Queen of Apostles Catholic Parish

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Confirmation Prep – The Gift of Grace

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“The Gift of Grace”

Catechist Summary * Slides 

Gathering (5 min)

Students will have the opportunity to proofread their nametags for themselves (Confirmation Name) and for their Sponsor(s) to be used at the rehearsals and Confirmation Masses.  Draft nametags will be printed by table group.
Track A will also enjoy a bit of convivio or celebration with potluck foods as they carry on their final class together as a group,

Opening Prayer (5 min)

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love.​
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.​
Let us pray.  O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit ​you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
​In the same Spirit, help us to know what is truly right and always rejoice in your consolation. ​
We ask this though Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Read Luke 10:38-42:

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke.  ​Glory to You, O Lord.  ​
As [Jesus and the disciples] continued their journey, [Jesus] entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
The ​Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Icebreaker: Are you more Mary, or more Martha? (10 min)

Groups or pairs will discuss whether they think they share more traits with Mary of Bethany (good listener, able to sit still and be at peace, relationship-oriented) or Martha of Bethany (busy worker, always on the go, welcomes other people, task-oriented).  It is certainly possible that you combine the traits of both (Ms. Hohner has been described by her friend David as “a nice blend of Martha and Mary”).  For those of us naturally more like Martha, how can we slow down and become more like her sister Mary whom Jesus says has “chosen the better part”?

Review: Confirmation (15 min)​

Free response questions – Write answers individually, then share with your group.​

  • In one sentence of your own words, without looking at your book, ​what is Confirmation?​
  • What do you hope will be the result of your Confirmation?​

Being Confirmed, Receiving Grace (10 min)

Grace is a share in God’s own life.  Sanctifying grace ​received in the sacraments​ awakens in us new strength and purpose.  We can tap into that strength whenever we are faced with a difficult decision or task. ​

Grace is an unmerited gift! No amount of service hours, written assignments, journal pages or comments in class discussion would ever be enough to earn this gift!  Our class assignments have been for our catechists, ​parents and Pastor to know where you are at on your journey, because we don’t have the perfect ​vision of God to see directly into your heart.

The Holy Spirit will be far more interested in…​

  • …whether you put forth effort to grow spiritually. ​
  • …if you participated because we said you had to or because you honestly want to help others or be closer to Jesus through the Holy Spirit.​
  • …if learning, service, and reflection will be part of your lifelong practice of your faith.​

Video of real people from St. Nicholas Parish (now St. John XXIII Parish after being united with St. Mary Parish), including Ms. Hohner’s friend Jocelyn!


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Q5y_g5-e0

“Confirmation makes itself known when you do things.” Things like making decisions, choosing your friends​. serving the needs of the community, praying​, joining parish ministries.  ​

As you may recall from a previous session, being Confirmed is like making the basketball team. Your Sponsor is your coach.  If you get involved, you are playing in the basketball game.  If you just sit on the bench, you are wasting your gifts and talents you could be sharing with God’s family. And if you do that, you will never get better at playing the game.

Your Confirmation is the moment you have been working toward, but that moment is just the next step in a longer journey. Remember that Confirmation is NOT Graduation!   

Grace and Gratitude (10 min)

“All Is Grace” video – Ken Yasinski

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STBV8pakvnU )

We didn’t get here on our own or solely through our own efforts!  Show gratitude for the kindness of the coaches who helped you prepare for Confirmation:

  • Parent(s) and Family Members
  • Sponsor(s)
  • Parish Priests​
  •  Teachers and Catechists (Table Leaders)

As part of your preparation before or celebration and remembrance after Confirmation, you may want to write a short note or say a sincere thank you to those who helped you as a coach during this time of preparation or beyond.    ​

These coaches, and many others, will help us to continue to grow in our faith, to continue to become more like Jesus. This is called continuing conversion.  ​  ​

As we become more united to Jesus, we become more prayerful and holy.  We become healers and give of our selves for the sake of others.  We become more merciful or forgiving.   ​​We are transformed!

