Confirmation

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord." 

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of Christian initiation in the Catholic Church and is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. Confirmation builds on the gifts each individual has already received through baptism and brings them more closely into the Church (The Catholic Faith Handbook, 2013, p.204).

Information

Bishop Confirmation Candidate Questionnaire

Why Junior Year

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee identifies junior year as the most developmentally appropriate time for an individual to pursue the preparation and reception of this sacrament. Individuals must have reached the age of reason so that he/she may understand its meaning most completely. The person must be baptized. They must freely profess the Catholic faith. They must be in a state of grace, following the laws of Christ an the Church and not be guilty of any serious, unconfessed sins. They must also wish to be confirmed and must be willing to be a witness for Christ.

Requirements for Confirmation

Individuals desiring to be confirmed must go through formal preparation for the reception of the sacrament in which certain expectations must be fulfilled. At St. Dominic Catholic Parish, we expect that all students participating in confirmation preparation have also been engaging in the formation and community provided through our Life Teen ministry and events throughout high school.

Parent/Teen Info Meeting: August 29 | 7:00-8:00 PM | Marcy Center.
Teen must attend with at least 1 parent. If you can’t make it, set up a one-on-one meeting with Sami.

Small Group: If you participated in freshman discipleship, you will have 6 small group sessions, and if you did not, you will have 12 small group sessions. Our small groups are interactive, not classroom style. Our amazing catechists lead small group Bible studies focusing on what it means to be a disciple - developing a life of prayer, reading Scripture, learning about the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and following him, and learning what the sacrament of Confirmation really means. How do I sign up? Sign-ups will happen post-parent meeting. There will be several options with teens’ busy and changing schedules!

Sponsor: You will meet with your sponsor 4 times during the year before getting confirmed. Sponsors will receive training, guidance, direction, and support.

Retreats: November 17-19 or February 16-18. All must participate even those who attended a freshman retreat

Service: Write about a recent service experience. We care less about the hours, but the impact made on the teens and whoever they served! In the last year, how have you served others? If you can’t think of anything, it’s time to get some service experience! Recommendation: doing service with your sponsor!

Choose a saint!: What saint do you look up to? Do some research and ask around if you aren’t sure who to choose! Write a one-page reflection on your saint, due the first week of December or first week of April (depending on when your small group is). Hand into small group leader. You wear the name of your saint on Confirmation day!

Letter of Intent to the archbishop: Due April 1,2024. Please email to Suzette Hildebrand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my teen enters into St. Dominic Catholic Parish outside the standard timelines? We are glad that you are here! We understand how life can throw us curveballs, so we will work with your situation in order for your teen to begin preparations right away in order to meet the timeline for reception of the sacrament.
What if we can’t meet the obligations of the program? We understand that life happens. It is important that parents, student, sponsor, and the St. Dominic staff work together to support the reception of the sacrament to the best of our abilities knowing the expectations of the sacrament.
I have a pretty crazy schedule, can my parents teach me? We understand that Junior year in high school carries many responsibilities.  We don’t wish your Confirmation preparation to be “one more thing”.  We desire it to be “the thing”.  We would encourage you to make the time to prepare well.  Preparation involves doing so in a community.  We would prefer that attendance in small group occur.
What qualifies as service?  Work for the good of others that you do not get paid for nor is it part of the expectations upon us as members of a family.

 

Sponsors

Why does St. Dominic involve Confirmation sponsors and what should that look like? "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" -EVANGELII NUNTIANDI, Pope Paul VI

What is the role of a Confirmation sponsor? Our desire is to form sponsors that don’t just show up on the day of the ceremony, but to walk with their confirmand both before and after being confirmed. It is your job as a sponsor to help them walk closely with Jesus and get to heaven.

What does it mean to be a Mentor vs Teacher? We are not teachers, we are mentors. At St. Dominic, we practice life-on-life ministry, or relational ministry. We enter into the lives of teenagers, so that we can help them know Christ.
Teachers: teach and instruct to relay information.
Mentors: walk alongside, show someone how, relational - Balance between investing in the relationship and challenging to grow in their Faith.

