NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 2015-2016 Religious Education Program CONFIRMATION HANDBOOK (1st and 2nd Year) (Please keep this handbook in a convenient location, as it will provide useful information throughout the school year.)

This handbook contains current policies instituted to help coordinate and facilitate the Confirmation program at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. They were drafted by the Director of Religious Education, Deacon Michael A. Illerbrun and approved by our Pastor, Fr. Juan Mendez. These policies are very important to our program, as the success of our Confirmation program depends on how well these policies are understood and followed.

PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTERING YOUR CHILD IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION DOES NOT REGISTER YOUR FAMILY WITH THE PARISH. CONVERSELY, REGISTERING YOUR FAMILY WITH THE PARISH DOES NOT REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. Please take time to review the policies. If you have any questions or need clarification please contact us at 898-5253 x 1 or 2. Deacon Michael A. Illerbrun Director, Religious Education PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The Nativity Confirmation program is a TWO YEAR program. Our first year will be used to provide instruction in general principles of the Catholic Faith to include: identifying confirmation sponsor(s), learning basic Catholic prayers such as the Creed and the prayer to the Holy Spirit, classes on sexuality, church ministries and general information on Saints. We will use the “Faith Fusion” curriculum as our primary source of information for the class. Our second year program will provide an opportunity for our candidates to put their lessons to practical use. We will continue with academic classes, using the “Confirmed in the Spirit” curriculum. We will meet at 1045 on Sundays for 1 ½ hours prior to attending the 12:30 Mass as a class. The candidates will be required to attend the 12:30 Mass as a group. For those candidates who regularly attend Mass with their families, we ask that you attend with your class for this one year. Your families are welcome to attend the 12:30 Mass also, if they wish. Each candidate will be required to join and participate as an usher, lector or choir member during Mass. The candidates are required to attend a retreat this year prior to the confirmation ceremony. Specific details will be provided in class. All candidates will be required to participate in Saturday service projects with their classmates. Details of dates and times will be provided in class. All candidates will be provided the opportunity to make their own Creed plaques this year. All sponsors will be asked to provide a bible for their candidates, as well as their creed plaque, at a ceremony toward the end of the academic year. Finally, each candidate will be required to write a saint report on the saint they choose for their confirmation name and a letter to the Archbishop prior to the confirmation ceremony. Details for both projects will be provided in class.

Parent Participation: Parents, as the primary catechist for your candidate, you are always encouraged to participate in their confirmation years. During their second year, we are always in need of parents to drive for our field trips. If you can drive, you must attend one of the Abuse Awareness Training for Adults classes offered by the Archdiocese prior to carrying other people’s kids. This is a requirement of the Archdiocese. Contact the religious education office for dates and times. Please feel free to call us at 898-5253 x 1 at any time to volunteer or to ask any questions you may have. Our goal is to provide you with the information you need to feel comfortable entrusting your children to us. Attendance: CLASSES: For both 1st and 2nd year classes, your child may have only three unexcused absences for the entire year! Attendance will be taken for all classes. If a candidate is unable to attend please call 898-5253 x 1 to inform Monica of the absence. If a candidate’s absence is not called in, Monica will be calling to find out why they were not present. If the candidate is absent, we will try to provide you with the material for that week that you can make up with your child. Please let us know if your child is not going to be at class. We will provide the planned date for our Confirmation ceremony when we receive it from the Archbishop. We will require a mandatory practice session prior to the event. Reconciliation - Any day prior to Confirmation. We will provide specific sessions for each class, but if the candidate can’t attend, please ensure they attend SOMEWHERE. Our Confirmation catechists are volunteers who teach our children about the Catholic faith. Please cooperate with them and help them to lead your children through this process. The Director of Religious Education is responsible for providing training and guidance to them as necessary. He will ensure that all parish policies are complied with and will provide additional direction as needed. Confirmation Requirements: Candidates’ age for confirmation is irrelevant. The Archbishop of Santa Fe requires them to be enrolled in High School before they can receive the sacrament of confirmation. Each candidate will choose a saint name for confirmation. The baptismal name may be used as long as it is the name of a saint. Each candidate may choose a male or female saint, but understand that some names do not have male and female versions. In that case, the chosen name will be assigned at confirmation, regardless of the candidate’s gender. For example, if you choose St Ferdinand as your saint and you are female, we will give you the name of Ferdinand. If you choose the name of Mary and you are male, you will receive the name of Mary. Pastors (or their designate) and parents are to determine that the person to be confirmed has chosen freely to receive this Sacrament.

