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Matt26
Guest
I forgot to do my service hours and it’s seems that these service hours are required for confirmation where I am.
What would happen if I didn’t do my service hours for confirmation?
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edward_george1
Guest
No one here can answer that for you. Speak to the leadership in your parish.
-Fr ACEGC
-Fr ACEGC
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PetraG
Guest
The chances are that if it is an honest mistake you will have a way to make up the failure. Talk to someone as soon as possible. The point is to make certain you are well-disposed to recieve the sacrament, not to make you “earn” it. (Kind of like a coach requiring weight-lifting or running to build muscles and “dispose” you to be able to play a strenuous sport, not a matter of making you “earn” confirmation in the way you earn a salary or a diploma.)
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Beryllos
Guest
Just curious here. How many hours are you required to serve? How many days are there until Confirmation in your parish? Are there not still opportunities to fulfill the requirement?
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po18guy
Well-known member
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Shorter_name
Guest
I’m a bit “confused” by your question, so I have a few of my own:
How many hours do you need to complete?
Were you not made aware of these hours when you first began this portion of confirmation?
When is the ceremony?
When did you begin this process?
My personal opinion is that this journey should be taken seriously, not easily forgotten. Many will likely disagree with me in that if you agree to commit to being confirmed, you need to commit to what is required of you. A catecheumen going through RCIA cannot receive the sacraments if they forgot to attend classes regularly.
I have heard parents complain that the parish is asking confirmands to make too many commitments with having to achieve x amount of service hours because " these kids are already so busy with sports, dance, and other activities." I have heard kids “don’t have time to fit extra hours into their schedule. Isn’t it enough that they go to class once a week?”
Another personal opinion: there are 168 hours in a week. 1 hour is for attending Mass. 56 for sleeping, 48 are spent in school, add 15 for homework(I’m being generous as I do not know the magnitude of the workload and I have heard parents say that homework takes up most of their childs time on the weekend especially if they attend early college, but my oldest is only in middle school so I am not a high school workload expert.)
This leaves 48 for everything else. If you take 15 minutes from each day. 15 minutes away from time spent online, you give yourself 7 hours a month. 7 hours devoted to your service hours.
Typically a confirmation program runs from September-May, depending on the Bishops schedule of course. That is 9 months. If you are giving, at minimum 7 hours of service a month, 63 hours(lets say 56 since most Confirmation Directors/DRE’s have a deadline for service hours) is well over your typical requirement for service hours. Again, this is strictly my opinion and not at all meant to be the be all, end all.
Ultimately, I say speak to your Director of Confirmation/DRE and if need be, your priest.
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tafan2
Guest
Oh how I hate how parishes handle confirmations these days. First of all, it is administered way too late in life. It is treated as an rite of passage to adulthood. Then they add on all of these requirements, eg service hours, and are effectively teaching the kids that sacraments have to be earned.
I have taught middle schoolers confirmation prep classes under these systems, and that is exactly how it goes: do this, do that, do this or we won’t confirm you. Then its up to the teacher to try to convince the kids that the sacraments are a free gift from God.
I have taught middle schoolers confirmation prep classes under these systems, and that is exactly how it goes: do this, do that, do this or we won’t confirm you. Then its up to the teacher to try to convince the kids that the sacraments are a free gift from God.
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Horton
Guest
I am a DYM and have given up on service hours even though parents continually tell me their kid did this or that so they should get “credit” for it. Instead we do group service projects that I plan and benefit the parish. The students are required to figure out how to accomplish the task but ultimately I have the final say on how it gets done. The parents are responsible for helping the kids get it done.
There are requirements to be met, but we are not permitted to withhold the sacrament. It can be delayed due to a student not being properly prepared but not withheld.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Ask what will meet this req.
Every parish I know of gives ample opportunities for service hours.
Every parish I know of gives ample opportunities for service hours.
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Matt26
Guest
So my confirmation is October 5th and I had all of summer vacation to do it, I know there’s no excuse to have not done my service hours during the vacation, but I honestly forgot. I had to do 24 hours, 5 hours of those 24 had to be service in the Church, 5 hours for family, and the rest anywhere.
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Shorter_name
Guest
So my questions are then:
Is there anything you did over the Summer that can be counted towards these?
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TheLittleLady
Guest
So, you call the soup kitchen or humane society and say “I am yours this Saturday and next Saturday for 6.5 hours each day”.
You do 5 hours of housework for your family, then 5 hours helping the custodian at Church clean up after Sunday masses.
You do 5 hours of housework for your family, then 5 hours helping the custodian at Church clean up after Sunday masses.
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Vico
Guest
Ask if you can commit to do 19 hours for the parish after confirmation.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
That depends on the parish. I have seen kids denied Confirmation over incomplete service hours.
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paperwight
Guest
All this talk of service hours is very surprising to me here in the UK. There is no such requirement here. In fact in my archdiocese the children are only 8 when they are confirmed, so it wouldn’t be ight to impose it anyway.
Is it imposed by the Bishops in the US?.
Is it imposed by the Bishops in the US?.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Diocese vary. Some have Restored Order, so, 8 year olds receive Confirmation. Some withhold until high school.
Good article here
jenniferfitz.com
Good article here
Confirmation as a Near-Baptist Experience
As promised, up at the Register: Is Your Parish Bogged Down in a Pay-to-Pray Evangelism? Feedback on this topic has been about 90% AMEN from people who have lived the experience of getting priced o…
jenniferfitz.com
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Horton
Guest
This whole post is offensive to those of us who actually do the work of preparing youth for confirmation. You, and the writer of the article make huge assumptions of what confirmation prep really is.
Confirmation is absolutely a free gift from God, but just like baptism and first communion, those who receive it should know what it means. To suggest that confirmation prep is a series of check lists just shows the ignorance of those who believe that to be the case.
Confirmation is absolutely a free gift from God, but just like baptism and first communion, those who receive it should know what it means. To suggest that confirmation prep is a series of check lists just shows the ignorance of those who believe that to be the case.
You may have your opinion on when confirmation should be done but at the end of the day, it is up to each diocese to decide when and I will listen to my Bishop on the matter rather than some poster on the internet.
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PatK63
Guest
@Matt26
Most moms will herd their child into getting it done. Obviously your mom left it up to you which is good. You failed but you also learned something, I hope. Next time you have a task to do make a written plan on how you will do it. Review your status often. It is also good to ask others to help you stick to your plan. Like as your parents, older brother or a friend. The point is you are in charge!
Most moms will herd their child into getting it done. Obviously your mom left it up to you which is good. You failed but you also learned something, I hope. Next time you have a task to do make a written plan on how you will do it. Review your status often. It is also good to ask others to help you stick to your plan. Like as your parents, older brother or a friend. The point is you are in charge!
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HB11
Guest
When did this requirement begin? I don’t remember having that in the 60’s. I just remember being prepared for the Priest to ask us questions.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Varies from Diocese to Diocese
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