August 18, 2024
EMAIL TO SPoNSORS: Sponsor Equipping Meeting INFO
Dear Confirmation Sponsors,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Marissa Dawson and I am the Coordinator of Youth Discipleship at St. Patrick Catholic Parish, where one of my responsibilities is overseeing youth Confirmation preparation. I want to thank you for the commitment you’ve made to the young person who asked you to be their Confirmation sponsor!
I am reaching out to you regarding an upcoming preparation requirement which the Confirmation candidate you're sponsoring will need your help to complete. In short, each candidate is required to meet independently with their sponsor at least one time prior to Confirmation (*see note at the bottom of this email). The purpose of your meeting together will be to discuss the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit, and other topics related to a life of discipleship. To help shape your conversation, a set of engaging videos and accompanying discussion guides will be provided.
Additionally, each sponsor will need to attend a “Sponsor Equipping Meeting” before getting together with their candidate. One of the objectives of the Sponsor Equipping Meeting is to prepare you for these conversations with your candidate and empower you to customize the experience for them. We will also provide insight into your role as a Confirmation sponsor and the vital role that your accompaniment can play in their spiritual growth.
This Sponsor Equipping Meeting will be offered on three separate occasions in an effort to accommodate your busy schedule. Additionally, two of the offered meetings will take place over Zoom Meeting (video conference) so that everyone is able to participate, regardless of location. You only need to attend one meeting. Dates and times are as follows:
-Saturday, September 28th, 10 AM-12 PM (ET): Online
-Monday, October 7th, 7-9 PM (ET): Online
-Saturday, October 12th, 10 AM-12 PM: In-person
Please click here to view the available dates/time and sign up for the Sponsor Equipping Meeting you plan to attend. If you are unavailable for all three dates/times, please let me know so that we can arrange an alternative method for you to receive this information and support.
I look forward to meeting with you and helping you support your candidate on their journey to Confirmation.
In Christ,
Marissa Dawson
*Please note: We’ll be encouraging everyone to complete this requirement in whatever manner best suits the unique relationship and circumstances of each candidate and sponsor pair. We expect that reviewing and discussing the provided materials together should take approximately 3-4 hours. Some pairs may wish to watch and discuss everything in one sitting, while others may choose to set up multiple shorter meetings. The meeting environment/method might also vary depending on your location- sponsors and candidates may have their conversations over video or phone if distance prevents you from meeting in-person.
