Year One High School Confirmation Program
Overview
Semester 1: Foundations of Faith
Week 1-2: Introduction to the Catholic Faith and Confirmation Class
Week 9-10: The Bible and Revelation
Week 15: The Role of Mary and the Saints
Semester 2: Sacraments and Living the Faith
Week 17: The Marianist and Marian Apostolic Charism
Week 28-29: Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Matrimony and Holy Orders
Week 33-34: Service, Evangelization, and Final Review
Week 36: Last Day of Class and Family Fun Day
Additional Components
Service Opportunities:
Year Two High School Confirmation Program
Overview
Week 1-2: Introduction to Year Two Confirmation and Faith Recap
Week 10: The Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
Week 14-15: The Ten Commandments and The Beatitudes
Week 17: The Marianist and Marian Apostolic Charism
Week 28: The Call to Holiness
Week 33-34: Living the Faith in the World and Religious Life
Week 36: Final Preparation for Confirmation
Additional Components
Service Opportunities:
Overview
- Duration: 1 Academic Year (Two Semesters)
- Frequency: Weekly Classes (75 minutes each)
- Sources:
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
- Decision Point by Dynamic Catholic
- Six Tasks of Catechesis
Semester 1: Foundations of Faith
Week 1-2: Introduction to the Catholic Faith and Confirmation Class
- CCC Reference: Overview (CCC 25-27, 50)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Decision Point: Session 1 & 2
- Introduction to the program and the importance of Confirmation
- Understanding what it means to be Catholic.
- Activities: Icebreakers, personal faith stories, God reveals, setting goals for the program
- CCC Reference: Desire of God (CCC 27-35, 44-45, 1718)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Education for Community Life
- Decision Point: Session 6
- Explain how God’s creative love made each of us with a desire and capacity to respond to the gift of faith and dive into why relationships are an important part of our faith journey.
- Activities: Discussion on Image of God, What Communities are you a part of?
- CCC Reference: The Creed (CCC 184-197)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Decision Point: Session 3 & 8
- The Trinity and the role of each Person
- Activities: Creed’s study, role of God in our lives discussion
Week 9-10: The Bible and Revelation
- CCC Reference: Sacred Scripture (CCC 101-141)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Decision Point: Session 5
- How Jesus reveals God’s plan and how we can use the Bible in our daily lives to be in contact with God
- Activities: Bible basics quiz, personal reflection on Scripture passages
- CCC Reference: The Church (CCC 748-870)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Decision Point: Session 9
- The structure and mission of the Church
- Activities: Exploration of Church history, roles within the Church.
- CCC Reference: Christian Prayer (CCC 2558-2565, 2626-2649)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Formation in Prayer
- Decision Point: Session 4
- Forms of Prayer
- Demonstrate an understanding of how these practices contribute to personal faith and communal worship.
- Explore various rituals of the church to deepen prayer life: Adoration, Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Rosary
- Activities: Participate in several ways to pray, Pray as a class
Week 15: The Role of Mary and the Saints
- CCC Reference: Mary and the Saints (CCC 963-975)
- Understanding the Communion of Saints and their intercession
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Activities: Lives of the Saints, Marian devotion practices.
- Activities: Group discussion and review of key concepts
- Assessment: Quiz/ Check-in
Semester 2: Sacraments and Living the Faith
Week 17: The Marianist and Marian Apostolic Charism
- Students will explore the history of the Marianist tradition and the role of Mary in the Marianist mission. Delve into the Marian charism, which emphasizes a deep devotion to May and its impact on spiritual and communal life.
- Invitation for students to attend Marianist Summer LIFE
- CCC Reference: The Sacraments (CCC 1210-1211)
- Overview of the sacraments as encounters with grace
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Activities: Overview of sacramental preparation.
- CCC Reference: Baptism (CCC 1213-1284), Confirmation (CCC 1285-1321)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith and Moral Formation
- Decision Point: Session 10
- Significance and preparation for Confirmation
- Activities: Remembering your Baptism, Signs/Symbols
- CCC Reference: Celebrating the Church’s Liturgy (CCC 1136-1199), The Eucharist (CCC 1322-1419)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Liturgical Education
- Decision Point: Session 7
- Understanding the Real Presence
- Understanding the parts of the Mass/Participation in
- Liturgical seasons and significance
- Activities: Mass observation, discussion on personal experiences of the Eucharist, Tour of the Church, parts of Mass quiz.
