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Sponsor Booklet - Table of Contents
- The Role of the Sponsor
- DOWNLOAD COMPLETE SPONSOR HANDBOOK
- Choose a Sponsor - Due June 1, 2023
- Statement of Sponsor - Complete by June 1, 2023
- Sponsor and Candidate Conversation 1 - Due by August 1, 2023
- Confirmation Retreat- Candidate and Parent/Sponsor - TBD
- Sponsor and Candidate Conversation 2 - Due by November 30, 2023
- Sponsor and Candidate Conversation 3 - Due by December 31, 2023
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A Confirmation Sponsor is a personal witness of the Catholic faith to the candidate. A sponsor is tasked with the responsibility to participate in a candidate’s preparation process. Sponsors should be a model of how a person of faith lives in today’s world. They are guides, confidants, and listeners for their candidates. Sponsors are learners who are interested in their own personal growth as they walk the faith journey with their candidate after Confirmation. They should invite them into fuller participation in parish life and service.
The Catholic Church requires that those who take on the privileges, and also the obligations of a sponsor, practice their Catholic Faith faithfully and live lives that set them apart as followers of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, sponsors must have the following qualifications based on the Code of Canon Law, canon 893.- Be at least sixteen years of age
- Must not be a parent (stepparent, father, or mother)
- Be a fully initiated Catholic (has received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation)
- Be a person not bound by any Catholic Church penalty (such as divorced and remarried without an annulment).
- Be a practicing Catholic - “Leads of life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on” (Code of Canon Law, canon 874)
- “The Sponsor’s function is to take care that the person being confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the duties inherent in this Sacrament (Code of Canon Law, canon 892)
Sponsors are asked to attend with the Candidate the following events if possible (some dates are still to be determined): Confirmation Retreat, the Confirmation Rehearsal, and the Rite of Confirmation.
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Complete Name Online Here
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Complete Statement Online Here
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Conversation 1: Let's Talk About GodComplete and notify Confirmation Preparation Contact no later than August 1, 2023
Submit Summary at /submit-sponsor-conversations-summary
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Bible - Genesis 1:1-5 and 1 John 4:7-12
Sheets of paper
Pen or Pencils
2 Blank index Cards
PREPARATION FOR THE SPONSOR PRIOR TO CONVERSATION:
Young people hear God’s name spoken in several contexts. Some may hear it in loving terms during a family meal or prayer. Others hear it as a swearword used to express anger - maybe at home, in a movie, or in a song. Some hear it spoken at Sunday Mass and it may feel distant from their real life. While others hear God’s name spoken reverently by a person or people they admire. All of these instances can make a significant impression on young people.
Keep in mind that your candidate chose you as someone he or she admires. He or she will remember far more about the experience you have together than the information you share. You have the opportunity to help this young person recognize God’s loving presence in his or her life.
When talking to young people about God, keep the conversations as straightforward as possible. Here are suggested concepts from the Scriptures to talk about with your candidate:- God is Creator (Genesis 1:1-5). God created the universe with a purpose. Christians often speak of creating the cosmos (order and purpose) out of chaos (an empty void). God continues creating today. His love and presence never end. God wants us to cooperate with him and to be his coworkers - stewards of the earth. We are responsible for helping make the world a place where love rules.
- God is Love (1 John 4:7-12). God loves us without conditions and desires that we love others in the same way. God desires a relationship with us. God asks us to be stewards of his creation and God asks us to love without restrictions.
Conversation Steps: Welcome and Introduction
1. Open with a simple prayer
2. Ask your candidate about his or her week.
3. Introduce the topic. Briefly summarize the key points (God is Creator & God is Love).
Scripture Reading and Conversation
1. Ask the candidate to read Genesis 1:1-5.
2. Mention that this reading examines the first day of Creation. Ask your candidate how he or she expresses himself/herself creatively. Possible questions could be- Do you play music or sports?
- Do you like telling jokes? Writing stories? Singing?
Additional discussion questions:- Why do people enjoy creative activities?
- What is the difference between being creative and being destructive?
- What does it mean that God is not just creative, but Creator?
3. Work with the Candidate to describe ways God is creative.
4. Ask the Candidate to read 1 John 4:7-12.
5. Ask the candidate to tell you the difference between true friends who are always there for you and others who only hang around when it benefits them. Take this question a step further and challenge the candidate to come up with three differences between being loved by someone and being used by someone. Use the paper and pencil to jot down notes.
6. Explain that John tells us that God is the source of love. In other words, he not only loves us but also gives us the strength to love like a true friend. Work with your candidate to identify ways to tap into God’s love. Some examples include praying, participating in the Eucharist, providing service to others, and listening to inspiring music. Use the paper and pen/pencils to jot down any notes.
ACTION TO DEEPEN THE CONVERSATION
Together with your candidate, create a pocket prayer that will help both of you to remember God’s desire to bless your lives. Write out two copies on the blank index cards. Agree to each carry the prayer in your pocket for one week and to say it at least once a day.
Here is an example:Dear God/Heavenly Father, I thank you for this moment. Help me focus on you. Please help me remember how much you love me and have a purpose for my life. Help me to show your love to others and to bring them closer to you as well. Amen.
Conclude by saying the prayer together.
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Conversation 2: The Holy Spirit in Your LifeComplete and notify Confirmation Preparation Contact no later than November 30, 2023
Submit Summary at /submit-sponsor-conversations-summary
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Bible - John 14:16-17
Sheets of paper
Pen or Pencils
PREPARATION FOR THE SPONSOR PRIOR TO CONVERSATION:
The Holy Spirit is God, one of the three Persons of the Trinity along with the Father and the Son. Help your candidate to learn about the Holy Spirit by introducing some of the Spirit’s characteristics.
