COVID 19 REQUIREMENTS -- We will be following the guidelines set by the Los Angeles Archdiocese for Youth Ministry and Confirmation Programs.  We are anticipating returning to in person sessions in September 2021, however, we will limit our groups to 15 candidates or less.  Candidate will be seated at least 3 feet apart, 6 feet away from the catechists. Temparatures will be taken upon entry and everyone will be required to wear a mask.  Candidates will be asked to bring hand sanitizer and their own drinking water.  Please note, that these guidelines will most likely be updated as we get closer to the start of the academic year. 

1)     Registration and Certificates
     a)   Confirmation is a parish celebration.  Not only does the candidates celebrate full membership into the Catholic Church, but also celebrates membership in our parish.  Therefore, all candidate families must be registered and contributing to St. Anthony Parish for at least one year. Please provide your envelope number with registration.  Non-Registered and Out of the Parish candidates will be placed on a waiting list and are asked to fill out a Parish Registration Card.
     b)   Candidates must be between the ages of 14-16 upon entrance (first year) and attending High School.
     c)   All required paperwork, including Birth Certificate, Baptismal and First Holy Communion certificates (NOT ORGINAL CERTIFICATES – Please contact the church where the Sacrament was completed and request a new certificate), Sponsor Forms, Year II Saint essays and all fees paid by September 15^th

2)  Communication
All Candidates must provide a working email address that they check often and must sign up for Shutterfly and Remind.  Please see the page on how to register for Shutterfly and Remind.  Information on events and sessions can be found in the Church bulletin and on the bulletin boards at the entrance of the Church and on the Religious Education bulletin board at the school near the 5^th Grade bathrooms

3)  Confirmation sessions   
 In the course of the two-year process, candidates need to attend a total of 15 catechetical sessions focusing on the faith themes given by the Los Angeles Archdiocese Office of Religious Education – Confirmation Office.  A calendar is included in this Confirmation Handbook so candidates can identify the dates/times of sessions.  If a candidate misses their regularly scheduled weekend, they can make up the session by watching a video presentation and completing the assignment that is on our Shutterfly page.

4)  Confirmation Assessment
In order to maintain equal education in our sessions, new candidates who did not attend a 8^th Grade Religious Education program, either in a Church RE program or Catholic school will need to pass an assessment.  If a passing score is not met, the candidate will need to watch a series of videos from the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) and write a brief summary on what they have learned from the videos.  You will receive an invitation to complete the assessment from SurveyMonkey.  Please complete the assessment within 2 weeks after receiving the invitation.

5)    Sunday Mass
The Mass is the source and summit of our Catholic faith, and all candidates, parents and sponsors are expected to attend Mass every Sunday (or Saturday vigil) and on Holy Days of Obligation during the two-year Confirmation preparation period.  Candidates must attend the 10:00am mass on their session Sunday.  Candidates are to sign in with the Sacristan or, if attending another church, submit a church bulletin signed by the presider of the Mass.

6)  Family Prayer
Each family is asked to participate in at least one (1) Family Prayer for a minimum of 30 minutes during the year.  Family Prayer takes place on the second Saturday of the Month from 11:00am – 2:00pm in the Parish Center Chapel.  Please sign up on Shutterfly for dates and times.

7)  Cell Phones
We realize that devices such as cell phones have become necessary in keeping communications open with parents.  However, it is the policy of this program that cell phones may not be used during our Confirmation sessions unless approved by the Catechist. 

8)    Retreats, Youth Day, and the Requiem Mass
Confirmation retreats, especially the Year 2 retreat, offer heightened spiritual and transformative experiences for candidates.   Any missed retreats needs to be made up by attending the corresponding retreat at another local parish.  The candidate must provide a written letter by the coordinator of the Confirmation and/or Youth Ministry program confirming his/her participation and attendance at the retreat.  All Year I Candidates are to attend the Religious Education Congress Youth Day and Year II Candidates are to attend the Requiem Mass at the Cathedral.

9)    Service
The requirement of service is not just a Confirmation project, but a necessity to the life of the Church and required of everyone who professes to be Catholic Christian. 
     a)   Service Projects     Candidates are asked to perform a minimum of 10 Service Projects throughout each year of Confirmation preparation here at St. Anthony’s as a way to live out the values of the Gospel message.  Service Projects done outside of St. Anthony’s Parish can only be credited a maximum of 5 projects.  Before outside projects are started, please have them approved by the Coordinator by reading Matthew 25: 31 – 46 and writing a one page reflection on how what you are doing relates to the Corporal Works of Mercy.  Most Service Projects will be equal to 2 hours of service, however, there are many that are less then 2 hour.  All service projects can be found on the Shutterfly page under Volunteer.  To receive credit for any project, a candidate must take a selfie and send it to the Coordinator.  These photos will also be shared on Shutterfly.  If the candidate has not completed the appropriate number of service hours he/she maybe required to repeat the Confirmation Year.
     b)   Mandatory Service Projects     All Confirmation candidates are required to complete a mandatory service project.  Year I Mandatory project is to participate in the Together in Mission Appeal Project in February.  Year II mandatory project is the Living Stations on Good Friday at 5pm.  Rehearsals for Living Stations are also required
     c)   Hospitality     All Confirmation candidates are required to help with at least 4 Hospitalities during each year of Confirmation on the Fourth Sunday of each month.  Candidates are required to sign up on Shutterfly.  Candidates bringing an item or helping with a duty will receive Hospitality credit.  Additional items and duty times and participating parents duty times will receive extra Service Project Credit.  Candidates are also offered to help with the set up, serving and clean up for the Religious Education Hospitalities on the Second Sunday of each month.
     d)   Liturgical Ministries     All Confirmation candidates, as part of their Mass participation requirement are to participate in leading the Children’s Liturgy of the Word at the Sunday 10:00am Mass with your Sponsor or parent as an adult supervisor. Candidates can also participate in one of the following Liturgical Ministries for credit in Liturgical Ministries: 1)  Altar Serving  2)  Choir Member at the 10:00am or 12noon Spanish Mass  3)  Reader at the 10:00am Mass and  4)  Usher at Mass

