Deanery II-C parishes present an interactive, multi-day experience for H..S. Youth during Holy Week 2025!

Teen Triduum

DAILY SCHEDULE

Holy Thursday, April 17: 5 p.m. to 12 midnight, beginning and ending at the local parish

• 5 p.m. at local parish site (St. Viator site, St. Edward site, Our Lady of Mercy site, and Queen of Angels site) – youth gather with parish leaders for dinner and formation
• 7 p.m. youth participate in the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at their local parish
  buses depart after Mass from each local parish site to meet at St. Viator
• 8:45 p.m. Buses leave as a group from St. Viator as a group for the pilgrimage to other churches
  • St. Vincent de Paul Church
  • St. Stanislaus Kostka Church
  • St. Mary of the Angels Church
  • St. Hedwig Church
  • St. Hyacinth Basilica – pray Jubilee of Hope prayers
  • St. Viator site – end pilgrimage
• 12 midnight – buses return to local parish for pick-up by parents

Good Friday, April 18: 10 a.m. at St. Edward (4350 W. Sunnyside) to 5 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy (4432 N. Troy)

• includes lunch, walking pilgrimage with Way of the Cross along 1 mile of city streets, and 3 p.m. Liturgy of the Lord’s Death

Holy Saturday, April 19: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Viator gym (4175 W. Addison), with evening Mass at local parish 

• includes lunch, witness talks, and activities focused on the Resurrection and preparation for the Easter Vigil
• youth participate with their families at Easter Vigil Mass celebrated in the local parish (usually starting at 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m.)

COST

$20 per youth (Give Central to Queen of Apostles Parish, or by cash or check at your local parish office)

ORGANIZERS

Deanery Parishes and staff cooperating on the event:

• Saint Edward Parish — Fr. Dominic Clemente and Paul Minark
• Our Lady of Mercy Parish — Fr. Tom Byrne, Sister Carol Bredenkamp, seminarian Luke Lato, Carlos Narvaez and Carmen Kelly
• Queen of Apostles Parish (Queen of Angels & St. Matthias) — Fr. Jason Malave, Fr. Michael Mehringer, Joe Rosales and Rachel Hohner
• Saints Viator and Wenceslaus — Fr. Benjamin Arevalos, Sister Carmen Loredo and Miriam Martinez

Please register by Monday, April 14, 2025 (click here to register if the Form below does not load)

“Connecting Beyond Confirmation”

Catechist Summary * Slides * Interviews conclude this week

Icebreaker: Spiritual Gifts Inventory (15 min)

Candidates complete the Spiritual Gifts Inventory to help them figure out what gifts they have to offer the church and the world.

Opening Prayer (5 min)

??? (prayer for peace in Gaza sounds silly now there is a ceasefire)​

Also review nametags for yourself and your Sponsor(s) and initial in the corner that it’s good! 

The Rite of Confirmation (15 min)

We will review the responses and procedures of the Rite of Confirmation using the center pages of last year’s Confirmation Mass program.

• Practice Presentation of Candidates (calling full names alphabetically; candidates, listen for yours and stand at your place!)
• (add slides?) Practice Renewal of Baptismal Promises???
• Practice interaction with Bishop (each catechist, in the place of the bishop, practices dialogue with each candidate)

[Confirmation Name], be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Peace be with you.  And with your spirit.  

Video: It’s NOT Graduation (5 min)

(from the V-Cat Video Catechism)

If you get Confirmed, then be Confirmed and live Confirmed.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGCom6oiMXw)

Discerning Parish Involvement (45 min)

At their tables, students complete the Parish Involvement Questionnaire (parish give and take) to see what types of ministries they may wish to serve in and be served by.

Panel Discussion: Ministry Fair

Guests represent various parish ministries:

• Youth Ministry (Mr. Rosales) — joining with HS-age teens for discipleship, social, and service activities
• Liturgical Arts & Environment (Mrs. Tamayo) — keep the church decorations current for the liturgical seasons and enhance our worship through art that appeals to our five senses!
• Communion Ministers (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) (Ms. Namovic) — share the Eucharist with others by inviting them personally to receive the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass
• Lectors (Mr. Hohner) — proclaimers of the Word and leaders of Prayers of the Faithful
• Music Ministry (Mr. Valentin or Mrs. Peters) — singers and musicians who lead/enhance worship through song
• Children’s Liturgy of the Word (Mrs. Fay or Mr. Briones) — help young children understand the Scripture Readings and to pray in language accessible to them at Masses in English or Spanish
• Livestreaming (Mr. Michaels) — filming the live video feed of the Mass, making it possible for those who cannot come to church to participate in prayer and worship
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Mrs. Peters or Ms. Hohner) — serve neighbors in need by helping at food distributions and school supplies distributions or other projects during the year

Video: What’s Your Vocation? (5 min)

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWxnG-O7OvY)

Reminders and Closing Prayer (10 min)

Closing Prayer 

“Go, Make of All Disciples” verses 1, 2, and 3

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrHmgGJrMI8)

Homework and Reminders:

