Queen of Apostles Catholic Parish

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Confirmation Prep – The Gift of Grace

by

“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. 
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