Confirmation Preparation Programme 2024

We have stringent sanitisation routines in place. The hall and meeting rooms will be ventilated as much as possible and the centre will be cleaned thoroughly before and after each session, especially touchpoints. Hand sanitiser and wipes will be made readily available for use. Wearing of facemasks is down to personal choice, but do be aware that a number of different schools are represented within the cohort. Toilets will be available and handwashing is encouraged. The hall and meeting rooms will also be fogged at regular intervals with a special antiseptic spray.

The exact date for our parish Confirmation Mass for 2024 is yet to be established.We are awaiting allocation of a date for our parish confirmation Mass from our area Bishop, Bishop Paul McAleenan. You will be informed when we know more. At the Confirmation Mass itself, each young person being confirmed will be allocated one pew each for close family and their sponsor.

Parish Sunday Mass Times for the Catholic Parish of Bishop’s Stortford are as follows:

St Joseph’s and the English Martyrs, Bishop’s Stortford – Sat 6pm, Sun 9am, 11am & 6pm

Holy Cross, Much Hadham – Sun 11.30am

Most Holy Redeemer, Sawbridgeworth – Sun 9am

You are encouraged to attend Mass weekly at whichever Mass you choose to attend. However, on the day of a Confirmation Session, will expect you to attend Mass together, at 6pm, with the rest of the confirmation group. Your parents are also warmly welcome to attend 6pm Mass with you.

An important part of Confirmation is becoming involved in the life of the Parish and starting to take on adult responsibilities. Some of you may already be involved with these opportunities. If so, do please continue with these. We hope all of you will become involved with one of these ministries and commit to it at least once a month for about an hour for the year of 2024 (with the exception of holidays). As with many things, what you get out of your faith, how you grow in it, is linked to what you put into it – by involvement in the parish and the wider church.

We will finalise your choice in the weeks that follow. Once we have been able to allocate everyone a responsibility, based on your preferences, we will connect you with a “link” adult who is already involved in that role in the parish and will organise a meeting with them to discuss what’s involved. Be assured that you will receive training and support, as needed, for your chosen responsibility. We will do our best to accommodate your preferred choice, but please note that there will be times when it is not possible. Please click on this link to read about what’s on offer

In the Bible we read that God gave a new name to a person when they were given a special task to fulfil. For example, when God called Abram away from his tribe and promised to make his descendants into a great nation, he renamed him Abraham. When Jesus gave special authority to Simon, he renamed him Peter. In the Acts of Apostles, we read that Saul was called Paul after his conversion.

When we receive the Holy Spirit at Confirmation we are making a decision to offer our lives to God. The Gifts of the Spirit will help us to do this. To mark this important decision you may take an extra name. You should choose a recognised saint, someone you admire. Start now to learn about their life and pray to them for help and guidance. Choosing a new name is optional, you can use your baptismal name, this reminds us that Confirmation is linked to Baptism.

“In general, candidates for confirmation who choose a special name should pick a saint or blessed who provides a role model for living the Christian life. They should also consider that choosing such a name will place them under the patronage of the saint. Thus in determining a certain saint they may wish to consider a saint who gives them special inspiration or a saint who can intercede for them in a special matter based on their own needs.” (Rev. Msgr. Charles E. Pope is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.)

If you need some inspiration in choosing an appropriate confirmation name for you, this is a good website:

https://lifeteen.com/blog/biggest-best-list-confirmation-saints-guys-girls/

You could also watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgIVcGO2qnY

The task of a Sponsor is to support you in your decision to be confirmed through their prayers, to be a public witness of your decision and, where possible, to present you to the Bishop on the day of your Confirmation. They are also expected to be there to help and support you in your journey through life as you mature in your faith.

A Sponsor must be:

● A person over 16, who is a baptised and confirmed member of the Catholic Church

● A practising member of the church community

● Someone who knows you well

The ideal is for one of your Baptismal Godparents to be your Confirmation Sponsor but this is not always possible. Parents do not usually sponsor their children. An older family member – including a brother or sister, aunt or uncle – could be your Sponsor or you could ask a family friend. It is very important that your Sponsor fulfils the required conditions.