An important part of preparing to be Confirmed (or receiving other sacraments like Communion, Marriage or Holy Orders) is making sure that you have no past sins standing between you and God at the moment of Confirmation.  This means going to confession, which is receiving God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In an ordinary year, we would have a short retreat to prepare you for going to Reconciliation and then have a couple of priests help out to hear everyone’s confession in one evening.  Unfortunately, we cannot do that this year.  So each student preparing for Confirmation is asked to, at a time convenient to them before their Confirmation date, go to confession at an available time, either in this parish or in another parish which may be closer to home.

1. Make sure you have worked through the lesson materials for the “Purify My Heart” lesson on FlipGrid the week of February 8.
2. Check out the table of Reconciliation options below.  Consult with your parents of when and where might be a good opportunity for you. Sign up using that church’s website or phone number.
3. Plan how you will get there, if you need to figure out where to park and what door to enter through (because you have never been there before, or because things may be different during the pandemic).
4. Be sure to keep your appointment with God!  You can bring your Reconciliation prayer service booklet with you so that you have the form to use (on the back cover) and the Act of Contrition to pray it with the priest during your confession.

Opportunities for Confession (this table may still be added to)

Some ways to participate in Mass during the pandemic:

• Streaming over YouTube or Queen of Angels website – premieres at 5 p.m. Saturday each week, an English Mass and a Spanish Mass
• In person (with safety measures such as registration and social distancing) at Queen of Angels Church or St. Matthias Church
• Sunday morning TV Masses
  • 9:30 a.m. on Channel 7 with Cardinal Cupich
  • 9:30 a.m. on Channel 9 Mass from Mercy Home
  • 10 a.m. in Spanish on Univision

On October 25, our K-7 Religious Education students and their parents gathered virtually on Zoom to share the patron saints they had selected for their families.  We had quite a variety!

• Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God / Santísima Virgen María, Madre de Dios
• Saint Alexius of Rome / San Alejo mendijo
• Saint Anthony of Padua / San Antonio de Padua
• Blessed Carlo Acutis / Bendecido Carlo Acutis
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel / Nuestra Señora del Carmen
• Saint Catherine of Alexandria / Santa Catalina de Alexandria
• Saint Cecilia / Santa Cecilia
• Saint Christopher / San Cristóbal de Licia
• Saint Elmo of Formiae / San Erasmo de Formia
• Our Lady of Fatima / Nuestra Señora de Fátima
• Saint Francis of Assisi / San Francisco de Asis
• Saint Gertrude of Nivelles / Santa Gertrudis de Nivelles
• Our Lady of Guadalupe / Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
• Pope Saint John Paul II / Papa San Juan Pablo II
• Saint John Vianney / San Juan María Vianney
• Saint Juan Diego / San Juan Diego
• Saint Jude Thaddeus / San Judas Tadeo
• Saint Maria Natividad Venegas de la Torre / Santa María de Jesús Sacramentado
• Saint Mariana de Jesus de Paredes / Santa Mariana de Jesús
• Saint Michael the Archangel / San Miguel Arcangel
• Saint Nicholas of Myra / San Nicolás obispo
• Saint Paul the Apostle / San Pablo apóstol
• Saint Philip Neri / San Felipe Neri
• Pope Saint Pius X / Papa San Pio X
• Saint Roch (Rocco) / San Roque
• Saint Rose of Lima / Santa Rosa de Lima
• Saint (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta / Santa (Madre) Teresa de Calcuta
• Saint Therese of Lisieux / Santa Teresita la florecita
• Saint Thomas More / San Tomás More
• Saint Vitus / San Vito de Lucania

In the Rite of Confirmation, the Confirmation Candidate is “called by name.”

As a Confirmation Candidate, you are being asked to choose a name to be used during the Confirmation Liturgy.  This may either be the name of a saint who has special meaning to you, the name of another holy person who has inspired you, or your Baptismal name (some form of a saint’s name that is your first or middle name).

Whatever name you choose, you are asked to do some research and to write a reflection paper.  This reflection is due on Monday, November 30^th and must be submitted online (details below).

