DATE: October 2014
TO: Eighth Grade Parents
FROM: Mr. Steven Fischer, Mrs. Melissa Holzmacher, Mrs. Peggy Eilerman, Mrs. Kari Fischer
RE: Confirmation Meeting, October 16, 2014
At this time in their lives your son/daughter is being offered the opportunity to choose to participate in the sacrament of Confirmation and its preparation. God’s love and Holy Spirit are always freely given, but need to be freely accepted by us. The choice is ours to let God into our lives. So, too, our young people need to want this opportunity that the Church offers them.
Therefore, on Thursday, October 16, 2014, an important meeting for you, your child, and his/her sponsor will be held in Church at 7:00 pm to examine and explain the various aspects of Confirmation, which completes and initiates one into fuller membership in the Catholic Church.
Sponsors for Confirmation must be at least sixteen years old and be confirmed in the Catholic faith. The Sponsor need not be a member of the same sex as the person to be confirmed. A Baptismal Godparent is the most appropriate and logical choice for a Sponsor for Confirmation, as this sacrament completes and “confirms” the promises made at Baptism. (Parents may not be sponsors.) Sponsor forms from the St. Joseph School students are due in the school office by Friday, October 3.
A new Confirmation name may or may not be chosen. The Baptismal name would be most suitable, again since Confirmation completes Baptism. However, if a student is interested in a particular saint, a new name may be chosen for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The Enrollment Ceremony will take place at the 9:30 am Mass on Sunday, October 19th. All those requesting the sacrament of Confirmation will be seated in the front of Church. After the homily they will be asked to make their commitment to prepare well for the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation. They will be presented as Candidates for Confirmation. Parents and sponsors are invited and encouraged to attend.
Bishop Foys will come to St. Joseph Church to confirm our young people on Monday, February 9, 2014, at 7:00 pm. On Sunday, February 8, 2014 we will have a rehearsal in the church following the 11:30 Mass for all candidates and their sponsors.
A retreat will be held at St. Joseph Heights in Park Hills on the day of Confirmation from 8:30 – 1:30 pm. More information will come on this later.
Thank you for your acceptance of and participation in this preparation of your child for this sacrament. Your on-going guidance of your child in his/her faith formation is most important.
