WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION?
  Here is where we can make the internet interactive.  I need your help. Together, can we develop a repository of diocesan confirmation guidelines, statements by bishops regarding the Sacrament, and/or other pertinent articles.  If you've got something, please pass along the hyperlink by e-mailing me.  Thanks!  Here's the latest listing of diocesan guidelines that we have. . .  [confirmation]

CONFIRMATION IN DUBUQUE
 The Confirmation page continues to grow as Mike from Waukon has forwarded along Dubuque's contribution to the mix. Thanks, Mike! [Confirmation]

CONFIRMATION, A SACRAMENT FOR ADULTS
  A report on the adult confirmations occurring in Portland, OR. They think they are just filling a requirement but it ends up being a transformation for them. They end up saying, ‘my faith has come alive.' The Holy Spirit comes upon all of you empowering you yourselves not only to be good and faithful disciples but also providing you with the encouragement and strength you will need in order to bring others to the Lord, your children, your spouses, your families, your friends and your neighbors.  Read more here.    [confirmation] 

CONFIRMATION STUFF SENT BY YOU
  John from St. Clare's in Staten Island send his parish's page which includes work sheets on choosing a sponsor and a confirmation name. Also, the Diocese of Phoenix, which has restored order has been added above.   [confirmation] 

CONFIRMATION VIDEO IS NOW UP
  Windows Media files have now been placed up here at this site and will soon be posted at the ArchBalt site. Enjoy!   [confirmation] 

CONFIRMATION WEEK FORTNIGHT STOPS
  And now, we resume our normal programming.  Confirmation will be a category of the blog but not its daily obsession.  I really attempting to refocus on life right now, so I am resuming reading, and I'm taking some photo advice from the Ironic Catholic and getting an early start at taking the weekend off from the internet...  Will be back Monday.  [blogging] 

THE CONFIRMATION RESOURCES WEB PAGE
  Two weeks of blogging . . .  The resources of the ArchBalt Bishops' Summit on Confirmation web page have been added in as well. . .  It has been a worthy ride.  Hoping to get some video up next week and then I might send out a broadcast e-mail sharing the love. Meanwhile, let's gather up all of it in one place.      [confirmation] 
WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT CONFIRMATION? 
    D. SCOTT MILLER AT THE SUMMIT
   Please eliminate the word mandatory. It is a graduation word; not a word of commencement or starting. Our programs should not be about demanding that the confirmandi fit. Our confirmandi should not be evaluating their own “successfulness” or completion based upon the perceived needs of the parish staff.
   Use of the word mandatory suggests a definition of the overall climate/spirit of the parish community. Does subjecting an experience as mandatory imply desire for participation of need for compliance?
   The “youth group” model of youth ministry has been severely questioned as it suggests that one size fit all. Is it not time that we begin to plan multiple options and flexibility in our Confirmation programming? Might this not be more indicative that our parish’s program is actually evangelizing the confirmandi, and their families, and their sponsors?      [confirmation] 
MORE CONFIRMATION GOODIES
   AmericanCatholic.org has their own web-page of resources which includes the following articles:
> Sacraments of Initiation: Sacraments of Invitation  by Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M.
> Confirmation: A Deepening of Our Christian Identity by Carol Luebering
> What difference does Confirmation make? by Joseph Martos
> Confirmation: Seven Symbols in One Sacrament by Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M.
> Confirmation: Sacrament of the Spirit by Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M.
as well as these Update Your Faith articles:
> What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Confirmation?
> Who can be a Confirmation sponsor and what is expected?
> Why don't we speak in tongues after being confirmed?     [confirmation] 

THE CATHOLIC REVIEW REPORTS ON
THE BISHOPS' SUMMIT ON THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
  More than 200 religious education directors, catechists and priests filled the meeting room at St. John the Evangelist, Columbia, May 9 for an all-day Bishop’s Summit on Confirmation, sponsored by the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
   “This is an opportunity to encourage and increase enthusiasm for confirmation,” said D. Scott Miller, coordinator of adolescent faith formation for the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. “We want to build up the sacrament of confirmation.”  Read the whole article here.   [confirmation] 
WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT CONFIRMATION? 
    MAE RICHARDSON AT THE SUMMIT
  What is the role of the parents and sponsors? How do we get them more involved in the confirmation process?
   Ms. Richardson said parents are the primary catechists – they are the ones from whom young people  learn their faith and they are the domestic church. She encouraged the audience to find a way to empower parents to talk to youths about their religious and sacramental experiences and become involved in the process of confirmation.
   A sponsor’s role is to “be a companion on the journey, someone who will walk with them.” A sponsor should be a model of lived faith, a guide and listener, dedicated to the confirmandi’s personal and spiritual growth and will serve on behalf of the church, they said.  [confirmation] 