• If you have chosen to take the name of a saint, write your reflection as if that saint is the author.  In the reflection, your saint should tell us what he or she did that was worthy of sainthood — how his or her work, writings and accomplishments served the people of God and inspired others.  Be sure to include the date of your saint’s feast day, the dates when your saint was born and died (if those dates are known), and your reasons for choosing that saint. Put yourself in the shoes of this person and explain how he or she tried to live a holy life.
• If you have chosen to use your Baptismal name as your Confirmation name, find out why your parents chose to give you your name and what your name means.  In your reflection, explain why you would like to re-use your Baptismal name as your choice for Confirmation.  If you were named after a saint or relative, you should write your reflection as if that saint or relative is the author.  Tell us about that saint or relative and why you think he or she is a good model for you to follow as you are Confirmed.

The paper is to be typed, 350-500 words in length. This is about 1-2 pages typed and double-spaced, but word count will be easier to deal with for digital work.  If the software you are using to write your paper does not count words, you can always check your word count using a site such as WordCounter.net.

Use your own words; do not plagiarize (copy text directly from a written source and pass it off as your own work).   Just copy-pasting or re-typing an article from the internet is not acceptable.

You may use human, printed and/or internet resources to help you with basic information about your saint or your name, and there are some ideas further down this page.  However, the most important thing is to include your own specific reasons for choosing this name as your Confirmation name, such as what you believe is the most important thing about the saint.  Pray and reflect as you write!

Ideas for Your Research 

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Talk to your parents.  They know why you were given the name you received at Baptism.  Were you named after a relative? saint? family friend? soap opera/telenovela character?
• Talk to your catechist(s).  They are getting to know you and may have some ideas about saints that would appeal to you.
• Pray and reflect.  Ask God to help you. Write out your full name and consider what you like about it.  Around your name, write things that you like to do or like about yourself.  Check if there is a patron saint for something you have written, and if so, read their story.

INTERNET RESOURCES

• Wikipedia might get you started, but it’s overly detailed & not written from a perspective of faith.  Do not make it your last or only source as you do your research! 
• Young Saints: Top Saints 25 Under 25. Young people like you have been involved in our Church from the very beginning.  Read some basic stories about them here.
• Reliable saint websites like the CatholicSaints.info, a wide-ranging index of saints and what is known about them.  
  • Alphabetical List of Saints — look for your own name
  • Patronage List — look for the patron of something special to you (look under A for “athletes,” etc.)
  • Calendar of Saints — find out which saints are remembered on your birthday

• Less comprehensive but still good are the saints websites on  Catholic Online and Saints Resource (many articles available in Spanish!).
• Behind the Name.  Learn the traditional meaning and story of your name or your saint’s name.  (If you can’t find your name there but know the meaning, submit it!) 

PRINTED RESOURCES

• The Bible. If you know that your saint is in the Bible, find out where and read about them. (You can search the Bible online in English or Spanish at Bible Gateway). 
• St. Joseph Edition of Picture Book of Saints (English) / Libro de los Santos (Spanish).  Who doesn’t love old-school picture books? This one’s about saints.   
• Butler’s Lives of the Saints.  A comprehensive book of stories about saints’ lives. Available in many libraries. 
• Books of baby names are also good resources for information on your name’s meaning.

***WARNINGS***

• DON’T Google “Saint (your name)” and assume you’ll get something good.
• DON’T submit a Wikipedia article or any other blocks of text copied directly from the source
• DON’T copy off a saint card you were given as a gift
• DON’T ignore or forget this assignment!  

How to Submit Your Reflection
(DUE NOVEMBER 30)

If you or your parents have a Google/GMail Account (school-issued or personal):

• Write the reflection in Google Docs or upload to your Google Drive account.
• Share the file with qa.svdp.youth@gmail.com.  Be sure to email a link to show you are ready to submit the reflection!  This is the official youth ministry account for the parish.  Ms. Hohner’s regular email account does not have access to Google Docs or Google Drive.  
• Expect an acknowledgment back during daytime hours.  Depending on your account’s security settings (especially if it is a CPS school account), sharing a file with an unfamiliar Google account may not work.

If you have a Queen of Angels School Office 365 Account (school-issued):

• Write the reflection in Word online or upload to your OneDrive.
• Use your school account to share the file with Rachel Hohner (rhohner@queenofangelschicago.org).  Be sure to email a link to show you are ready to submit the reflection!   
• Expect an acknowledgment back during daytime hours.  It is possible you will also get an automatic read-receipt when Ms. Hohner accesses the file.

If neither of those options will work for you:

• Email what you have written, as an attachment or in the body of the email, to rhohner@queenofangelschicago.org.  You can send it from your personal account or a parent’s account.    
• Expect an acknowledgment back during daytime hours. Depending on your account’s security settings (especially if it is a school email account), sending a message to an unfamiliar address may not work.