Confirmation for St. James Teens
November 1, 2020 –. All Saints Day is a very appropriate day for St. James teens to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. There will be seven saint names added to the Litany of the Saints that will be sung at the beginning of mass for the seven teens being confirmed by Father Garry.
Confirmation preparation began in January but was interrupted in March by the pandemic. On March 7, 2020, we attended a Confirmation Retreat at the Diocesan office facilitated by Michael Nations. March 7, 2020 was a full day that included getting to know you activities, speakers sharing their faith commitment and journey, Reconciliation, and Eucharistic Adoration. The day was topped off with Mass at the Cathedral. (which was interrupted by the fire alarm sounding and we all evacuated for safety.) Mass resumed and we were able to close out our day.
The following week everything began to shut down due to the pandemic. The pandemic required that we shift our scheduled activities. The learning sessions became Zoom learning sessions. The preparation sessions included Circle of Grace, and topics of the sacraments, the saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Catholic Social Justice. The service projects could no longer be a group activity like volunteering at Harvesters for the Souper Bowl of Caring that we did in February. Service projects had to be socially distanced and individualized.
Keeping safety and social distance as a focus, St. James teens brought hygiene supplies in a car drop off for Bishop Sullivan Center during the parish birthday celebration. St. James teens collected candy for Ronald McDonald House instead of participating in the Ronald McDonald House Trunk or Treat. They also collected drink containers for Uplift so Uplift can provide drinking water to people that are homeless. St. James teens partnered with parishioners in a relationship building multi-generational project with the goal of building lasting friendships. St. James teens video-taped themselves reading a children’s bible story. These stories can be found on the St. James website at STJKC.org
November 1, 2020 is the conclusion of this portion of the journey. On November 1, 2020, I will announce to Father Garry and the congregation, “Father Garry, I present these candidates who are prepared to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.” The journey continues into the future with the St. James teens being involved in Catholic Social Justice causes, in Children’s Liturgy of the Word and various roles in the celebration of mass at St. James or wherever they may be. The St. James teens are ready to be the future of the Catholic Church.
Congratulations to:
Christopher – St. Floyd
Charlie – St. John, the Evangelist
Leo – St. Pope John the 23rd
Lidakika – St. Mary, Stella Maris
Xarypro – St. Joseph, the Dreamer
Marialuna – St. Josephine Bakhita
Xadriel – St. Francis of Assisi