IGNITE PROGRAM: Candidate’s Responsibility
A youth may enter into this part of the Confirmation process in eighth or ninth grade, provided they have completed the prerequisite INVITED topics, seventh or eighth grade Catholic school or another Catholic parish Faith Formation program. In addition to their formation experience, each youth is encouraged to participate in our parish youth group for middle school (Edge) or high school (Life Teen). Information can be found through the button link at the bottom of the page.
STEP ONE – IGNITE TRIMESTER: Candidate must be enrolled in a seven-week IGNITE session (choose Fall, Winter or Spring). Attendance is expected at all seven sessions, if a candidate misses due to illness they must arrange a make-up with the Office of Faith Formation. Please note that if a candidate misses more than two sessions, they will be required to re-enroll and begin the IGNITE program again.
STEP TWO – BE THE CHURCH: During the program year, candidates are expected to begin to more closely discern how the Holy Spirit is guiding them to a role in the life of the parish. Each candidate is expected to participate in nine Be The Church experiences. The candidate must submit a reflection of their experiences via the link below. No more than two experiences may be the same and one experience outside of the parish is allowed.
STEP THREE – PARENT-TEEN RETREAT DAY: Candidate and parent must attend a half-day retreat during the trimester in which candidate is enrolled. If a candidate is unable to attend the retreat due to illness or another obligation, the parent must arrange a make-up retreat time with the Office of Faith Formation. Dates for 2023-2024 are Oct. 21, Jan. 27 or Apr. 13.
STEP FOUR – THE SPONSOR: A candidate’s sponsor should be viewed as a lifelong guide in faith. The responsibility of the sponsor is to present the candidate to the Bishop at the Mass of Confirmation and to guide them in the Catholic faith everyday forward. A sponsor must be at least sixteen years of age, a practicing Catholic who has received all Sacraments of Initiation and lives a life of faith abiding by the truths and precepts of the Catholic Church. The sponsor can not be the parent or legal guardian of the candidate. Once chosen, the sponsor will need to complete the form found at the link below, or provide a letter from their home parish.
STEP FIVE – THE SAINT: Candidates will choose a saint to be their heavenly prayer champion and lifelong guide. The chosen will be the name used during the anointing and will be entered into the sacramental records alongside the candidate’s given baptismal name. Only names of canonized or beatified (blessed) saints recognized by the Catholic Church can be chosen as confirmation saints. Candidates are expected to write a personal reflection at least three paragraphs in length which tells of who you are, who your saint is and why you feel a connection to this saint. (Link to submit reflection is currently closed but will be reactivated in August of 2023)
Registration for 2023-2024
Registration will open through the link found here on July 11 at 6 pm and occurs on the timetable below. If you would like to volunteer (and receive priority registration) please contact our office!
| DATE | REGISTRATION STATUS |
|---|---|
| JUL. 11 | General Registration OPEN for All Trimesters |
| AUG. 25 | Fall Registration CLOSES |
| NOV. 3 | Winter Registration CLOSES |
| FEB. 2 | Spring Registration CLOSES |
| Ballantyne Campus | Waxhaw Campus |
|---|---|
| Sunday 7 to 8 pm | Sunday 7 to 8 pm |
| Tuesday 6:30 to 7:30 pm | Wednesday 7 to 8 pm |
Thank you for allowing us the privilege of supporting your family through the Sacramental process. If you have any questions, please contact Diane.