Confirmation

Confirmation is the sacrament that completes Baptism; in it the gift of the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon us.  Anyone who freely decides to live a life as God's child and asks for God's Spirit under the signs of the imposition of hands and anointing with chrism receives the strength to wtness to God's love and might in word and deed.  They are now a full-fledged, responsible member of the Catholic Church. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1285-1314).  

The Confirmation program at Our Lady of Sorrows is a two-year program offered to young people typically beginning their freshman year of high school. (If older students would like to enroll, they are more than welcome.)  The mission of the program is to help young people enter into loving relationship with God so they can change the world. Over the two-year period, Confirmation students are invited to grow in faith and prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation by attending monthly class sessions and learning outside the classroom through service, spiritual, and enrichment opportunities. Confirmation II students will also participate in a retreat in April.  

2022-23 Confirmation Preparation

The public health situation permitting, Confirmation I and II classes will be held in person during the 2022-23 faith formation year. As always, we will follow CDC and Archdiocesan guidelines regarding social distancing, masking, and other best practices.

Confirmation I sessions will meet in O'Connell Hall from 7-8:30 p.m. one Thursday each month. Confirmation II sessions will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. one Sunday each month. See below for the full program schedule.

Volunteers are always needed!  If you are available to serve as a facilitator, please contact Monica LaFond.

If you determine that our plans for faith formation sessions will not work well for your family and would like to explore homeschooling curriculum, feel free to contact Monica LaFond for resource recommendations. 

Service

Service opportunities provide students with a chance to live out their faith and participate in the Acts of Mercy to which Jesus calls us.  Each student enrolled in the Confirmation program during 2022-23 is expected to participate in at least one service opportunity and complete a reflection form about their experience. Click here to learn more.

Spiritual Enrichment

At Our Lady of Sorrows, we believe that faith formation is a lifelong process meant to draw us into closer relationship with Christ and the Church. Faith formation is much broader than simply "instructing in the faith," and we strive to provide a variety of spiritually enriching activities and events in which parishioners of all ages can participate. Each student enrolled in the Confirmation program during 2022-23 is expected to participate in at least one spiritual enrichment opportunity and complete a reflection form about their experience. Click here to learn more.

Registration

Click here to register!

For more information about the Confirmation program at Our Lady of Sorrows, please contact Monica LaFond (mlafond@olossharon.org). For more information about our online programs for high schoolers, please contact Teresa Coda (tcoda@olossharon.org).

Confirmation I (typically 9th Grade)

The theme of Confirmation I is Faith in Our Lives: Revisiting, Reviewing and Applying the Basics of Our Faith to Everyday Life.   The overall goals of the program are to create a space for thoughtful conversation, demonstrate the relevance of our faith to the lives of teens in today, and build community. Curriculum resources used for the development of our sessions include: The Center for Ministry Development, Education for Justice, Catholic Central, Busted Halo and the McGrath Institute for Church Life, as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. 
 
Schedule
Parent Orientation:  An orientation for parents of Confirmation I students will be held on Thursday, September 29 from 7-8 pm in O'Connell Hall.

Monthly Classes: The Confirmation I students will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. in O'Connell Hall on the following Thursdays each month:

October 6
November 3
December 1
January 5
February 2
March 2
April 6
May 4

Snow Day Make-Up Class: Our Snow Day Make-Up Class will be on Thursday, April 27 from 7-8:30 pm and will be used to cover the topic of any class that is canceled due to inclement weather. 

Confirmation I Retreat: A retreat for Confirmation I students will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 9 to 5 pm at Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, MA. Transportation to and from OLOS will be provided.

Confirmation II (typically 10th Grade)

The theme of the year is Catholic Social Teaching, and each class will explore one of the seven themes of CST, with the overall goals of creating a space for thoughtful conversation about peace and justice and translating faith themes to everyday life.

Primary resources used for the developement of this year's curriculum are Catholic Relief Services and Education for Justice.
 
Schedule

Parent Orientation: An orientation for parents of Confirmation II students will be held on Thursday, September 29 from 7-8 pm in O'Connell Hall.

Monthly Classes: The Confirmation II students will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. on the following Sundays each month:

October 2
November 6
December 4
January 8 
February 5
March 5

Confirmation & Reception: Friday, May 12, 7 p.m.