Confirmation Preparation: Grades 9 - 10

Religious Education students of Our Lady of Hope Parish will begin preparing for Confirmation in the 9th Grade, and will continue to prepare through a full year of 10th Grade.

This year's 9th Graders will be Confirmed in the Spring of 2025.

We use a text called Celebrate Confirmation! along with an emphasis on prayer and spirituality, liturgical celebrations, Eucharistic Adoration (XLT), discussions about what it means to be a Catholic in today's world, and living our faith through service by performing Faith Commitments (Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy).

Confirmation students are highly encouraged to attend the Steubenville East Conference, a Catholic Youth Conference for high-school students, sponsored by Life Teen, which takes place on the third weekend of July.

All students preparing for Confirmation will perform Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and reflect on these faith commitments.

Faith Commitments

Every Confirmation student will be required to fulfill 6 spiritual works of mercy per year (3 in the fall and 3 in the spring) and 4 corporal work of mercy per year (2 in the fall and 2 in the spring) and to write a reflection on these experiences. What is a Faith Commitment, you may wonder? Here is a two-part answer to that question:

1. Spiritual Works of Mercy: Church-related activities! (6 per year)

Did you know that prayer is actually a form of service? One of the most powerful things you can do for someone, and for yourself, is to pray for them. Here are some ways you can fulfill this faith commitment:

1. Participate in a group Rosary such as Rachel Rosary or monthly noon Rosaries at the Fatima Shrine.
2. Make a pilgrimage to Lourdes shrine in Litchfield (or another shrine if you are traveling).
3. Attend an hour of Eucharistic Adoration.
4. Attend or help lead Stations of the Cross during Lent.
5. Attend a weekday Mass (in addition to Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation).
6. Visit the Fatima Shrine on the grounds of the parish office (60 Town Hill Rd New Hartford) and say a Rosary, either with your family any time or as part of a group that gathers on the 13th of each month from May – October (the anniversary of the appearances of Our Lady of Fatima).

2. Corporal Works of Mercy: Dedicate Community Service to Jesus! (4 per year)

You may have become familiar with the term “service opportunity.” You may even participate in volunteer work through your school or scouting or another organization. As Confirmation students, we emphasize the focus of that service; that we dedicate to Jesus. That’s why we call our service “faith commitments.” Here are some ideas for corporal works of mercy you can participate in this year:

1. Make a meal for FISH homeless shelter, deliver, and tour FISH. (We will do this together as a class.)
2. Visit a nursing home and help the residents address Christmas cards or another activity. (We will do this together as a class.)
3. Make blankets for a homeless shelter or TWO HEARTS pregnancy care center.
4. Make pies for the OLOH Pie Booth at the Harwinton fair.
5. Help with yard work at Trinita.
6. Help with the Lions Club flea market.

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