• Baptism, the Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation, whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.  Catechism of the Catholic Church 1285
  
  Acceptance to be Confirmed:  The pastor is responsible for accepting candidates for Confirmation and vouching for their preparation to the Bishop. Teacher and parent input all play a part in the pastor’s decision to accept the candidate for Confirmation. Attitude, participation in class, community service, group activities, retreats, and the examination and interview will be the basic criteria for recommendation.
   
  Precepts of the Church:  These are fundamental for all Catholics and should be the first priority of the family:
   
  · You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.
  · You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
  · You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
  · You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
  · You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
   
  Classroom: Candidates must be enrolled in and regularly attend EPIC and Confirmation classes for both 9th and 10th grade to include those attending both public and Catholic school.
   
  Sponsors:  Candidates must select a sponsor for their 10th-grade year.  Their sponsor may be a godparent if they are close to them, but more importantly, it should be a person they can talk to about their faith and that they will be able to meet with them several times during the year.  The sponsor must be at least 16 years old, confirmed in the Catholic faith, in good standing with the church, and willing to share their time and faith with the candidate - and they cannot be a parent. The sponsor must be present on the day the student receives the Sacrament of Confirmation. We will need the sponsor’s name and email or postal address.
   
  Sacrament of Confession: Candidates will be given an opportunity to receive the sacrament of Confession shortly before Confirmation. They are encouraged to receive this sacrament often for their own faith growth along with their required attendance at Sunday Mass. Candidates need to be in the state of grace for the receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.
   
  Community Service: Confirmation students should fulfill at least three different service activities, with at least one in support of the Church (e.g., altar server, Fall Festival volunteer, etc.).
   
  Retreats: Both 9th and 10th Grade students will attend a confirmation retreat.  Attendance is required.  Please contact the Parish Center Office (507.288.7313) right away if you cannot attend a retreat so we can help you make other arrangements.
   
  What We Need From You!
   
  1. BAPTISM RECORD
  We need to know if the candidate was baptized at St. Francis. If not, we will need a signed and sealed/ official copy of their Baptism Certificate (not a birth certificate) issued by the church of baptism at least one month prior to their receiving the sacrament. Please have it sent to the Parish Center Office, Attn: Faith Formation, Church of St. Francis of Assisi, 1114 Third Street SE, Rochester, MN, 55904. If the certificate does not include candidate’s first, middle, and last name; date of birth; city of birth; and mother’s maiden name, please include that information. (NOTE: We cannot use a certificate issued for First Communion.)
   
  2. CONFIRMATION NAME
  Confirmation Name Selection Form must be filled out and returned to the Parish Office. A copy of the form is available on the Faith Formation page under Documents.
   
  3. SAINT REPORT
  Candidates will choose a saint name to be given to them at Confirmation.  They may choose a saint based on their Baptismal name or their birthday, or choose a patron saint of an interest that they have or a saint they admire. The report should be at least one page long. They need to write a one-page report on this saint and must say why they have chosen him or her. They can borrow books from the parish office or go online to Catholic websites including:   www.catholic.net, www.catholicforum.com, www.americancatholic.org
   
  4. LETTER TO THE BISHOP
  Before the celebration of Confirmation, the Bishop is required to know that the candidates have been properly prepared. He should also know that the candidates have a desire for and knowledge of the sacrament. An outline and specifications are included in this packet to assist the candidate with the composition of his/her Letter to the Bishop.
   
  5. CANDIDATE  INTERVIEWS
  Each candidate for confirmation must complete an assessment interview with the Pastor.  These assessment interviews will take approximately 15 minutes and will take place in the Spring before Confirmation (times TBD).  The purpose of this interview with the Pastor is to ascertain the willingness and the readiness of the candidate to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.