Called is our official confirmation programme, which is structured into four separate stages. Here is everything you need to lead the programme.
This is the introductory stage of the programme, Animate, our youth ministry team, lead sessions on the Sacrament of confirmation for all year 8 pupils.The aim of this stage is to encourage interest in confirmation through interactive and accessible activities.
The Animate Team have created four short videos that can be watched on their YouTube channel. These videos are the initial invitation to be confirmed.
These sessions are tailored to be led by school staff using resources created by the Diocesan Education department and they help Year 8’s to explore the Sacrament of confirmation in their school.
The aim of this stage is to offer a solid foundation of catechesis on the Sacrament of confirmation.
This stage provides the main catechetical input on the Sacrament of Confirmation, as year 8’s are taught about confirmation in their RE classes between the Christmas and Easter term. You can find all the downloadable resources for these sessions below.
In these sessions, students will:
Young people in year 8 who are not attending a Catholic School are still invited to register and they will be contacted individually regarding any additional preparation they may have to undertake.
Young people who wish to be confirmed will be invited to take part in local preparation meetings.
The aim of this stage is for young people will meet priests and parishioners of the communities in which they will be confirmed. They will engage in different activities as chosen by the local community and as seem appropriate for that group of people in that area.
The suggested sessions are not, and should not be seen as, a comprehensive programme that can or should be followed every week. You can choose to use as may or as few of these ideas as you want and you are free to use our own resources and ideas. Each session is aimed to last about an hour.
There are sample prayers that can be used at the end of each session as a separate document. Good practice would suggest that each session should end with some social time. These sessions are not designed to offer formal catechetical instruction, as this is done in school in the ‘Called to serve’ stage.
We want every young person who is confirmed to know that confirmation is not an end in itself and that, as St Pope John Paul II put it, ‘life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.’ Therefore, Deaneries will organise follow-up events for the newly confirmed, and there will be opportunities for all those confirmed to gather at large-scale events in the summer term.
The aim of this stage is to provide a memorable end to the preparation time and prepare our young people to be sent out into the world with all the gifts that confirmation offers.
