What (and When) is Confirmation?

Along with Baptism and Eucharist, Confirmation is one of the three initiation sacraments and is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. Conferred in the 10th grade or older in the Diocese of Des Moines, Confirmation is a sacred moment that enables you to recognize and respond to God's call. In the sacrament, God's Holy Spirit communicates seven significant gifts: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, piety/devotion, courage, counsel, and the obedient love of an adopted daughter or son. 

The Rite of Confirmation for current 10th graders is scheduled for Sunday, October 10, 2021, at 1pm with Bishop William Joensen here at St. Boniface.  Candidates will gather in the parish hall one hour prior to the celebration of the sacrament for a conversation with Bishop. 
 

Current Year 2 (10th grade) Confirmation Candidates: Next Steps

Thank you for participating in your Confirmation discernment interview! It was good to hear how many of you have grown in your faith this past year, even throughout the pandemic.

Next Steps

• Please contact your sponsor and make arrangements to go through the Decision Point confirmation sessions with him or her over the summer. You get to decide when, where, and how many times you meet, but all sessions should be completed by August 15. The link to the videos, workbook, app, as well as sponsor and parent resources is located at https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/confirmation/decision-point.html 
• You’re invited to attend our LifeTeen Masses this summer on Sunday evenings June 13 and 27, July 11 and 25, August 8 and 22. Come meet our new parish high school ministry coordinator, Megan Schraeger, our new music director, Bridget Johnston, participate in Mass ministries, and stay for pizza after! Details at https://stbonifacechurch.org/high-school 
• If you haven’t already done so, please complete your sponsor form with your sponsor and return it to Amy Slick in the Faith Formation Office as soon as possible. Scroll down this page to view and print the form. 
• If you haven’t already done so, please complete and submit your written saint summary and service summary. Scroll down this page for details.

Important Dates

Friday, June 4, Sponsor form due to Amy Slick at aslick@stbonifacechurch.org
Sunday, August 15, Saint summary (2-3 paragraphs) due to Amy Slick at aslick@stbonifacechurch.org
Sunday, August 15, Service summary (2-3 paragraphs) due to Amy Slick at aslick@stbonifacechurch.org 
Saturday, October 2, Retreat (required) 9am-5pm, followed by 5pm Mass with sponsor and parish community 
Sunday, October 10, 1pm (arrive to parish hall by 12pm) Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Joensen
 
Please feel free to contact the Faith Formation Office if you have any questions or need assistance! You are in our prayers as you continue your preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation!
 

Program Description

As recommended by Bishop Joensen and the Diocese of Des Moines Office of Evangelization & Faith Formation, Confirmation preparation in the parish is to be a two-year process beginning in 9th grade, with the sacrament typically conferred during the 10th grade year. This preparation supplements and supports ongoing preparation by parents as the the primary faith formators of their children in the home. 

Confirmation Year 1 (9th Grade)

Confirmation Year 1 will include the following components. Additional details will be available soon. Thank you for your patience!

• Parent/teen information meeting 
• Initial discernment conversation  
• Formation sessions (meet on Mondays or Wednesdays)
• Monthly conversations with sponsor 
• Long-term service project in parish or community

Confirmation Year 2 (10th grade)

Confirmation Year 2 will include the following components. Additional details will be available soon. Thank you for your patience!

• Parent/teen information meeting 
• Second discernment conversation 
• Celebration of Reconciliation 
• Retreat 
• Celebration of Confirmation 
• Ongoing formation and social group activities 
• Ongoing service to parish or community

PURPOSE

In 2020-21, we began using PURPOSE, from Catholic publisher LifeTeen, to prepare our Confirmation candidates. PURPOSE is formed around these questions: "Why God?", "Why Jesus?” and “Why Church?” and offers a transformational plan for the Confirmation journey that seeks to draw youth to become disciples of Jesus who will go out and bear witness to His love in the world today. Click here to learn more about PURPOSE. 
 