In the latter stages of preparation (second year), each candidate will indicate by letter to the Archbishop, his or her desire to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. (This is a mandatory letter. The candidate will not be confirmed without writing this letter.) Specifics for this letter will be provided in class. Candidates for confirmation will be expected to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) prior to the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Specific dates for each class to attend reconciliation will be provided during class. (See the Act of Contrition and the proper procedure for reconciliation at the end of this handbook.) THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO CONFIRMATION. FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMEMENTS WILL RESULT IN RECOMMENDATION TO THE PASTOR THAT YOU BE HELD OVER FOR CONFIRMATION IN THE NEXT YEAR. We have a lot of requirements spread out over the program. Many of them may conflict with sports or other activities. Please address and resolve these issues now rather than waiting to complain about our requirements later. We will do our best to work with each candidate to make sure they have the opportunity for confirmation. Please be aware that we cannot however, change the whole program for one or two children. Candidates will undergo a preparation period of study, prayer and retreat. Each 2nd year candidate will be required to attend one retreat in the fall and is also to participate in the spring pilgrimage to the Santuario in Chimayo. We will provide a Saturday retreat here at Nativity for the 2nd year candidates. The date will be determined at a later date. Additionally, we will be conducting the pilgrimage to the Santuario in Chimayo this year on 6 February 2016. We will ask $15 for each person, to pay for the bus. Saturday Christian Service: For our 2nd year candidates we will be scheduling monthly Saturday offsite Christian service visits. Each Candidate is required to attend ALL the offsite fieldtrips, including the pilgrimage to Chimayo. Our service projects will include the Fiesta, the Good Shepherd Center, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Rite Catholic Church, a service project for the city of Rio Rancho, the Casa de Rosa, the Santuario in Chimayo and the St Felix Food Pantry. ALL candidates MUST ATTEND all of the offsites. Dates and locations will be provided at the beginning of the class year. Please plan to work other events around them! Each event offers a unique experience for the candidates and should be experienced. If for some reason a candidate cannot attend a required service visit because of a serious situation such as sickness, death in the family, overseas missionary trip etc. please contact Deacon Michael as soon as you realize you cannot make the event. He will negotiate a suitable substitute to make up for the missed event. There are many opportunities throughout the year for Confirmation candidates to contribute to the community through service. We encourage you to participate because it is the right thing to do, not because you can claim credit for the service. Mass Attendance and Ministries: Each candidate is required to attend the 12:30 Sunday Mass with their class as part of their confirmation year. The intent of this is twofold. First,

we want the candidates to become familiar with the Mass and understand its significance within our faith. Secondly, we want to build a community among and between the candidates. This will help them better deal with the challenges to their faith that they deal with every day at school and on the street. They will also become part of a ministry that they choose for themselves. This will help them to learn the joys of giving of oneself for others and helps the community to see and recognize them at Mass. Academic Requirements and Evaluation 1st year candidates will receive instruction on and be expected to demonstrate their proficiency in the following: Nicene Creed, Prayer to the Holy Spirit and the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. 2nd year candidates will be required to know the parts of the Mass, effects of the Sacraments and definitions of Confirmation and the Sacraments. An evaluation will be scheduled at the end of the year. Curriculum: The curriculum the teachers use is approved by the Director of Religious Education and the pastor. In selecting appropriate curriculum, we must follow the guidelines from the Archbishop. Standards for curriculum are set by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops with recommendations for approved texts that we must follow. We are very concerned that the candidates are taught the essentials of our Catholic faith and our treasured Traditions as well as the sacramental and spiritual aspects of our faith. We will use “Faith Fusion” for the 1st year candidates while we will use “Confirmed in the Spirit” for the 2nd year. Required Prayers: All 1st year candidates will be expected to memorize two basic prayers essential to the Catholic faith. They will need to memorize and demonstrate proficiency for the following prayers as well as the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prayer to the Holy Spirit Nicene Creed Since the Creed is the synopsis of the Roman Catholic faith, we will be concentrating more on the meaning of the Creed rather than through memorization by sheer repetition. Therefore, we will be studying the Creed during both years to provide the candidates with the knowledge of what the church professes and what they profess every week at Mass. Confirmation Saint Report Guidelines: 2nd year candidates will provide a written report on the Saint they have chosen for their Confirmation name. The purpose of this report is to give the candidate the opportunity to learn about the life and work of their chosen Saint. The report must be at least one page in length, single-spaced, Times New Roman font with 12 Pitch. If you do not have a computer, please contact the office for alternatives. We have computers available in the Pastoral Center. Although the research will be done on the Internet or

with books, the report must be written in your own words. Please answer the following questions when constructing your report. 1. What is the name of your Saint and why did you choose him/her? 2. When and where did this person live? What were the dates of birth and death? 3. In what type of family did they grow up? Provide information about family members such as number of family members, type of occupation, devotion to the Church, etc. 4. What were the circumstances of their conversion experience? (What happened in their life to draw them to God?) 5. What was the talent of this Saint? What miracles are associated with your Saint? 6. If this person was martyred, what was the cause of their death? 7. Is your Saint a Patron Saint? What is he/she a Patron Saint of? (See the Saint list for help.) 8. Is there a Shrine to your saint? If so, where is it/are they located? 9. Is your Saint incorrupt? If so, where is the body located? Two useful websites are www.americancatholic.org or www.usccb.org. Feel free to search for your own useful Saints website. Archbishop’s Letter Requirements:

Each 2nd year candidate will be required to write a letter to the Archbishop. Because of the difficulties of getting the candidates to write and actual letter, they will be provided a class on letter writing to help them properly compose a letter to the Archbishop. The Archbishop is interested in the candidate’s answers to general questions about the candidate and their relationship to the Church. The letter must be typed. The report must be 1 ½ spaces, Times New Roman font with 12 Pitch.

Currently it must include the following.   

Salutation of “Dear Archbishop” or “Your Excellency” or “The Most Reverend Michael J. Sheehan” An introductory sentence or two. Tell him something about yourself and your family. Answer the following questions for the Archbishop • What do you like about being a Catholic?

Which Saint’s name did you choose and why? He wants to know that you have researched your saint. A wrap up statement such as: “Thank you for this opportunity to tell you about myself. I look forward to the day of my Confirmation.” Sincerely yours, Name and signature •

•

• •

If the Archbishop changes any of these requirements, you will be notified through a letter or e-mail. The due date for this letter will be provided after we receive the date of confirmation. Sponsor Requirements:

Sponsors should be identified for all 1st year candidates! Please begin to think about who would meet the below requirements and whom you would like as a sponsor. It is desirable that the one who was the sponsor at Baptism be the sponsor for Confirmation If the sponsor is from outside the Albuquerque area, one of the parents must substitute for the sponsor during all sponsor candidate activities. The purpose of your sponsor is to provide spiritual support and an example to the candidate in the context of the Roman Catholic Church. They CANNOT be a member of another faith, even if they were originally Catholic. They should expect to help the parents raise the child in the good practice of the Catholic faith. It is not a position you should bestow on someone for the purpose of “honoring” them, unless they meet all of the above requirements. Therefore your chosen sponsor should be someone who will be in regular contact with your child throughout their lives. Obviously that is easier to accomplish if your sponsor lives in close proximity to your family, but that does not make it impossible to ask someone who lives out of town to be your sponsor. Their chosen sponsor must:

Be a baptized member of the Catholic Church Be at least 16 years old Have made their First Communion and received the sacrament of Confirmation If married, been married in the Catholic Church Not be cohabiting (living with someone, outside of marriage) Normally attend Mass on Sunday’s and Holy Days of Obligation Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once per year Go to Holy Communion at least once per year in the Easter season Be in communion with the Holy See. Be supportive of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church EACH SPONSOR WILL NEED TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT IN FRONT OF THEIR CHURCH REPRESENTATIVE DECLARING BEFORE GOD THAT THEY MEET THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS. For 2nd year candidates, we need the signed affidavit by Christmas. If you know your sponsor will be from another parish, please make plans early to have them complete the required paperwork in time for the ceremony. The sponsor may be a member of Nativity parish or any other parish within the Church. We need to know the name and contact information for your sponsor by 20 September so we can contact them to attend planned sponsor/candidate events.

If any of these requirements changes, you will be notified in writing. Classroom Behavior: Good behavior is a critical requirement for our program. This is a religious education program. As such, candidates are expected to be respectful to their teacher, their fellow candidates and the facility. All of our teachers are volunteers and are offering their time and talent to our children. They should not have to deal with behavior problems. Improper

behavior will not be tolerated. If the problem persists, the following consequences will occur. After a period of time in which the teacher has attempted to deal with the issue in the classroom, he or she may feel the problem is beyond their control. A candidate who is identified by the teacher as disruptive to the classroom will be sent to the front office where they will be supervised for the rest of class. If the disruptive behavior occurs a second time, the candidate’s parents will be called to pick up their child if necessary. We will work with the parents to try to resolve the issue, but if the disruption occurs a third time, the candidate will be asked to leave the program. Weather Conditions: OUR PRIMARY MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IS E-MAIL. In the event of inclement weather that would preclude the safe transport of candidates or catechists, classes will be canceled. Because of the limited means of communication between our staff and the parents, the following methods of notification will be utilized. The director will send a mass e-mail to all parents. It is imperitive that you provide your current e-mail address to the religious education office. Additionally, we will institute a phone message to as many parents as possible without e-mail, notifying them of the cancellation. We will post the cancellation on the parish Webpage at www.n-bvm.org and we will post the information on our parish smartphone application. If you have a smartphone, we ask that you download the Nativity BVM APP so that we can send you push notifications. At all times the safety of the candidates is paramount. If you feel it is too dangerous for them to attend class, by all means, keep them home. We can always make up the classwork. Special Activities: There may be times when special activities are planned for the candidates. We will inform the candidates of any such activities well in advance. Dress Code Requirements: Please ensure your candidates dress appropriately for Mass, are modestly dressed and avoid “fad” styles when attending religious education classes. Please ensure your candidates do not wear halter tops, strapless tops or inappropriate tank tops. All pants/shorts are expected to be fastened at the waist. This includes, but is not limited to, excessive display of cleavage and inappropriate messages or designs on clothing. T-shirts will be provided as necessary for any inappropriately dressed candidate to use during class. If dress, shorts or skirt lengths for our females is inappropriate or inappropriate crotch or shorts/inseam lengths for males is an issue, parents will be called to bring appropriate attire for the candidate to change into prior to attending Mass/class. Because of past indiscretions, 2nd year candidates will be issued red graduation robes for the Confirmation ceremony.