Jesus asks us to be his messengers ​(apostles, angels) to help others too!  In the spirit of St. Matthias the Apostle and Jesus’ mother the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Angels, our parish’s charisms (the spirit in which we work to build the kingdom of God) come from Greek:​

  • apostolos – “messenger, person sent forth”​​
  • angelos – “messenger, one who announces,” like the original message-bearing marathon runner​

By bringing the Good News of Jesus to the world, we transform others!

Breakout at Tables/Groups: Continuing Conversion (15-25 min)

At your tables/groups, read the passage together and prepare to act out the main scene as a skit (dialogue) or tableau (no dialogue).  Track B Religion classes should probably break into groups of 4-6 students (covering all 3 or only 2 passages, depending on absences) so there are enough members to plan and perform.  

Report Back  / Act out Stories for Class (10 min)

A conversion has happened in this story In addition to presenting their skit or tableau, tables/groups will respond to the questions: ​

  • Who changed their behavior in the story? ​
  • Who or what coached them along?

Novena, Reminders and Closing Prayer (10-15 min)

Confirmation Novena

A novena is a prayer over 9 days, like the disciples awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit between the Ascension (40 days after the Resurrection) and Pentecost (50 days after Passover).  Many families pray a novena together when a loved one dies or in honor of a beloved saint or for the Divine Mercy (Good Friday to the Sunday after Easter Sunday).

Our Confirmation Novena 2025 handout will guide you in your daily prayer from Friday 3/28 to Confirmation day Saturday 4/5.  For each day, there is something short to read, a short prayer to pray, and some small action to do.  It is totally doable!  You may need to set an alarm or a reminder for each day to help you not forget to do it.

Reminders:

  • rehearsals (practices) Wednesday 4/2, bring your Sponsor or a parent
    • 6pm at Saint Matthias Church, 2310 W. Ainslie
    • 7:30pm at Queen of Angels Church, 2330 W. Sunnyside
    • you can bring back your CRS Rice Bowl to the rehearsal (practice) if you will be away during Holy Week and Easter

  • Apparel for Candidates & Sponsors: dress nicely (not too casual), modestly (not too revealing or flashy) & appropriately for church (not a walking advertisement)​

    • Women: nice dress, or blouse with dressy slacks ​or skirt; low heels or flats recommended​
    • Men: button-down shirt with collar & tie; nice sweater, vest, sport  or suit jacket recommended​
    • All: NO gym shoes, jeans, or hoodies; in the church, hats come off and and headphones come out of our ears​

    You are NOT expected to wear white or put on a graduation gown over your clothing. ​You certainly CAN wear white, or red like the bishop and priests that day, but any color is fine.

  • Among all we will be doing to get ready for our Confirmation — our class assignments, making sure we have nice clothes to wear, welcoming family visitors from out of town — let us not forget to be “in the moment” and be fully present to the experience as it is happening, like Mary of Bethany, at our Confirmation.  Others with us can record videos or photos or communicate with absent loved ones, but Sponsors and candidates should have their phones away and their focus on prayer and what is happening right now.

Homework:

  • make sure your Sponsor (or parent/other adult) knows to come to the right Rehearsal (Practice) on Wednesday, April 2
  • set an alarm or calendar reminder to pray your Confirmation Novena each day, Friday 3/28 through Saturday 4/5

Closing Prayer

sing “Christ Be Beside Me” based on part of the Lorica of Saint Patrick, whose feast day we celebrate this month (today, in Track A’s case)

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX7vmw6MvJs)

  1. Christ be beside me, / Christ be before me, / Christ be behind me, / King of my heart. / Christ be within me, / Christ be below me, / Christ be above me, / Never to part. ​​
  2. Christ on my right hand, / Christ on my left hand, / Christ all around me, / Shield in the strife. / Christ in my sleeping, / Christ in my sitting, / Christ in my rising, / Light of my heart. ​
  3. Christ be in all hearts / Thinking about me. / Christ be at all times / Telling of me. / Christ be the vision / In eyes that see me, / In ears that hear me, / Christ ever be. 
  4. (repeat verse 1)
    Christ be beside me, / Christ be before me, / Christ be behind me, / King of my heart. / Christ be within me, / Christ be below me, / Christ be above me, / Never to part. 