  • Goal: Draw them closer to the Savior, not change their behavior
  • Focus is not making them a “good Catholic,” but on knowing and encountering Jesus.
  • We do not change people, only the Holy Spirit can draw people to deeper conversion.
  • Things are better “caught” than taught. You can tell someone about a topic, but they won’t understand until you actually show them how. “Imitate me just as I imitate Christ.” ~1 Corinthians 1:11

What are young people looking for in a mentor? “The same young people described to us the qualities they hope to find in a mentor, and they expressed this with much clarity. The qualities of such a mentor include: being a faithful Christian who engages with the Church and the world; someone who constantly seeks holiness; someone who is a confidant without judging. Similarly, someone who actively listens to the needs of young people and responds in kind; someone deeply loving and self-aware; someone who recognizes his or her limits and knows the joys and sorrows of the spiritual journey. An especially important quality in mentors is the acknowledgement of their own humanity – the fact that they are human beings who make mistakes: not perfect people but forgiven sinners. Sometimes mentors are put on a pedestal, and when they fall, it may have a devastating impact on young people’s ability to continue to engage with the Church. Mentors should not lead young people as passive followers, but walk alongside them, allowing them to be active participants in the journey. They should respect the freedom that comes with a young person’s process of discernment and equip them with tools to do so well. A mentor should believe wholeheartedly in a young person’s ability to participate in the life of the Church. A mentor should therefore nurture the seeds of faith in young people, without expecting to immediately see the fruits of the work of the Holy Spirit. This role is not and cannot be limited to priests and consecrated life, but the laity should also be empowered to take on such a role. All such mentors should benefit from being well-formed, and engage in ongoing formation”. – Pope Francis, Christus Vivit

Instructions/logistics
Meet with your sponsor 4 times before Confirmation on May 10, 2024. Aim for 1.5 hours, but it could be shorter or longer! Meet wherever! A coffee shop, restaurant, one of your homes, even do something fun together then discuss!

Lessons: 

Discuss life, the word, and pray together.

  1. Catch up on life: Suggested questions: high lows, what’s been good? What’s been hard? How is your relationship with God? Are you feeling close to him or distant? How are your relationships?
  2. Read & discuss the Word: Scripture readings in each lesson, and the reflection it includes (Questions provided)
  3. Pray together: Begin in prayer and especially end your time together in prayer! Ask your candidate what they need prayer for. Pray for them consistently when you are with them, and when you are not. Tell them you are praying for them, then actually do it.
    1. Easy prayer format to begin in prayer: Ask God to bless your time together, that you may have fruitful conversation, to be open to the Word of God and what he wants to speak to each of you, and ask to be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
    2. Easy format for ending in prayer: Praise God for who he is. Thank Him for the gift of your candidate, your time together, whatever else you are grateful for. Thank him for what he’s revealed in His Word to both of you, pray in particular about how God is asking you to apply what you’ve discussed to your lives. Pray for the specific needs your candidate has shared with you. Close by thanking God again for your time together and the gift of that person and the gift of being able to sponsor them.
    3. *Tip: Teach your candidate how to pray!! When they get more comfortable, encourage them to pray!

Encouragement: God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called. Your candidate chose you for a reason, trust that. They saw something in you that they want to imitate. None of us are perfect, but the important part is seeking the One who loves us and calls us is beloved.

Sponsors, prepare for your time together.

  • Look through the lesson in advance and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your discussion.
  • Ask good questions! Listen more than you talk.
  • Outside of your time together, try to go to adoration, Mass, or do a service experience together. God uses imperfect people for his purposes – redeemed sinners who are still on a journey. You don’t have to be an expert, focus is on relationship – none of us have all the answers. Can add other things to your conversations of course!

Prayer resources, other topics, etc.

  • Meet the student where they are at in their faith.
  • Challenge them to grow. Give them a certain challenge in their prayer life or living out their faith
  • Discuss which saint they are choosing to be their Confirmation saint!
 

Upcoming Events

Our Team

Our professional staff is a talented group of individuals trained in their perspective duties to give direction to the program and minister our teens and their parents. They also are responsible for training and ministering to the core team.

Fr. Tim Schumaker

Associate Pastor

Office: 262.781.3480, Ext. 224

Samantha Taylor

High School Minister

Office: 262.781.3480, Ext. 229

Suzette Hildebrand

Formation & Human Concerns Assistant

Office: 262.781.3480, Ext. 226

Our Core Team is literally at the core of everything we do. Our Core Team is a group of volunteer ministers who give their time and talents to accompany teens to seek Christ, know Christ, and become Christ. Very simply, a Core member's job is to share Jesus Christ with teens. Their job is relational ministry which shows teens that they are valued and loved by God.

Interested in joining our core team? Training and all materials are provided. If you would like to learn more about the Core Team, please contact Fr. Tim Schumakeror Sami Taylor