CONFIRMATION

History:

In collaboration with Father Paul André Durocher, appointed pastoral co-ordinator for the diocese of Timmins in September 1989, several persons gathered to prepare a diocesan policy and program for the preparation of our youth for Confirmation. This program was launched in the Fall of 1990 by the Sacraments Preparation Team. The program was recently revised by the Sacraments preparation Team.

The Program

In our diocese, young people are invited to celebrate the Holy Spirit and to confirm their faith at the age of 12/13, or at any age after this, depending upon when they feel ready to prepare for the sacrament.
It is the parish which facilitates the preparation for this sacrament.

Each parish provides a person or a team to co-ordinate this project. Parents help by leading small sharing groups of 5 or 6 candidates.

The school also has an important role in this process. Since kindergarten, the teachers have passed onto their students the Catholic teaching of the Church. Moreover, the diocese offers specific lessons from 5th to 8th grade about the meaning of confirmation.

The program takes the following steps:

• School "Blitz"

The confirmation co-ordinator for the parish, often accompanied by the parish priest, parish co-ordinator, or pastoral worker, meets the candidates at school to talk about the process and to help them discern if they are ready to begin it at this time.

• Ice-Breaker Night

All the candidates of the same parish, who feel ready to begin the preparation, meet for an introductory evening. They bring their registration form and their baptismal certificate as a sign of their decision to follow through with the preparation. This evening includes games, discussions and prayer. They will have the opportunity to meet the leader and the other candidates in their small sharing group.

• Parents' meetings

The parents meet with the parish co-ordination team and the diocesan sacraments preparation co-ordinator twice during the process. The first meeting is an information session. The second one helps the parents to become more aware of the meaning of confirmation in their personal lives.

• Small sharing groups

Six (6) small sharing group meetings take place every two weeks or so for about 3 months. The leaders are trained by the diocesan co-ordinator to work with the youth.

The topics for these six (6) sessions are :

• Growing in the Spirit ;
• Opening our eyes ;
• Recognizing our talents and gifts ;
• Living an adventure ;
• Building the Church ;
• Preparing the Celebration.

• Liturgical celebrations

The candidates and their family, godparents, and friends gather during the Sunday liturgy for special celebrations : The Rite of Enrolment and the celebration of commitment to the service project.

• Service Project

Responding to Jesus' call to Love and Serve, the candidates are invited to give 10 hours of community service as part of their preparation.

• Recollection

At the end of the process, the candidates are invited to gather in their parish for a time of reflection and prayer before they receive the sacrament.

• Confirmation

After Easter, the bishop goes to the parishes to celebrate the sacrament with the prepared candidates.

• Follow up

A follow up is encouraged through the youth ministry office of the diocese.