Father Jim Kaczorowski Loving Service Award

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NEW – DOWNLOAD THE 2025 APPLICATION

Objectives & Goals: To recognize a deserving young person who exemplifies loving service and the personal qualities demonstrated by Monsignor Jim Kaczorowski, the Pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish between 2005-2023.  Monsignor Jim is kind and encouraging, and he finds joy in serving others.  Young people may remember the many homilies Monsignor Jim preached encouraging all parishioners to approach life with the attitude of, “How can I help you?” rather than, “What’s in it for me?”

Eligibility: Applicant must be an Eighth Grader or 2nd year Confirmation candidate the year the application is submitted. The student’s family must be a member of Queen of Apostles Parish and the student enrolled at either Queen of Angels School or St. Matthias School, or the student must be a part of the Queen of Apostles’ Religious Education program.

Selection Process: The Selection Committee will include: the Queen of Apostles Pastor (or a person assigned to represent him), the principal of Queen of Angels School (or a person assigned to represent him), the principal of St. Matthias School (or a person assigned to represent her), the Director of Religious Education for Queen of Apostles, and three parishioners at large. The Committee will review all applications, essays and letters of recommendation. The applicant pool will be narrowed to four finalists. Interviews will be conducted by the Selection Committee or a sub-set of the committee. The results will be announced at a Mass in late May or early June each year. Depending on the number of applicants and in the discretion of the Selection Committee, up to four awards will be presented each year.

Criteria: The committee will evaluate students’ applications and essays on their demonstration of loving service, leadership, empathy and how the applicant feels these values will provide them lifelong benefits. The student should also demonstrate that he/she is a good citizen and role model to his/her peers as well as a contributor to the community. Both the application and essay should be typed. Essays should be written entirely by the student and are limited to 1,000 words.

Deadlines: Completed applications and essays must be received by the Parish Office at 4412 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 no later than April 4th. Late applications will not be considered. Finalists will be notified by May 9th. Interviews will be scheduled for early May.

Award: The award winner will be presented with a $500 check. While the award is intended to be used for school tuition and related expenses, families should use the award money as appropriate.

Length of Award Program: Awards will be presented at least through the 2026-27 school year and may continue beyond that time frame depending on the level of contributions to the award fund.

This is not a need-based award or scholarship. It is a value driven award.

Confirmation – Fruits main page

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“Fruits of the Spirit”

Session Overview for Catechists
Catechist Summary * Slides

  • Track A: Monday 3/10/2025, 6:45-8:30 p.m, in Mission Hall at the Parish Center
  • Track B: Wednesday 3/12/2025 and Thursday 3/13/2025 in 8th Grade Religion class

Gathering Icebreaker (5 min.)

Describe what you like about a kind of fruit.

Opening Prayer (5 min.) for Lent

Litany of Trust

From the belief that I have to earn Your love, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From the fear that I am unlovable, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From the false security that I have what it takes, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From the fear that trusting you will leave me more destitute, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From all suspicion of your words and promises, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From anxiety about the future, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From restless self-seeking in the present moment, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From disbelief in Your love and presence, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have, ​Deliver me, Jesus.​
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From the fear of what love demands, Deliver me, Jesus.​
From discouragement, Deliver me, Jesus.​

That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me, ​Jesus, I trust in You.​
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this ​life and the next, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present ​in Your Church, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That Your plan is better than anything else, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond ​to me, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked, ​Jesus, I trust in You.​
That my life is a gift, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That You will teach me to trust You, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That You are my Lord and my God, Jesus, I trust in You.​
That I am Your beloved one, Jesus, I trust in You. ​
Amen.​​

Intro to the Fruits of the Spirit (20-25 min)

See slides presented by Ms. Hohner (or Mr. Rosales or Mrs. Medio in Religion during the week).

LOVE (CHARITY)
in selfless service to others

JOY
which lasts through any trials

PEACE
serenity due to deep trust in God​

PATIENCE
love which endures all setbacks

KINDNESS
Selfless acts of compassion

GOODNESS
loving all people without exception

FAITHFULNESS
loyalty in your commitments to God & to others

GENTLENESS
strength that is kept in check by love for others

SELF-CONTROL
ability to stay in charge of your own emotions, desires, words and actions

MODESTY
moderation in the ways that you talk & act

CHASTITY
being faithful to your physical sexuality and your spiritual dignity

GENEROSITY
willingness to give, even at a cost to your own​ needs or wants

Breakout Session: Fruits Exploration (40-50 min)

At your table, choose and discuss at least 3-4 Fruits of the Spirit using saint stories, real-life examples, & discussion question from the Fruits handout.

