Confirmation

What is confirmation?

Confirmation Expectations

Candidates are expected to practice their faith by reading scripture, praying daily, and participating in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. The grace received through the Eucharist is indispensable in preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation. *Parents are responsible for making sure their teens attend Mass.*

Service

Each candidate will take on an ongoing form of service during our weekend liturgies. Options are helping with the nursery and children’s liturgy of the word, Altar serving, Greeting, Ushering, and Hospitality.

Sponsors

Each candidate will need to choose a sponsor. A sponsor must be:

  • a practicing Catholic who has been confirmed and is at least 16 years old
  • a good role model for Catholic Christian living
  • someone with whom the candidate can discuss their faith.
  • Sponsors do not need to live locally, as Sponsor meetings can be done remotely and someone can even stand in for a sponsor at the Confirmation ceremony itself if needed.
  • Since Confirmation is tied to the sacrament of baptism, godparents can be a good option.
  • As per Canon Law, parents may not be sponsors.

Confirmation Name 

Candidates will choose a Confirmation Name, this can be their baptismal name or the name of a saint they admire. Students will write a short reflection on the saint they are choosing as their patron.

Baptismal Certificates

A copy of the candidate’s baptismal certificate is necessary if the candidate was baptized somewhere other than St. John the Baptist Parish. If this applies to you, please reach out to the parish where your child was baptized, and ask them to send the baptismal record to Chantell Durkes at durkesc@stjohnnyb.org

Schedule

Please see this PDF to check our weekly Schedule, and note the following Parent & Sponsor Dates where parents and sponsors are required to attend for dinner, speaker, and check-ins.

  • October 6 from 6:30 – 8:30 – Confirmation Orientation & Information night!
  • November 10 from 6:30 – 8:30 – Rite of Welcome, Dinner & Speaker
  • January 12 from 6:30 – 8:30 – Dinner & Speaker
  • February 8 from  6:30 – 8:30 – Dinner & Speaker
  • March 16 from 6:30 – 8:30– Dinner & Prayer Program
  • May 4 from 6:30 – 8:30 – Rite of sending, Dinner & Final preparations

Retreat

All confirmation students are required to go on a retreat to help prepare the students for confirmation. At St. John’s we ask students to prioritize attending our retreat November 15-17, 2024. We will be bussing to Trinity Woods, gathering at SJB on Friday, November 15 at 4:30 pm. The cost is $185 per student.

Registration link coming soon!

Reach out to Sarah Dehnbostel with questions about retreat registration.

Inclement Weather

  1. In the event of snow, severe thunderstorms, tornado, etc., a text will be sent to the parents notifying them that confirmation preparation will be canceled for that day.
  1. If conditions do not seem safe enough for you to travel, please do not come to the session! We will defer to your judgment as parents as to the safety of your children. Absences due to weather will be considered “emergency” absences.
  2. When there is a question of whether or not to hold class due to weather, we will always err on the side of having sessions as scheduled. Again, do not come if it is not safe for you to travel.

For questions or more information please contact Sarah Wilder at Wilders@stjohnnyb.org.

Or Sarah Dehnbostel at dehnbostels@stjohnnyb.org.