Need Ideas for Upcoming Class

[Alison]

Blessings!
I am going to be leading a confirmation session for those in Grade 8 who will be receiving Confirmation and the Theme for that session will be, “How to be a Good Christian”. This is a really difficult task, I believe, as there are numerous ways in which to be a good Christian :banghead: …but if you have any ideas of how I could lead the session I would greatly appreciate it. My simple question is if you could summarize how to be a good Christian how would you do it? Moreover, what ideas do you have with regards to leading a session that is geared to youth who are to receive confirmation and go into Highschool the following year. Thank you so much. God bless.
-Alison

 

[buzzcut]

Part 3 of the Catechism is titled LIFE IN CHRIST and should give you a lot of useful material.

 

[Madia]

Moreover, what ideas do you have with regards to leading a session that is geared to youth who are to receive confirmation and go into Highschool the following year

Two recommended books are:

catholicbookpublishing.com/ONLINE_CAT/DETAIL/b_detail.asp?IM_ISBN=089942242X&MC_ID=CE

tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/591/keywords/holy,spirit/

They’re both fairly cheap so you can preview them for the class and see if they’re appropriate. The above Catechism gives a good overall summary of the Faith. That way, if some of the class is improperly educated they receive a basic understanding of the Faith and those who already know about it get a refresher course. Although it might have been published a while back (I think it notes that you can only receive Holy Communion once a day unless dieing whereas now you can receive twice if the second time is during a Mass in which you participate) it’s very basic and easy to understand and gives a good summary of the Faith. I highly recommend you check it out.

The second book is a booklet that let’s one learn more about the Holy Spirit which a good idea for a Confirmation class. I’m pretty sure it’s discounted if you order in bulk.

I’d recommend buying one of each and reading through them to see if you think they’d be appropriate for your class.

My simple question is if you could summarize how to be a good Christian how would you do it?

To be a good Christian you simply need to do God’s will. This of course sounds a lot easier than it is since we can’t always know what exactly God wants us to do. However, we should always seek to do God’s will and attempt to do it. Why?

Well, God being all good and all knowing certainly knows what is best for us. To think other wise would be illogical. Now, that doesn’t always mean that we like God’s will here on earth. We may be attracted to sin as a two year old is attracted to the pretty light on and uncovered lamp. However, just because we are attracted to something doesn’t mean it’s good for us. Sin will surely hurt us as that unexposed lightbulb will burn that two year old. Now we might be angry and whine like a two year old who’s snatched away from the lightbulb by her parents before she can burn her hand when we can’t sin since we don’t understand why that sin is forbidden but obviouslly God like the parent of the two year old knows better than us.

No matter what you chose to teach I ask that you bring up one thing that I wish I knew growing up: for confession to be valid you need to confess all mortal sins by kind and (approximate) number (even the embarrasing ones) and have a firm purpose of amendment for your confession to be valid. The Confirmation class is probably around the age where they can fall into serious sin so they might not have been previously told this. It is, however, something every Catholic growing up should know.

 

[Fidelis]

If I understand you right, you have only one session to present this? My suggestion would be to take the following passage to examine and reflect on as a group:

Mark 12:28-34
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” **29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ** 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any question.

Go to the back of the Catechism, find the references that go with these verses, and generate some questions about them. This should give you lots to talk about.