Write prayer together using the “prayer parts” worksheet available to each group.

Prayer Ritual (15 min)

Each breakout group shares & prays their prayers they wrote.

Closing & Dismissal (5 min)

HOMEWORK

  • Do textbook pages 76-80 and journal pages 75-76
  • Next class session (final regular class!
    • Track A: Monday, March 17 from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall at the Parish Center
    • Track B: Wednesday, March 26 and Thurssday, March 27 in 8th Grade Religion Class (different week from Track A due to Spring Break differences between Catholic schools and CPS)

Confirmation Prep – Spiritual Growth and Lent

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“Spiritual Growth/Lent”

Catechist Summary * Slides * Final Interviews this Monday

Gathering (5 min)

students can sign up for roles in the Confirmation Masses — who would like to read aloud; to carry the gifts or flowers up to the altar; to gather the collection money in baskets, etc.

Opening Prayer (5 min)

Prayer of St. Richard of Chichester

Thanks be to you, my Lord Jesus Christ,​ for all the benefits you have given me,​ for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,​ may I know you more clearly, love you ​more dearly, and follow you more ​nearly, day by day.  Amen.​

Lent: A Time for Spiritual Growth (10 min)


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJBMw2pQZiA

ALTERNATE VIDEO, in case the one above ceases to work in the week leading up to Ash Wednesday (as happened last year at this time):


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9rM5VOqndg

During Lent, we seek unity with Christ through personal sacrifice.  Lenten sacrifice in the spirit of Jesus, as our Lenten discipline as disciples of Jesus, should be about giving up something you need in order to benefit another person (like Jesus giving his life for us on the cross), not just giving up something you enjoy but shouldn’t have because it’s bad for you (candy, cartoons, coffee).  Lenten sacrifices are not the same as New Year’s Resolutions!  Consider this short video’s example of a sacrifice (no spoken dialogue, so watch closely to follow along):


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-LK_MyvnLA

This year, as a sign of our growing spiritual maturity, let’s stretch beyond the things we have done as children during Lent!  Take on something extra (daily prayer, service, Scripture reading, spiritual journaling).  If you do choose to make giving something up a part of your Lenten discipline, consider how you can give up a related thing you need (like the money or time spent on that thing) to benefit someone else (through charitable donation, service, or prayer for the needs of the world).

We can join our parish to use CRS Rice Bowl as a tool for our for prayer, fasting & almsgiving this Lent.  This is a way to help the victims of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza as well as others in need around the world, including victims of natural disasters, war, and climate change.

Breakout Activity at Tables: My Lenten Sacrifices (10 min)

Students write on the side of their CRS Rice Bowl bank what they are sacrificing for Lent.  Groups should also look at the calendar and recipes from the booklet inside the bank.

Track B students, who are covering this part of the session actually within the season of Lent, can together read/do the activity in the calendar booklet for the day on which they are having class. (Wednesday 3/5 suggests the prayer from the side of the bank or the end of the calendar “Jesus, Bread of Life, as we encounter you…,” while Thursday 3/6 has a quote from Pope Saint John Paul II.)

Invitation to Spiritual Growth (5 min)

Think back to “Is Your Faith Still in Kindergarten?” video & SMART goals from last Fall.  We hope you’ve been growing while preparing for Confirmation!

At the time, we set goals (where we want to go) but didn’t look closely at where we were already (where we started).  This would never work in navigating on Google Maps or Waze, where you need a clear starting location to get directions!  Maybe we are used to our phones automatically detecting this for us.  So let’s start making plans for growth by taking a look at where we are now.