- CCC Reference: Reconciliation (CCC 1420-1498), Anointing of the Sick (CCC 1499-1532)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Liturgical Education and Moral Formation
- Decision Point: Session 14
- The importance of these sacraments in healing and forgiveness
- Activities: Examination of conscience, invitation to Reconciliation, Seeing an anointing
Week 28-29: Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Matrimony and Holy Orders
- CCC Reference: Matrimony (CCC 1602-1666), Holy Orders (CCC 1536-1600)
- Explore vocations and understanding our various callings.
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Education for Community Life
- Activities: Possible panel
- CCC Reference: Christian Morality (CCC 1749-1809)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Moral Formation
- Decision Point: Session 11 and 12
- Living out the values of the call to holiness and moral decision-making
- Understanding catholic social teaching
- Activities: Case studies, role-playing moral dilemmas.
Week 33-34: Service, Evangelization, and Final Review
- The call to serve others and share the Gospel.
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Apostolic Life
- Activities: Review of key concepts, comprehensive assessment, getting students to think of ways to stay involved through service or within the Parish
Week 36: Last Day of Class and Family Fun Day
- Closing discussion/remarks
Additional Components
Service Opportunities:
- Provide students with opportunities for service projects that reflect their faith in action, Festival, Turkey Bingo, Holy Week, etc.
- Organize a retreat focused on prayer, reflection, and preparation for Confirmation.
- Regular quizzes and group discussions to assess understanding and personal growth.
Year Two High School Confirmation Program
Overview
- Duration: 1 Academic Year (Two Semesters)
- Frequency: Weekly Classes (75 minutes each)
- Sources:
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis- UCCB Directory
- The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth by Saint Mary’s Press
Week 1-2: Introduction to Year Two Confirmation and Faith Recap
- CCC Reference: Overview (CCC 25-27,50)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 3
- Objectives:
- Expectations for the program year
- Understanding and review of the basics of the faith
- Activities:
- Overview of expectation letter and requirements.
- Discussion on faith-
- CCC Reference: The Human Community (CCC 27-49, 1700-1709, 1825-1829, 1877)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Education for Community Life
- Objectives:
- Explore and understand the importance of a relationship with God, self, and others.
- Encourage students to develop meaningful connections to share/grow in their personal faith and support each other.
- Lesson on exploring different relationships and group discussions.
- CCC Reference The Creed (CCC 184-197)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 4,6, and 10
- Objectives:
- Students will gain a clear understanding of the concept of the Trinity, including the roles and relationships of the three persons.
- Explain the Trinity clearly and confidently.
- Activities:
- Trinity Poster Project- create posters that illustrate the Trinity using symbols, images, and key words.
- Skits.
Week 10: The Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
- CCC Reference: The Church (CCC 748-870)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 11 and 12
- Objectives:
- Students will gain an understanding of the structure, hierarchy, and mission of the Church.
- Students will reflect on their personal relationship with the Church and how they can contribute to its mission and community.
- Activities:
- Introduction to Church structure, history, and impact.
- Personal Connection and reflection.
- CCC Reference: Prayer (CCC 2558-2565)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Formation in Prayer
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Part D Christian Prayer
- Objectives:
- Develop a deeper understanding of prayer and its role in spiritual life.
- Explore various forms of personal and communal prayer.
- Activities:
- Practice different forms of prayer: adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise.
- Establishing a personal prayer routine and spiritual goals.
Week 14-15: The Ten Commandments and The Beatitudes
- CCC Reference: The Ten Commandments (CCC 2052-2557), The Beatitudes (CCC 1716-1729)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith and Moral Formation
- Objectives:
- Understand the meaning, significance, and relevance of the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes.
- Engage in reflective thinking and group discussion to explore how these apply in their daily actions and decisions.
- Activities:
- Beatitudes exploration- meaning, implications and practical applications of their assigned beatitude.
- Ten Commandment Examination.
- Activities:
- Review key concepts.
- Assessment/ Check-in
Week 17: The Marianist and Marian Apostolic Charism
- Students will explore the history of the Marianist tradition and the role of Mary in the Marianist mission. Delve into the Marian charism, which emphasizes a deep devotion to Mary and its impact on spiritual and communal life.
- Invitation for students to attend Marianist Summer LIFE
- CCC Reference: The Sacraments (CCC 1210-1211)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith and Moral Formation
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 15
- Objectives:
- Overview of the sacraments as encounters with grace
- Recognize how Sacraments play a role in the life of the Church, reflect of how this can impact their personal faith journey and their role in the community.