Cell Phone Policy:

The use of cell phones during class is not allowed. This kind of distraction is not conducive to learning. Cell phones will be turned off or to vibrate during class. Any cell phones used during class (including talking, text, social media, games, MP3s or web surfing) will be confiscated and returned after class. If cell phone use becomes a chronic problem, parents will be asked to pick up their candidate’s phone in the office. If there is an emergency, please call the office at 898-5253 extension 1 or 2. Your message will be delivered or your candidate will be pulled from class to talk to you as necessary.

In either case we will ensure your candidate is available for any emergencies that may develop. Catechism Boundaries Policy: Candidates are not allowed unsupervised outside of the school building during class time without parental permission. This is a liability issue with our insurance coverage and must be complied with. In the event of an emergency that requires a candidate to leave the building during class, parents please call the office at 898-5253 extension 1 or 2. Candidates are to report to the office prior to leaving the school building before the end of class. Supply Requirements: Books and supplies are required for each class. The catechist will provide the book, or appropriate material. Supplies include pen or pencil, paper or notebook and any other supplies requested by your catechist for the particular class. If the candidate forgets any of his/her supplies notify the Catechist. We will attempt to provide appropriate replacements as necessary. This service is by exception, not as a regular occurrence. Please carry your required materials in a pocket folder. Newsletters: We provide a weekly newsletter each week to give you the latest information about the religious education program. Many times, critical information for the Confirmation program is included in the Newsletter. The primary way for us to provide you the newsletter is via e-mail. I also post it on the parish website and provide paper copies to those without computers. Please provide us your e-mail address or ask your child for the paper copy each week. Church Bulletin: We also provide critical information such as events, times and dates in the Parish Bulletin each week. Please keep an eye out for this information as you attend Mass. Parish Website: We attempt to put as much information as possible regarding the religious education program on the parish website. Our weekly newsletters are posted on the website as well as registration materials and any other critical information. Please check the parish website at www.n-bvm.org for more information and ongoing updates.

Parish Smartphone App: Our new APP is up and running. Please download the APP on your smartphone by searching for Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Albuquerque. Most of the pertinent information you will need about the church is located on that APP.

THESE ARE THE PRAYERS, GIFTS AND FRUITS THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE 1st YEAR CANDIDATES

Prayer to the Holy Spirit: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the Earth. Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Gifts of the Holy Spirit: The gifts of the Holy Spirit help yu live a life of virtue, keep your friendship with God strong and guide you in critical situations when you find it hard to cope with problems or make decisions. The gifts are: WISDOM – Enables you to see life from God’s point of view and recognize the real values of persons, events and things. UNDERSTANDING – Gives you insight into the truths of the faith and being a follower of Jesus and it helps to make right choices in your relationships with God and others. RIGHT JUDGEMENT (Counsel) – Helps you seek advice and be open to the advice of others. KNOWLEDGE – Helps you know what God asks of you and how you should respond. COURAGE (Fortitude) – Enables you to stand up for your beliefs and to live as a follower of Jesus. REVERENCE (Piety) – A gift that helps you love and worship God. WONDER AND AWE (Fear of the Lord) – Helps you recognize the greatness of God and your dependence on him. Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Personal benefits granted those open to the Spirit’s influence. Fruits of the Spirit are: Love (Charity)

Faithfulness Joy

Peace Patience

Self-control

The Nicene Creed:

Modesty

Chastity

Kindness

Generosity

Goodness

Gentleness

I believe in God the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father. For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilot, He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen THIS IS THE CONFESSION FORMULA AND THE ACT OF CONTRITION THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE 2nd YEAR CANDIDATES

Parts of the Mass: Introductory Rite Liturgy of the Word Liturgy of the Eucharist Closing Rite Confession Formula: Father forgive me, for I have sinned. My last confession was _____________. Reveal your sins to Father and discuss as appropriate. Penance Act of contrition Absolution Dismissal

Act of Contrition: Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our savior, Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. AMEN.