Dear Candidates and Families,

Usually we would have met by now, to start the process together and talk about all the steps.  However, because this is a different kind of year, we are beginning the preparation in a different format.

If you have not heard, I have taken the decision to retire, which I will be doing at the end of this month, on December 31.  While I am giving you the materials to begin, you will be continuing with other members of the staff.  Renata Sosin will be the primary contact through the next semester.

In this email, I'll spell out for you the steps to get started.  Confirmation preparation is a two year process.

I suggest that you begin by having some conversations together - candidates and families -  about how to make the most of this process.  I'm including items to talk about in this email.

There are several components to the process:

• Class work that you complete either in Religious Education or in St. Emily School this year and next.
• Coming to mass on Sundays.  It is possible to come to mass (by signing up) while we are still using pandemic precautions.  However, if you cannot come to the church, you can watch the online feed from either parish and join in the prayers at home.
• Learning more about prayer.  Religious Ed students received their new prayerbooks.  St. Emily School students will do so shortly.
• Engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and journaling about them.  More information about this is below.
• Events such as the Confirmation retreat.  Due to the pandemic and the change in personnel, it is difficult to give specific times of the year for these events, but they will be scheduled on site or remotely when the time comes.