MIKE CAROTTA SPEAKS ON CONFIRMATION FROM
"INSIDE THE YOUTH MINISTERS STUDIO" 
  <<Enter the studio here.>>  When Mike Carotta was asked to forecast ten yeas into the future of Catholic Youth Ministry, he added that he hopes that “We have unchained confirmation. I really think that we have chained it to the desk, to the chair.  It serves a function.  It is highly informative.  And (yet) I keep wondering, after everything that we have learned about good faith formation with young people… Can we revisit Confirmation and begin to ask how can we enhance that experience so that it is more transformative in the lives of kids?"  [studio]
WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT CONFIRMATION? 
    SHARON BOGUSZ AT THE SUMMIT
  By the sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with special strength of the Holy Spirit…they are as true witnesses of Christ and more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.
   “More perfectly bound” and “more strictly obliged” indicate an increase or a deepening of the believers witness to Christ, and sharing of the good news in word and deed.
   This “more” that we are cultivating a spirit of new beginnings – a spirit of commencement; it is an outward signs of an inner change of heart.  We know this inner change of heart by another name: ongoing conversion.  Every new conversion moment begins in us a new way of being disciples. Our work of cultivation is an “apprenticeship” in Christian discipleship.   [confirmation] 
 

Tuesday

15

May

WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT CONFIRMATION? 
    BISHOP ROZANSKI AT THE SUMMIT
  We have so many mixed signals about this sacrament.   I have heard it called the “Pluto” of the Seven Sacraments.  Last summer, Pluto was reclassified and “downgraded” from its planet status.  The rational was that Pluto is part of an asteroid belt, is smaller than our own moon and crosses Neptune’s orbit so it should be disqualified as a planet. Confirmation seems to be in that same state of flux.  Are we confused by Confirmation’s orbital relationship with the six other Sacraments?    Is it the “mini-me” of Baptism or analogous to the Bar or bat mitzvah in Judaism?  Does the placement of Confirmation in the adolescent years confuse this sacrament with Graduation?   I think that it is very appropriate that we are here in such great numbers as parish ministers and Christian educators to reflect on our experiences with Confirmation and share our insights for direction of allowing the fullness of grace to come forward in our young people for this sacrament.  [confirmation]

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION? 
    THE THEOLOGY
  Confirmation is a sacrament in search of a theology. It is, says Augustine, “a visible sign of invisible grace.”  Four signs of a sacrament that could be highlighted in the confirmation liturgy: 1) sign of faith, 2) sign of worship, 3) sign of unity of the church, and 4) sign of Christ’s presence. Read more here.   [confirmation]

CONFIRMATION WEEK CONTINUES AT THE CATHOLIC YM BLOG
  Still got more stuff.  Will keep posting until I run out.  [confirmation]
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION?  THE INCIDENT
  After reading the whole article along with the companion statement from the diocese, it seems as if the Bishop was a little set-up as the bad guy here.  There did seem to be even the barest minimum of collaboration between the pastor with the candidate and the bishop.  The pastor's post-event comments seem to indicate his own motivations, as well.  Clearly, an unfortunate incident that could have been avoided.  [confirmation]

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION? 
  WISDOM, AGE, AND GRACE
   Bishop David Ricken from Cheyenne contributes: When Jesus was 12 years old, he, his mother, Mary, and foster father, Joseph, had gone up to Jerusalem, as was the “festive custom” of the Jews during the High Holy Days. On their return trip to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus was not with them or their relatives so they went back to Jerusalem only to find him in the temple listening to the teachers and asking them questions. The teachers were astonished by his wisdom. Jesus then returned to Nazareth with his parents and as the scripture says, “He advanced in wisdom, age and grace.” May our young people who are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation grow in wisdom, age and grace as did Jesus. Read more here.   [confirmation]
 

Friday

11

May

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION? A LITTLE HISTORY
  In the 2nd to the 4th centuries, those desiring to be Christians entered into the catechumenate (which culminated in the solemn initiation ceremony of the Easter vigil. The initiation rites had this basic structure: baptism; post-baptismal anointing; prayer and imposition of the hands; and anointing the forehead for the gift of the Spirit, i.e., Confirmation. This is the origin of the rite of chrismation which today constitutes the essential rite of confirmation. Read more here.     [confirmation]
 

UPDATE ROM THE SUMMIT
  Wow, the day went wonderfully. The Bishops seemed genuinely please with the program. The prayers were great.  The discussion was fully engaged. There was a compliment offered from a college professor for the four different presentations- they were in informative, charming, and each utilized a different style of presentation. Now- the post event editing. . . the goal is to get everything up and on-line by next week.   [work day]  
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION?  CHRIST'S INITIATIVE
  Bishop Robert C. Morlino from Madison contributes: Confirmation is not a sacrament of Christian or Catholic adulthood. It is not the occasion when high school students who don't like authority should be asked: you were baptized as a baby - now you can confirm your baptism or not. Some young women or men have the idea that it is focused on the freedom to say 'yes' or 'no' to authority. You can guess what they are tempted to say. We want to steer away from that. We need to understand - and teach - whose initiative it is to call us into confirmation: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If God called me into salvation in Christ, then it is God's will that I be confirmed.  Read more here.    [confirmation]