10)   Sponsor requirements and participation
      a) The Confirmation sponsor is a vital part of the faith development of each candidate.  Therefore, all sponsors need to be a fully initiated and mature person of faith.  This means that they are at least 16 years old, baptized and confirmed, an active and practicing Catholic who attends Sunday and Holy Day masses regularly and participates in the Sacramental life of the Church. If married, sponsors must be married in the Catholic faith and a sponsor cannot be a parent of the one who is being confirmed.
      b)  A sponsor must be able to participate in activities during the Confirmation process and to help guide the candidates in discernment for the lifelong commitment as Catholic adults.  Sponsors, therefore, must be VIRTUS trained in the Safeguarding the Children Program. Sponsors are required to attend the monthly Parent/Sponsor Meeting on the Second Sunday of the month according to the calendar.  They also must be able to attend Sunday Mass with their candidate on Confirmation session days, attend certain Liturgical Rites, scheduled Confirmation events, Confirmation rehearsal, and the Confirmation Mass.  If the sponsor is not able to attend any of the required events, then a parent needs to be his/her proxy. All Year I Candidates need to select a sponsor by the end of September. 
      c)  Candidates are to turn in a Sponsor Form SIGNED AND SEALED by their Pastor at the church they REGULARLY ATTEND by the end of September.

11)   Confirmation Name
     Year II candidates need to select a confirmation name.  There are two options for choosing a Confirmation name.  The candidate can choose their baptismal name if it is a Saints Name, however, most candidates seem to choose another name.   In either case of choosing a name, please research that Saint and write a one page report on who is the Saint, when and where they lived, events in their life, and, most importantly, why you have picked this Saint for your Confirmation Name.  Candidates can find Saint names on the Confirmation calendar.  Saint Essay’s are due September 1^st of Year II.
                
12)    Parent Participation
      a)     Parent participation in the Confirmation process is required as the primary educators of their children.  All parents of our Confirmation program need to be VIRTUS trained in Safeguarding the Children Program.  Parents are required to attend a monthly meeting on the Second Sunday of the month, according to the calendar.  They are also encouraged to assist the Confirmation Program by becoming catechists, CLW leaders, chaperones, office aides, or special event team members. 
     b)  Although we are forming the candidates into responsible Catholic adults, and all communications are directed to the candidates, it is encouraged for parents to also be on the Confirmation email blast list and to check Shutterfly, Facebook and Remind regularly.  Our Sunday bulletin also has pertainate information regarding our program and monthly calendars can be found on the bulletin boards at the entrance of the church and on the Religious Education bulletin board at the school near the 5^th Grade bathrooms.

13)       Rites of Welcome and Acceptance and the Rite of Enrollment
     a)  The Rite of Welcome and Acceptance for Year I candidates recognizes that they have decided to begin the preparation of the Sacrament of Confirmation and allows the parish to formally welcome the candidate into the program.  At this Rite, the candidates sponsor presents the candidates to the community and the candidates, after making a pledge of commitment,  are welcomed into our program.  The Rite happens in the Fall of Year I.
     b)  The Rite of Enrollment for Year II candidates, each candidate is presented by their sponsor to the community who then informs the Pastor of the readiness of the candidates. Each candidate then acknowledges their commitment to complete the program and sign their names in the Confirmation Book of Enrollment.  This Rite happens during Lent of Year II.

14)  Dismissal
Due to safety concerns, all parents will need to pick their children immediately after sessions. Candidates can leave the church grounds to walk home only with written permission of their parents.  Please notify the Coordinator or Catechist if there is an emergency and parents will not be able to pick the children up on time.  If you are running late in picking up a child, a $5 per 5 minute interval after a 15 minute grace period, will be accessed.  There procedures are put into place to insure the safety of all children and we do appreciate your cooperation in this matter

15)  Special Needs Policy
Candidates with special needs are welcome and included in our program.  Parents are asked to indicate their child’s special needs on the registration form so that the needs of your child may be met and any additional help or materials can be obtained.  This may include having a parent available during sessions or out of class education.  Any information provide by the parents is held in strict confidence by the staff and program catechists.

16)  Expectations regarding property and facility
We use the St. Anthony Church facilities.  Consequently, all Confirmation Candidates are asked to practice their Christian values of understanding and respecting each other’s property. If damage occur, Confirmation candidates parents will be required to pay for the repairs or replacement.

17)       VIRTUS Safeguarding the Children Program for Adults
All parents and sponsors of our Confirmation program need to be VIRTUS trained in the Safeguarding the Children Program.  Sessions are available at St. Anthony’s and throughout the Archdiocese.  Parents/sponsors who have attended a VIRTUS training within the last 5 years, need to submit a copy of their certificates for verification. 

All candidates are to read and sign the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Boundary Guidelines for Safeguarding the Children Code of Conduct.  Also, all candidates are to attend the VIRTUS Empowering God’s Children program.  This program is held in the Fall of each year of Confirmation.  If you wish to receive more information on this program, please contact the Coordinator.

18) Confirmation Fee
To help facilitate our Confirmation program the following fees apply:
                                                YEAR I           = $200
                                                YEAR II         = $250

Please contact Mr. Timothy K. Rodrick, OP if you have questions regarding the High School Confirmation program at dre@stanthonyes.com or at 310-322-4392 Ext. 444