Breakout Activity at Tables: Spiritual Life Snapshot (15 min)

Tree parts worksheet for each student to complete a spiritual life tree

Discernment: Inviting God into Making Decisions (10 min)

Discernment brings your faith into your decision-making, including God as part of the process.  It is part of using the Gifts of the Spirit, including Wisdom (seeing the real value of things), Understanding (realizing how God is speaking to us through Scripture) and Counsel (giving and receiving good advice).

Everyday Discernment video (Catholic Central)

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQH018oSp6M)
Note: “Ace of Base” is a pop group from the 1990s known for their song “I Saw the Sign”.  This is only important for understanding the joke in the initial scene which is briefly called back to later in the video. 

The key questions to ask in discernment or prayerful decision-making are:

  • What do my Catholic morals say about this?​
  • How would it impact me and those around me?​
  • What is my motivation?​
  • Or, as your Inner Father Jason speaking in your conscience might put it, Will it help me to grow closer to Jesus? 

St. Ignatius of Loyola thought of this process as “discernment of spirits”, as forces of consolation vs. forces of desolation in your decisions.  But this is more than just feeling happy or sad about something, becoming a carefree flowerchild or an intense goth.  Do your decisions put you on an upward trajectory of growing closer to God, or on a downward path of separating yourself from God?

There is also a difference between guilt (over an action) vs. shame (a feeling about your self-worth).  Guilt can be healthy and lead us to make wiser decisions in the future.  Shame is taking our mistakes too much to heart and allowing those mistakes to define us.

Areas for Spiritual Growth (10-20 min)

Confirmation is like making the school basketball team.  Making the team is an achievement, but it still requires investment of practice time, teamwork with others and your continued effort to be successful and make a difference in your life!  If the Holy Spirit is your head coach, what coaching or skills will you need moving forward?

In your groups, read and discuss p. 75-76 in the Confirmed in the Spirit textbook, sections “Ready to Witness” and “A Plan for Spiritual Growth” with its 5 subheadings Eucharist, Reconciliation, Prayer, Works of Charity, and Community.

Scripture for Spiritual Growth (20 min)

Each table/group chooses a passage as assigned in the chart on the question sheet, which now includes the topic Justice as well as the 5 covered by pp. 75-76 in the textbook.

  • BLUE Table (Mrs. Stella Peters): Community
  • GREEN Table (Ms. Rachel Hohner): Justice 
  • ORANGE Table (sub for Mr. Joe Rosales): Eucharist
  • PURPLE Table (Mrs. Melissa Richlen): Prayer
  • RED Table (Ms. Leticia Solache): Works of Charity
  • YELLOW Table (sub for Ms. Isabel López): Reconciliation

Discuss how the passage invites and encourages spiritual growth, and shows us ways to grow closer to Jesus.  The final question should be answered individually on paper after discussing in group

Homework, Reminders and Closing Prayer (5 min)

Reminders:

  • Next class also split
    • Track A Monday 3/10 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall
    • Track B Wednesday-Thursday 3/12-3/13 in 8th Grade Religion class
  • if you missed the Retreat last Friday 2/28, please go to parish confessions 9am-10am @ Queen of Angels Church​ on some Saturday in March (before Confirmation day)!​
  • Apparel for Candidates & Sponsors at the Confirmation Mass
    • dress nicely (not too casual, ripped or dirty), modestly (not too revealing or flashy) and appropriately for church (no inappropriate graphics or slogans)
      • Women: nice dress, or blouse with dressy slacks ​or skirt; low heels or flats recommended 
      • Men: button-down shirt with collar & tie; ​nice sweater, vest, sport  or suit jacket recommended​
      • All: NO gym shoes, jeans, or hoodies​
    • You are NOT expected to wear white or put on a graduation gown over your clothes. ​
  • application for Fr. Jim Kaczorowski Loving Service Award handed out at retreat, due Friday 4/4 (right before Confirmation Mass!)

Homework:

  • Homework: read/do textbook pp. 75-76, journal pp. 43 & 63

Closing Prayer (from back cover of textbook)

O Lord, may I feel your strength and love each day of my life.  Let me know your guiding presence so that I can grow into the fullest person I am called to be.  Increase in me the fruits of your Holy Spirit.  May your peace and light accompany me and guide me.  Let me realize how deeply loved and precious ​I am in your eyes.  Amen.

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