taught that way, and many people don’t believe it but community building and helping the poor, while noble goals, are not and never have been the primary reasons for Confirmation.

 

[puzzleannie]

Almost universally are the words I used. Is that how you teach, ignore the words and concepts that don’t agree with your aims? I hope not. . Just so you know my good friend, I actually decided to become a catechist. Yep, plopped down the money and took the prescribed courses that the Diocese out here requires. I am a certified catechist and have been for some time .

I am delighted to hear and and very proud of you for doing so and making your retirement so meaninful, and I bet your parish is lucky to have you. I heartily concur with what you say about many catechist formation courses. I have elected not to pursue a Masters in Theology unless and until I can do so by distance learning at a good institution, because what is available to me is worse than useless, actually dangerous, for the reasons you prescribe. Calm down, boy, I am on your side, I am simply asking that we not make blanket statements about all or most confirmation and RCIA programs, and confine our criticism to those which merit it. It is not helpful for those of us trying to turn the QEII around in our dioceses with regard to reform of such programs to face such a brick wall of criticism that ignores our efforts entirely.

 

[netmilsmom]

I would like to see more openess in my diocese, but right now I don’t want to rock the boat. I still have three more children to get through communion. I don’t know what I’ll do if my priest leaves before conformation time, but I guess we’ll jump off that bridge when we come to it.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I pray you have a blessed new year.

You are one smart Lady! I would do the same.
And a blessed New Year to you and yours as well!

 

[palmas85]

I am delighted to hear and and very proud of you for doing so and making your retirement so meaninful, and I bet your parish is lucky to have you. I heartily concur with what you say about many catechist formation courses. I have elected not to pursue a Masters in Theology unless and until I can do so by distance learning at a good institution, because what is available to me is worse than useless, actually dangerous, for the reasons you prescribe. Calm down, boy, I am on your side, I am simply asking that we not make blanket statements about all or most confirmation and RCIA programs, and confine our criticism to those which merit it. It is not helpful for those of us trying to turn the QEII around in our dioceses with regard to reform of such programs to face such a brick wall of criticism that ignores our efforts entirely.

Advice taken, apology offered and I truly hope accepted. I offer it sincerely. I should not post when I get home from work until I have decompressed for a while… I have always respected your views on this forum.

I wish you and yours a very Happy New Years

 

[lak611]

I was confirmed in the early 80’s. Yes I did have to do a service project. I volunteered at the rectory, helping to sort the church envelopes. I also was required to learn the Catechism, especially the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what the Sacrament meant. Although the service project may not have been directly related to the Sacrament, it was useful for me. I actually liked doing the volunteer work so much that I continued it for the first two years of high school, then it helped me get a job when I turned 16 because it was something I could put on my application, plus the parish secretary was a great reference. It did help me as an adult, as well, since it taught me to become involved in my parish. Currently, I am an EMHC and I volunteer at a mission meal for the poor.