Responsibilites

Candidates

In addition to ongoing formation that takes place in the home, Candidates for the sacrament of Confirmation are invited to prepare by participating in our parish preparation program, which includes formation, service opportunities, and discernment interviews. Each candidate will also select a sponsor at the beginning of Year 1 to accompany him or her on this faith journey. Please print and complete with your sponsor the sponsor form at this link and return to Amy Slick in the Faith Formation Office by September 15 of Year 1.

Parents

As parents, you are the primary formators of your child in the faith and the parish is here to support you! We highly encourage parents or guardians and other significant adults in the candidate's life to see themselves as companions on a lifelong journey of faith with their teen. We believe and want to help our children understand that the sacrament of Confirmation is lived out in service as part of our baptismal call as Catholic Christians. As with all sacraments, they are not just one-day celebrations, but moments of encounter with Jesus to strengthen us for mission.

Try to attend as many formation sessions as possible with your child, participate in service with him or her, and be open to any and all questions as you travel this journey together. Please review this website page carefully and read all communications from the Faith Formation Office.

Sponsors

A sponsor's role in the candidate's preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation is essential and he or she is invited to prayerfully consider the importance of the role of a companion on a journey that helps draw the candidate closer to Christ. Sponsors are asked to attend formation sessions with the candidate when possible and meet with them once a month to reflect together on the candidate's faith journey.

Sponsors may also be asked to write a letter of readiness on behalf of the candidate prior to Confirmation. Please print and complete with your candidate the sponsor form at this link and return to Amy Slick in the Faith Formation Office by September 15 of Year 1.
 

Formation

Sessions

During 2020-21, information meetings for Year 1 candidates and parents were held via Zoom on Oct 14 and Oct 21. The replay is available at this link.

Formation sessions were offered monthly October 2020 - April 2021 via Zoom. Families with 9th graders registered for Confirmation preparation received a weekly email with a Zoom link the day of each monthly session. Scroll to the bottom of this page for the complete formation schedule.

Retreat

Candidates will participate in the all-day retreat, "Set Free," on Sat, Oct 2, 2021, from 9am-4pm, followed by 5pm Mass with their sponsors and our parish community. More details will be shared as they become available. Thank you for your patience!

Saint Name

Candidates will research and select a Catholic saint who inspires him or her. Once selected, the candidate will write a one-page summary about the saint. The summary is due August 15, 2021. Please send to Amy Slick at aslick@stbonifacechurch.org.
 

Service

Each candidate will complete two service projects, 1) a family project and 2) a project with his or her sponsor. The project choice is up to the candidate. Here are ideas for possible projects:

Parish service and community outreach ideas for Confirmation candidates
Click here to view and print.

Items to put in food baskets for the needy
https://pocketsense.com/items-put-food-baskets-needy-8085.html

You are encouraged to take a picture during or after each of your projects, as well as write a one-page summary that describes 1) how you encountered Christ as a part of the project and 2) how you were a witness of Christ to others. The summary is due August 15, 2021. Please send to Amy Slick at aslick@stbonifacechurch.org. 

Discernment 

Our goal is for a member of our faith formation team to have at least two conversations with Confirmation Candidates as a part of preparation for the sacrament. 

• An initial conversation to get to know each candidate and learn about his or her current relationship with Christ, as well as discuss service opportunities.
• A conversation near the end of the program to assess each candidate's readiness and willingness for the sacrament, as well as to offer an opportunity to reflect on the preparation process and discuss his or her future and ongoing faith journey and involvement in the life of the parish community.

Sessions & Schedule 2021-22

Grade 9 (Year 1)

Grade 9 meets weekly during the faith formation year, with breaks for holidays that align with local school districts and Catholic Church holy days. Additional parent information meetings and parent/child sacramental preparation sessions may also be part of the formation year. Please see the Faith Formation Handbook 2021-22 for specific dates, and watch for emails throughout the year from the Faith Formation Office. Session times are:

Mondays
5:45-7:00pm

Wednesdays
7:00-8:15pm

Grade 10 (Year 2)

Grade 10 sessions and schedule are not yet determined for 2021-22. Thank you for your patience!

We are planning to offer an all-day required retreat for candidates on Sat, Oct 2, 2021, from 9am-4pm, followed by Mass with their sponsors and our parish community at 5pm. More details will be shared as they become available. Thank you for your patience!