Confirmation Changes

In light of the Bishop's letter announcing the confirmation age change,

St. George has begun to implement a transition plan to move us from confirming 11th grade students to confirming 7th grade students. This will happen in steps over the next few years in order to accommodate the needs of our parish and students, acknowledging restraints in space, resources, and capacities of people. 
With the gradual changing of age, our program will also gradually change in order to reflect the needs of the families participating. This begins this fall, with the implementation of faith-enriching encounters for parents and sponsors as part of our program instead of just teaching the candidates. 

The following table illustrates how this change will happen in regards to grade levels. 
For the 2025-2026 School Year, we will offer two sessions of Confirmation Preparation for the classes of 2027 & 2028: 

• Fall Session: Which begins with orientation on August 24th and ends with Confirmation Mass (celebrated by Fr. Yi) on January 5th
• Spring Session: Which begins with orientation on December 14th and ends with Confirmation Mass (celebrated by Bishop Duca) on April 27th. 

Signups for both sessions will open on June 2nd, first come-first serve. There will be a limited number of spots available for each session as we can only accommodate so many students at once with the spaces we use and volunteer numbers. 

Each session will consist of the following components: 

• 1 Orientation for students, parents, and sponsors to attend together: This is where students will meet their small groups, parents & sponsors have time to learn about their roles, and everyone spends time in adoration together.
• 6 Small Group Meetings for students only, students are expected to attend all for their session. These will be where students encounter Christ in both spiritual experiences and intellectual faith formation, led by trained volunteer leaders. 
  • Two time-slots will be offered: 11:30am-2:15pm [includes 11:30am Mass] and 6:00pm-8:45pm [includes 6:00pm Mass]. Lunch or dinner will be provided.
• 2 Retreat Options for students only, and they can choose which one of the two retreats they will attend. 
• Along with parent & sponsor involvement as is detailed below.

Parent & Sponsor Involvement:

We seek to bring new emphasis to the role of parents as the first teachers, and to the role of sponsors as lifelong faith companions and mentors, by expanding our offerings and presenting both parents and sponsors with the chance to dive deeper into their own faith and relationship with God. We want to open the doorways of hearts and minds alike, inviting all involved in the confirmation preparation process to step further into relationship with God, being affirmed in their identity as God's adopted sons and daughters, so together we can live our the mission of our Catholic faith. 

Parents and Sponsors are then asked to participate in the following as part of our Confirmation Preparation Program:

• Parents: 
  • Attend one of the offered Parent & Sponsor encounters that happen concurrent with our small group meetings. You can attend as many as you would like, minimum of one.  Encounters will range from prayer experiences to more intellectual learning to diving into where you are with your own faith, and how to deepen your relationship with God.
  • Use provided content and materials to have faith-based discussion with your candidate at least once throughout the confirmation preparation process, on you & your candidate's own schedule. This gives you the chance to both share your faith and learn about God alongside your candidate, letting you lead the way through a simple prayer experience and discussion.
  • Lead by example and prioritize faith through things like weekly Mass attendance,  prayer before meals, talking about faith in the home, and sharing your own faith story as you are able.
• Sponsors:
  • Attend one of the offered Parent & Sponsor encounters that happen concurrent with our small group meetings. You can attend as many as you would like, minimum of one. These encounters will vary in content, with relational, spiritual, and intellectual components.
  • Use provided content and materials to have faith-based discussion with your candidate at least twice throughout the confirmation preparation process, on you & your candidate's own schedule. This gives you the chance to establish your role as a mentor and companion in faith to your candidate, talking about building prayer habits and what faith life looks like after Confirmation together. 
  • Lead by example and commit to your role as faith companion and mentor to your candidate throughout life, checking in with your candidate, and encouraging them to continue to develop their faith and relationship with God.

We are hopeful for the fruit these changes will bring, from lowering the age to a greater opening of hearts and minds within families together, and ask for your prayers and support as we navigate the next years of transition together.