Queen of the Holy Rosary

Confirmation 2024-2025

Year 1 - 7th Grade

• • What is different this year with 7th grade?
    • 7th graders from Queen of the Holy Rosary (SOR, JPII, and homeschooled) will meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month from 7-8:30pm in the FIAT center
    • We will be using the "Chosen: Your Journey to Confirmation" program from Ascension Press as our guide
    • We are focused not just on preparing for Confirmation in the near future, but we want our students to become disciples of Christ and witnesses to the Faith
    • Throughout the two year program, we will be working to not just catechize, but EVANGELIZE!

Register for Year 1 Confirmation: Confirmation Registration

Questions about NEW Confirmation Preparation at QHR

• What topics will be covered in Year 1?
  • Chosen utilizes a method similar to OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation), where we focus on The Way, The Truth, and The Life. The first lessons focus on "The Way" where we zoom out to see the big picture and ask important questions that every person wonders, "Who Am I?" "Why Am I Here?"  To answer these, we will here the life changing message of the gospel, summed up that God created us out of love and to be with Him forever. Sin came into the world and we were separated from God. From the very beginning, He had a plan for His Son, Jesus, to become man and save us from our sins and open the path to Heaven again, allowing us to rejoice with Him forever, if we choose. God will always extend an invitation, but will we say yes?
  • Through the rest of the year, we focus on "The Truth" where we learn how we can answer God's call. We will look closely at the Sacraments, what it means to live as a Christian, and how God gives us the graces needed to answer the call, pick up our cross, and follow Him.

• What is the format of these sessions?
  • Chosen meets in a small group format
  • We will all come together for prayer to begin, then we will break into groups to hear and break down the Truth we've just heard. There are short videos, readings, and teachings that we will go through each session, then talk about in small groups or work through an activity!
  • Our aim is building community and a deeper sense of awe and understanding of the faith

• Why do students from homeschool or Catholic school need to attend? Won't it be redundant?
  • There is a big difference between "Religious Education" and "Faith Formation"! We want our students to know ABOUT the faith (and they most certainly should!), but we also want our students to KNOW JESUS. Many students find that Confirmation Preparation helps them to connect the information they've learned in Religion class with their life and how to live as a real disciple now!
  • Regardless of where we go to school, we are all part of one family (The Catholic Church) and we all belong to the Queen of the Holy Rosary Community! We want all of our young parishioners to feel connected to their Parish and see it as their spiritual home, not just their school. 
  • Each one of our students has incredible gifts and talents, we want them to get to know each other, build relationships, and share what they have learned with each other. We know that not all our JPII students will continue to a Catholic high school, and some of our homeschooled students may find themselves attending High school. We want our parishioners to know each other, build friendship, and have community. Jesus brought all kinds together under His mission, and calls us to do the same!

Year 1 Schedule

*Subject to Change at the discretion of Pastor and Formation Director

8th Grade Requirements

• Baptismal Certificate: Fill out online form if not already completed
• Service Hours - 20 hours recorded in service booklet
• Mass Reflections - 4 throughout the year, must submit at least 1 reflection by December 10th
• 2 Hours of Adoration throughout the year
  
  • How to visit the Blessed Sacrament
• Retreat - March 30th - More Details To Come
• Letter to the Archbishop (view instructions)
• Attend Candidate/Sponsor Workshops on October 6th, December 8th, February 2nd, and April 6th at 1pm in the FIAT Center
  • Sponsor is required to attend these meetings with Candidate
  • If Sponsor is unable to attend (distance, work, etc.), then parent must attend with Candidate
• Confirmation on May 19, 2025 at 7pm

 Due Date Schedule: *To Be Announced!

Why do I need...?

...Baptismal certificate?

In order to be confirmed, one must first be baptized. If you were not baptized at Queen, we need to know that you were baptized and where you were baptized. We also need to send a record of your Confirmation to the church of your Baptism, where all of your sacramental records are kept!

…A sponsor?

The life of a Christian believer is not easy. We need to have people around us to support and uplift us as we journey closer to Christ. The Church requires a candidate for Confirmation to have a sponsor to provide prayerful support and guidance on this walk. This is a lifelong commitment that must be taken seriously. A sponsor’s responsibility is to disciple the candidate and help them fulfill their baptismal promise and live a life of prayer, sacraments, and evangelization.  

…A patron saint?

In choosing a confirmation saint, we are choosing someone we want to be like and someone that can pray for us from heaven. A saint is someone who has walked the Christian walk before us and we can pray to them just as we would talk to a friend. They help us in our own journey towards sainthood. We also take on their name. This has biblical roots. Just like when Simon's name changed to Peter when he took on a new mission - you take on a new name as you take on a new mission in the Church. 

...Christian service?

Confirmation is calling us to live a life of discipleship. Part of being a disciple is living a life of service. We also know that when we encounter the poor, we encounter Jesus Himself. As we do service to prepare for confirmation, we will come to know Christ in a new way and come to live out a life of discipleship. 

...Mass reflections?

The Mass is Christ’s sacrifice made present again. It’s not recalled, as if it had been absent or was merely a past event. It’s re-presented. And so when we go to Mass, we are connected to the life-giving power of these saving events that have the power to make all things new. And we are offering to the Father the only sacrifice that could possibly please him: the perfect offering of his perfect Son. But it is our offering as well, since the Son has generously made us members of his body.

In the Eucharist, our offering of bread and wine is transformed into Christ’s body and blood. Everything looks the same as before. Even with a microscope, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, for the level at which this change happens is far too deep for human probing. But in the Eucharist, Christ is as truly present in his body, blood, soul, and divinity as when he walked the roads of Galilee, healing and preaching. The Eucharist is a meal, both the Lord's Supper and His holy sacrifice. We are able to both see Him and receive Him into ourselves, becoming walking tabernacles. The Eucharist sustains us in our walk as Christians, and is the source and summit of our faith.

Regular Mass attendance is essential as a Catholic-Christian, and taking time to reflect on the truth of the Gospel and the beauty of Jesus in the Eucharist is an important part in our faith journey.

...Holy Hour?

Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, and He desires us to sit with Him, talk with Him, and praise Him. It is a beautiful prayer to be able to sit face to face with the Lord of the Universe. We are able to sit in His presence, be still, and contemplate. Adoration is a great way to grow deeper in your relationship with God. 
  

…to write a letter to Archbishop Naumann?

It is important that you personally desire the sacrament of Confirmation. It doesn’t matter if your parents want it for you or your catechists or even your pastor - you must desire this sacrament for yourself. The Archbishop is the one who is administering the sacrament to you and needs to know that you desire this sacrament. The letter is the way to show the bishop that you want to be confirmed.