What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is the sacrament by which Catholics receive a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit gives them the increased ability to practice their Catholic faith in every aspect of their lives and to witness Christ in every situation. This sacrament quiet literally "confirms" the gifts and graces that we've received through baptism.
When does Confirmation prep begin?
Historically, St. Marys has done a two year program for Confirmation beggining in 8th grade. After prayerful consideration and planning, we have decided to transition the 2 year program to 1 year. Most of our Conformandi (individuals who are in the process of preperang for the sacrament) will be begin their preparation in 9th grade. If you have a son or dauthter that is interested in Confirmation but is older than 9th grade, that's ok! We would still love to work with them.
What does prep look like?
Preparation for this sacrament will seek to mimic the ministry of Jesus Christ himself. When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that He saught to cultivate personal relationships with everyone he encountered. This is why Conformandi will be divided into small groups that will meet once a month for 90 minutes. During those meetings, groups will talk about relevant topics to the sacrament, catch up on personal lives, and have a space to ask questions and dialogue. Hopefully this style of preperation will take away the "classroomy" feel that makes it easy to feel disengaged.
How do I register?
To register for Confirmation, contact Bridget in the Faith Formation office via email bridgetb@stmarysdsm.org or phone 515-276-7589
Can I register after the official start date?
Small groups will begin meeting in October of 2020. If you are looking to register after October, you will need to meet with Catherine Mares, the Youth Minister, and work together to assess what the best course of action will be. If you are seeking to be Confirmed, we want to work with you!
Email: catherinem@stmarysdsm.org
Office Phone: 515-251-7568