September 16, 2024
Confirmation date & Continuing preparation reminders
Dear Confirmation Families,
Confirmation Mass Date:
I know you have been waiting anxiously to learn when our Confirmation Mass will take place this coming January. Thankfully, the Bishop’s office has completed the schedule and we finally have our date: Confirmation Mass at St. Patrick will be on Thursday, January 23 at 6:30 PM. A light reception in McCann Hall will follow Mass that evening. Please note that we do not have a rehearsal for Confirmation Mass. Rather, we will send instructions to candidates and sponsors in the week leading up to Confirmation. We’ll also ask that the candidates and sponsors arrive at 6:00 PM on the night of Confirmation so that we can answer any questions and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Sponsor Accompaniment Requirement:
As shared in an email update this summer, we are inviting all Sponsors to attend a Sponsor Equipping Meeting this Fall. After that meeting, we’ll be asking all candidates and sponsors to schedule some time to meet and complete a set of provided materials together. If your child’s sponsor did not receive the email we sent in August with details for signing up to attend one of the three meetings, you can view it here: Sponsor Meeting Email. If your child’s sponsor is unable to attend any of these three meetings, they should let me know by email and I will make alternative arrangements for them to receive the information and materials that will be shared at the meeting.
Confirmation Page on Parish Website:
For your convenience, any reminders, forms, announcements and are posted to our parish website on a page dedicated specifically to your child’s preparation group: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/confirmation2025. You can get to this page anytime by selecting “Sacraments”, then “Confirmation” on the main navigation of the St. Patrick website. Once on the Confirmation page, select “Current Candidates”, then “2025 Preparation Group” to access the correct information for your child. As I continue having trouble with emails landing in people’s spam folders, any copies of emails sent to all candidates are also posted to a “Recent Communication” section. This is also a helpful place to look back at previous emails rather than digging through your inbox.
Reminders for Continuing Preparation this Fall:
-Since your child is continuing Confirmation preparation, you do not need to re-register them this Fall. However, Registration is currently open for new candidates looking to start their prep this school year. If you have a younger child (7th grade or older) to register, here is that link.
-Your child should continue participating in their Discipleship Commitment through January. To refresh your memory, the Discipleship Commitment is the activity your child selected as their source of on-going spiritual formation during Confirmation preparation. For the majority of candidates, that’s either School Discipleship on Thursdays or Young Church on Sunday evenings (Resumes September 22 - click here for Fall Young Church Calendar). If you need to change your child’s discipleship commitment for any reason, please let me know by email or schedule a phone call to discuss options.
-If your child has not yet completed their Confirmation Retreat requirement, our annual Confirmation Retreat will be offered on November 9-10 at Our Lady of the Fields in Brighton. Further details about the retreat will be sent to any candidates who still need to complete this requirement.
-Lastly, if you have any questions about your child’s preparation, I want to remind everyone that the easiest way to get ahold of me by phone is to schedule a call at a time that fits your schedule as well as my own availability. You can do so here.
In Christ,
Marissa Dawson