One such characteristic is “Encourager”. The Holy Spirit will show up consistently in our lives like a good friend. A second characteristic listed in scripture is “Advocate.” By definition, advocate is someone who stands up for you in court. A third characteristic is “Comforter.” A comforter gives us strength during difficult times.
The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident during the most difficult times of the lives of biblical heroes like Peter, Paul, and Stephen (the first martyr). When religious authorities sought to kill Stephen for testifying about Jesus, the Holy Spirit strengthened the martyr.
The times when our faith is put to the test are the times when we are often most aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is something like an encouraging coach, but a coach cannot help us improve if we do not show up to practice. Practice for Christians is wherever we are. Places we routinely find ourselves but also places where the lonely need a friend, the forgotten need a smile, or the hungry need a meal. Perhaps at a nursing home, homeless shelters, or youth centers that give help to children struggling with school. Some of the practices may not be part of your routine or your candidate’s routine but they are probably not too far away. Wherever we are, the Holy Spirit is with us, encouraging us and strengthening us for participation in the Church’s mission to help others to know Gods’ love.
CONVERSATION STEPS: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
1. Open with your index card prayer created earlier or a simple prayer
2. Ask your candidate about his or her week. Any Creative moments to share?
3. Introduce the topic. Briefly summarize the key points (Holy Spirit - Encourager, Advocate, & Comforter.
SCRIPTURE READING AND CONVERSATION
1. Ask the candidate to read John 14:16-17
Talk about the different roles your young person has in her or his life - student, athlete, church member, daughter or son, sister, or brother - yet she or he is still one person. Point out to your candidate that all these roles say something about who she or he is. Explain how we can have a fuller understanding of the Holy Spirit if we understand some of the Holy Spirit’s roles or ways of working.
2. Talk about the Holy Spirit as one who encourages us. Ask when your candidate felt encouraged by someone and have him or her elaborate on that experience. What did that person actually do that was encouraging? Ask the candidate what insight this might offer about the Holy Spirit’s presence and action in his or her life.
3. Ask, “Has anyone ever stood up for you?” “Have you ever stood up for someone?” Examine the experiences(s) to find traits of a person who is an advocate to others. Ask the candidate what insight this might offer about the Holy Spirit’s presence and action in her or his life?
4. Share with your young person that the Holy Spirit is also our comforter. Explain that the word comfort means “to give strength.” Ask about historic figures or people the candidate knows who have given strength to those around them. Ask the candidate what insight this offers about the Holy Spirit’s presence and action in his or her life. Use the paper and pencil to jot down notes.
5. Explain that John tells us that God is the source of love. In other words, he not only loves us but also gives us the strength to love like a true friend. Work with your candidate to identify ways to tap into God’s love. Some examples include praying, participating in the Eucharist, providing service to others, and listening to inspiring music. Use the paper and pen/pencils to jot down any notes.
ACTION TO DEEPEN THE CONVERSATION
Explain Paul’s message from his Epistle to the Thessalonians where he wrote: “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Mention that today we are challenged to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit and to encourage one another. Ask the candidate what his or her parish can do to better encourage young people. Then ask how she or he could contribute to the parish by becoming more encouraging. Jot this down and submit to Confirmation Coordinator.
Conclude by saying a prayer together.
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Conversation 3: Let's Talk ABout Faith
Complete and notify Confirmation Preparation Contact no later than December 31, 2023
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Submit Summary at /submit-sponsor-conversations-summary
Bible: Hebrew 11:1
Sheets of paper
Pen or Pencils
PREPARATION FOR THE SPONSOR PRIOR TO CONVERSATION:
Faith means believing in God, but it means more than that. Faith is the way we respond to God’s call in our lives. It guides all of our actions. Growing in faith and deepening our relationship with God takes practice. We can think of faith as a muscle: it gets stronger with exercise and atrophies without it. Help your candidate increase her or his faith by encouraging her or him to tell stories of faithful people she or he knows.
CONVERSATION STEPS: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
1. Open with your index card prayer created earlier or a simple prayer
2. Ask your candidate about his or her week. Any Holy Spirit moments recognized?
3. Introduce the topic. Briefly summarize the key points (Faith means believing in God; Faith means responding to God’s call, Faith deepens when we practice; Faith is like a muscle)
SCRIPTURE READING AND CONVERSATION
1. Ask the candidate to read Hebrews 11:1
“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen”
Another interpretation says: “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see”
2. Ask your candidate to examine two important words in the passage you read: sure and hope. If we are “sure” of something, we act with conviction. Ask your candidate about beliefs he or she is sure about. Examples might include “The sun will rise again” and “A circle has no beginning or end.” Next, ask your candidate some things for which she or he hopes (e.g., I hope I pass my religion test. I hope I have a good day tomorrow. I hope I have pizza for dinner.). Work together to identify how a person can turn his or her “hopes” into “sures.” Offer this example: “I am more likely to have a good day tomorrow if I help others have a good day too.”
3. Ask your candidate to name two or three things he or she hopes for in his or her faith. Offer these examples: eternal life, a close relationship with God, meaningful involvement in a faith community, a way to help others, peacefulness.
4. We become more sure of our hopes if we act on them with conviction. Discuss what habits would help deepen your candidate’s assuredness in her or his faith. Jot down notes on the paper.
ACTION TO DEEPEN THE CONVERSATION
Make a commitment with our candidate to practice at least three actions to strengthen your relationship with God and deepen your faith. Some examples include going to Mass every week, praying every morning, finding concrete actions that help a person in need. Agree to practice these habits for at least 2 weeks and then contact each other. Share your thoughts about how your faith life has been affected.
Conclude by saying a prayer together.