THIS IS THE DAY
  It's summit day!  Offer a prayer that all is good.  Thanks!  More and more resources coming soon on this site: power-points, .mp3's, and possibly YouTubes are forthcoming, meanwhile. . .    [confirmation]
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION? THE QUIZ
  True or false. Since Confirmation gives the Holy Spirit to strengthen the believer in his witness to the world, the denial of one's faith requires a re-Confirmation to restore the Spirit of Witness. Take the quiz here.    [confirmation]
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION?
  Here is where we can make the internet interactive.  I need your help. Together, can we develop a repository of diocesan confirmation guidelines, statements by bishops regarding the Sacrament, and/or pertinent articles.  If you've got something, please along the hyperlink by e-mailing me.  Thanks!  Here's the latest listing of diocesan guidelines that we have. . .  [confirmation]
 

Tuesday

8

May

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION?  CAN'T BE WIMPY
  Bishop George V. Murry of Youngstown contributes:  "It allows you to go further in your faith. The Holy Spirit enters you so that you are more prepared for situations that challenge your faith. . . This sacrament is intended to give you the strength you need so that you can become full adult members of our church. God, in his love, doesn’t expect you to do that overnight. He gives you help." That help, Murry explained, is the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit – gifts such as discernment and courage. “To be a Christian, you can’t be a wimp,” he said. “It requires courage.”  Read more here.  [confirmation]

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION? NOT A SINGLE EVENT
  Bishop Alvaro Corrada, SJ from Tyler contributes:  Confirmation not only strengthens us and sets us aside as witnesses to the apostolic mission. This strengthening by the Holy Spirit also helps us to overcome the tendency to sin which remains in each of us even after Baptism. The gifts of the Holy Spirit foster the formation of supernatural virtue as well as strengthening the natural virtues in the human person. Confirmation cannot be properly looked at as a single event, done and then forgotten, like some type of ‘immunization’ or ‘graduation’. Confirmation establishes an ongoing relationship with God which animates the ongoing growth in holiness which is the vocation (or call) of all the baptized.  Read more here.  [confirmation]

CONFIRMATION WEEK BEGINS AT THE CATHOLIC YM BLOG
  This Wednesday, The Archdiocese of Baltimore host a Bishops' Summit on the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Throughout the week (or as long as we've got stuff to post), there will be some significant cross-over between my real life and my virtual life. [confirmation]
SOLDIERS OF CHRIST
  Yes, This is the "old school" spin on the Sacrament of Confirmation.  But, listen to Pope Benedict's address from yesterday to his soldiers, the Swiss Guard: "The Lord calls you to holiness," Benedict exhorted his guards, "to be his disciples, always ready to listen to his voice, to fulfill his will and to realize it in the daily accomplishment of your duties. This will help make of you 'good Christians' and at the same time 'exemplary soldiers,' animated by that evangelical spirit which makes each of the baptized a 'leaven' to uplift the rest and a 'light' that shines and warms in the places you live and work."   [pope]
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT CONFIRMATION?  THE HOME TEAM 
  The Archdiocese of Baltimore has long-ago published The Seal of the Spirit which are guidelines concerning the Sacrament of Confirmation.  They can be found here.  [confirmation]

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS MONTH:   CONFIRMATION SEASON
  C'mon.  It's not about the numbers, but I hoped for 40, maybe fifty to attend. A week from Wednesday, we are hosting the Bishops' Summit on Confirmation.  For months, a small task group has been developing a program worthy of attendance.  Yesterday was the deadline.  We have 150! Awesome.  The blog will focus up on Confirmation this month. Watch for it and loads of resources.  [work day]  

also,
please check out:

A Catholic
Youth Ministry
Blog

- - -

New guests in the
Studio each Wednesday.

Now in the Studio:
o  Mike Carotta
  
Previously:
o  05/09 Sarah Hart
o  05/02 Bill Lage
o  04/25 Kim McMillan
o  04/18 Steve
                 Angrisano
o  04/11 Mark Moitoza
o  04/04 Bob Rice
o  03/28 Terri Telepak
o  03/21 Anne Marie
                 Cribbin
o  03/14 Gene
                 Monterastelli
o  03/07 Mike St. Pierre
o  02/28 Mark Pacione
o  02/21 Mark
                  Oestreicher
o  02/14 Eileen McCann
o  02/07 Michael Hart
o  01/31 Becki Kaman
o  01/24 Anna Scally
o  01/17 Mike Patin
o  01/10 Bob McCarty
o  01/03 Irene Friend