- Activities:
- Assessment of general knowledge of the Seven Sacraments.
- Discussion on the importance of the Sacraments.
- CCC Reference: Baptism (CCC 1213-1284)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 16
- Objectives:
- Understand the significance and rites of Baptism.
- Explore the invisible and visible signs and symbols.
- Activities:
- Detailed study of the Baptism ritual.
- Group discussion on personal experiences.
- CCC Reference: Confirmation (CCC 1285-1321)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 17
- Objectives:
- Understand the significance and rites of Confirmation.
- Explore the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
- Activities:
- Detailed study of the Confirmation ritual.
- Reflection on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and their application in life.
- Group discussion on personal experiences and expectations.
- CCC Reference: The Eucharist (CCC 1322-1419)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 14 and 18
- Objectives:
- Deepen understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
- Explore the structure and significance of the Mass.
- Activities:
- Mass participation and reflection.
- Discussion on the meaning of the Eucharist in daily life.
- Study of the Liturgy of the Eucharist and its components.
- CCC Reference: Reconciliation (CCC 1420-1498), Anointing of the Sick (CCC 1499-1532)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 19
- Objectives:
- Understand the significance and practice of these sacraments.
- Explore their roles in the life of the Church and personal healing.
- Activities:
- Examination of conscience and practice of confession.
- Discussion on the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and its pastoral importance.
- CCC Reference: Matrimony (CCC 1602-1666), Holy Orders (CCC 1536-1600)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 20
- Objectives:
- Understand the significance of these sacraments to the church.
- Explore vocations.
- Activities:
- Discussion on the importance of roles within the church: Lay person, married, single, religious.
- CCC Reference: The Holy Spirit (CCC 683-747)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of Faith
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 10
- Objectives:
- Understand the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian.
- Explore the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
- Activities:
- Reflection on the work of the Holy Spirit in personal life and the Church.
- Group activities focused on the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Week 28: The Call to Holiness
- CCC Reference: The Call to Holiness (CCC 2013-2029)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Missionary Discipleship and Service
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 24
- Objectives:
- Explore what it means to live a holy life.
- Understand the call to personal and communal holiness.
- Activities:
- Study of saints and their paths to holiness.
- Personal reflection on individual callings and vocation.
- Group discussion on integrating holiness into everyday life.
- CCC Reference: Christian Morality (CCC 1749-1809)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Moral Formation
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 21 and 27
- Objectives:
- Understand the moral teachings of the Church.
- Apply moral principles to real-life situations.
- Activities:
- Case studies on moral decision-making.
- Role-playing scenarios to practice ethical choices.
- Reflection on how Catholic morality guides personal behavior.
- CCC Reference: The Church’s Mission and Social Doctrine (CCC 2419-2463)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Missionary Discipleship and Service
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 22
- Objectives:
- Understand the Church’s role in promoting social justice.
- Learn about Catholic social teaching and its application in the world.
- Activities:
- Analysis of contemporary social issues from a Catholic perspective.
- Planning and participation in a social justice project or advocacy.
Week 33-34: Living the Faith in the World and Religious Life
- CCC Reference: Christian Life and Vocation (CCC 898-913)
- Six Tasks of Catechesis: Missionary Discipleship and Service
- Book Reference: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Chapter 30
- Objectives:
- Explore the implications of living out one’s faith in daily life.
- Exploring religious life
- Understand the call to evangelize and serve others.
- Activities:
- Planning and engaging in a faith-based service project.
- Discussions on ways to share the Gospel and live out the Catholic values in various aspects of life.
Week 36: Final Preparation for Confirmation
- Activities:
- Review of the sacrament of Confirmation and its implications.
- Personal reflection on the journey of faith and readiness for Confirmation.
- Finalize preparations for the Confirmation ceremony, including rehearsals and discussions on the meaning of the sacrament.
- Reflection on the commitments being made and the path forward as a confirmed member of the Church.
Additional Components
Service Opportunities:
- Provide students with opportunities for service projects that reflect their faith in action, Festival, Turkey Bingo, Holy Week, etc.
- Organize a retreat focused on prayer, reflection, and preparation for Confirmation.
- Organize sessions for parents and sponsors to support and guide candidates through their preparation.
- Conduct regular assessments through quizzes and group discussions to gauge understanding and growth.