• Journal pages 55. 56, and 57 for next class
• Retreat 2 with Reconciliation will be this Friday, February 28, at St Matthias site (our final time all together in one room!)
  • Be sure to bring your Bibles, you will need them!   
  • 4:30 p.m. drop off at St. Matthias Gym – pizza dinner upon arrival
  • 8:30 p.m. pick up at St. Matthias Church
• Next week’s class is split, as are all remaining classes in the month of March
  • Track A: Monday, March 3 at 6:45 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall
  • Track B: Wednesday, March 5 and Thursday, March 6 in 8th Grade Religion class

Confirmation Interviews will take place from Wednesday, February 12 Thursday, February 13 to Saturday, March 1, 2025.
***Interviews originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, have been canceled due to expected bad weather and difficult driving conditions during the afternoon hours.**** 

The purpose of the interviews is for our Pastor to get to know the candidates whom he will present to the Bishop at our upcoming Confirmation Masses, and to see how our parish can continue to serve their needs after Confirmation.  It is hoped that these candidates can continue to grow in discipleship, service and connection to the community after their Confirmation in April, and this journey will look different for each young person.  There are 82 candidates, and our Pastor Father Jason is only one person.  So Father Jason has opened this opportunity for other trusted parish leaders — priests, lay leaders, school and RE personnel, and youth ministers — to join in the interview process and help him extend himself to be able to personally interview each candidate for a meaningful amount of time.

Interviews will be scheduled to take about 15 minutes per candidate and will be outside of class time, such as afternoons after school, weekday evenings, and Saturday mornings. While the parent may accompany the youth to the interview location, the interview is intended as a one-on-one conversation for the candidate and the parish leader.  Safe Environment policies will be followed.

Candidates (or their parents signing up for them), when choosing an interview slot (appointment time), please consider these priorities, in this order:

1. When can I actually come for the interview? (Which times best fit with my family’s schedule?  Keep in mind you may need to arrange transport if you are not already on one of our campuses for another activity.)  You being able to be there at the time you choose is much more important than who interviews you.
2. Do I need to meet with an interviewer who speaks Spanish?  (Father Jason and Father Michael speak excellent Spanish, while Mrs. Pacholski and Ms. Hohner also speak some Spanish.)
3. Who would I benefit the most from meeting with, and who would benefit most from meeting with me?  (Is there a particular parish leader I should get to know more because I do not know them really well already?  Or am I very nervous and extremely shy speaking with someone I just met?) 

Please include the full name of the candidate (student) in the “My Comment” field as you sign up. This will help the interviewer to call the candidate by the correct name and not address them with a parent’s name when they arrive.

Please sign up for an interview: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0944A8AD2CA02-54724608-confirmation
(if viewing on a mobile device, you will need to click “More” to advance to see later appointments)

Interviewer Profiles

Photo	Name and Role	Appointments Offered (sign up above!)	Location of Interviews
	Ms. Rachel Hohner is the Coordinator of Religious Education at Queen of Apostles Parish. Se habla un poco español.	Friday 2/14, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (4) Thursday 2/20, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (4) Saturday 3/1, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (4)	Parish Center 4412 N. Western Ave., 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60625
	Mr. Tom Houlihan is the Principal of Queen of Angels School.	Wednesday 2/12, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8) Tuesday 2/19, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (4) Tuesday 2/25, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (4)	Parish Center 4412 N. Western Ave., 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60625
	Father Jason Malave is the Pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish. Se habla español.	Tuesday 2/18, 3:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (11) Wednesday 2/19, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (10) Friday 2/21, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (6) Monday 2/24, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (4) Wednesday 2/26, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (10)	Parish Center 4412 N. Western Ave., 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60625
	Mrs. Karyn McGovern is a parishioner, lay leader and Eucharistic Minister at Queen of Apostles Parish.	Saturday 2/15, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (4) Thursday 2/20, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (4) Saturday 2/22, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (4) Monday 2/24, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (4)	Parish Center 4412 N. Western Ave., 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60625
	Mrs. Anne Medio is the 8th Grade Religion Teacher at St. Matthias School.	Thursday 2/13, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8) Wednesday 2/19, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8)	St. Matthias School 4910 N. Claremont Ave. Chicago, IL 60625
	Father Michael Mehringer is the Associate Pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish. Se habla español.	Thursday 2/13, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (8) Thursday 2/27, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (8)	Parish Center 4412 N. Western Ave., 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60625
	Mrs. Nicole Pacholski is the Principal of St. Matthias School. Se habla un poco español.	Thursday 2/20, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (4) Thursday 2/27, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8)	St. Matthias School 4910 N. Claremont Ave. Chicago, IL 60625
	Mr. Joe Rosales is the Youth Minister at Queen of Apostles Parish and also the 8th Grade Religion Teacher at Queen of Angels School.	Wednesday 2/12, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (8) Wednesday 2/19, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (6) Wednesday 2/26, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8)	Parish Center 4412 N. Western Ave., 2nd Floor Chicago, IL 60625

Parish leaders will be meeting with many candidates, perhaps candidates they do not know.  To make sure they remember each candidate accurately and can connect them to the resources they need to live in discipleship after Confirmation, the interviewing parish leader may take notes during or after the interview.  This is not intended to make the candidate nervous or make them feel judged, it is simply an aid to memory and to give some common structure to the interviews conducted by different parish leaders.
Note-taking sheet for the interviewer’s use, with sample topic headings