Confirmation 2020

Dear Confirmation Families,
 
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated this Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 5:00pm Vigil Mass.
 

  1. We need your assistance to make this work as smoothly as possible, and to make that happen, we need a response to this email upon receipt if possible. See link to respond below. There are a few questions we need answered.
  2. Please arrive at the church with everyone who will attend with you as a family at the same time (including sponsor).
  3. Arrive between 3:45pm and 4:00pm in order to get all Confirmation families checked in and inside on time. Anyone who enters the church must be wearing a face mask.
  4. Confirmandi will go to the Bride's Room (in the hallway to the right, across from the restrooms) to receive the robe they will wear during Mass and their name tag. They will have to assemble in a line outside of the Bride's Room and stand 6 feet apart. Ushers will be there to assist with this process. After confirmandi pick up their robe and name tag they will join their family and sponsor in the church in the family's assigned pew. Please only include your immediate family (those that live in your household) and your child's sponsor in your assigned pew. Confirmandi and sponsor will sit on far left or far right in center aisle or where designated depending on space.
  5. IF the sponsor is not attending then one of your immediate family members will stand in for them as proxy when the time comes. 
 
We will not have time for a rehearsal so please take note of these general instructions and share them with your child:

  1. Please wear "Sunday-best" attire. This is an important occasion so please dress appropriately. 
  2. No photography during the Mass. We have a photographer who will take individual pictures of the confirmandi receiving their Confirmation. These photos will be shared with you via email. The Mass will be recorded and the link to the recording will be shared with you as well.
  3. Mass will begin as usual. After the Gospel is proclaimed, I will present each candidate to the Bishop. When you hear your name called, please stand up and remain standing until the Bishop asks the group to sit down to listen to the homily.
  4. After the homily, the Bishop will invite the confirmandi to stand once more and renew their Baptismal Promises. These are statements that he will read aloud and the class will respond to each statement with, "I do." 
  5. Then the Bishop will extend his hands over the group and will say a prayer. Then everyone will sit down again until you are called up to the line to receive your confirmation. Please watch the attached video for how we will do this.
  6. The Bishop will get ready to confer the Sacrament and will stand on the right side of the altar to begin. The Confirmandi and their sponsors will be directed to leave their pews from the left side of the church first and go up to the Bishop one by one. Don't worry! We will be there to tell you when to stand and when to walk up to the Bishop. The sponsor or proxy will walk up with the confirmandi and place their hand on the confirmandi's shoulder. 
  7. The Bishop anoints the forehead of the candidate and says "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." The newly confirmed should reply AMEN loud and clear. Then the Bishop will offer a sign of peace (he will not be shaking hands this year) and say "Peace be with you." The newly confirmed should respond, "And with your spirit."
  8. Then the newly confirmed and sponsor or proxy should walk back down the steps to the center aisle and return to their assigned pew.
  9. After all have been confirmed, the Mass continues as usual.
  10. Important Reminder: If you have not been to Mass yet, please know that when you receive communion you will be ushered out of the pew and directed to a minister. For your safety and that of the minister, you will keep your mask on until the minister places Jesus in your hand and you say amen, and then you step aside, move your mask to consume Jesus and properly place your mask back on as you go to your seat.

 
We will not hand out Confirmation certificates at this time but we will prepare them and email PDF's for your records. Hard copies can be picked up at the office (we will let you know when they are printed and ready for pick-up). If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your participation in this truly uncharted Confirmation journey! I'm praying for you and I'm looking forward to witnessing this Confirmation. It's going to be a great day!

I n Christ's Peace,
TiAnna R. McCabe
Holy Faith Catholic Church
Youth and Young Adult Ministry


Now for your part in helping us with organization:

We must know how many people are coming in your family to the Confirmation including the Confirmandi and Sponsor. We can only fit so many in a pew and also maintain safe distance from other families. Include family name and total in your response.

Please respond to this email with a total for your family. You might receive a phone call if we do not hear from you. :)