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Weekly Bulletin Calendar Daily Readings |
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Baptismal Preparation Religious Education • Sunday School • First Communion • Reconciliation Youth Ministry • Junior High Program • Confirmation • Leadership Adult Ministry • R.C.I.A. Corpus Christi School Catholic Links |
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Pastoral Staff Map & Office Info Church History rectory@corpuschristipiedmont.org 
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Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Michelle Lopez at 530-4343 ext. 25 for more information.
Q - If my teen is already volunteering/performing service elsewhere, does she/he have to participate in service projects with the Confirmation process?
A - No; however, we encourage you to consider with your teen the possibility of participating in a service project with the other Confirmation candidates and/or with the parish community at some point in the year ahead because "building community" is part of the process.
Q - Does my teen have to attend all sessions?
A - There are 6 sessions scheduled after the 10:30 a.m. Mass throughout Confirmation year (as opposed to many other programs that meet weekly or twice a month). Teens are encouraged to make a commitment to attending all of the sessions. If your teen will miss a session, she/he must call the Confirmation leader at (510) 530-4343 ext 25.
Q - Does my teen have to go on the retreat in February?
A - Yes. Attendance at the Confirmation retreat is a requirement of Corpus Christi Church and the Diocese of Oakland. Further, it is required the teen attend the retreat with the community that the teen is to be confirmed with. It is not acceptable to substitute a school-based retreat or the retreat of another parish if the retreat dates established by the parish are not convenient for the teen.
Teens are expected to notify their respective sports coaches and extra-curricular activities well in advance of the the date of the retreat. This communication is the teen's responsibility. If there is a conflict of interest (including sports, family vacation, extra curricular or other activity) your teen and your family need to make the decision of which event has priority. Many teens and their families opt to postpone Confirmation until the 11th or 12th grade year, college or through RCIA as an adult.
The retreat is considered the most important component of the confirmation process and it is timed to take place before the candidates choose if the Sacrament of Confirmation is right for them at this time. It's a time of reflection, reconciliation, and celebration as we explore the decision about to be made; that is, to say "yes" to the Sacrament of Confirmation, or to wait. In year past, all Confirmandi have attended the retreat in its entirety; as well, 11th and 12th grade teens involved in the parish Teen Leadership chose to attend the retreat.
Q - Does my teen have to participate in everything that is on the "Requirements" page?
A - Yes. Balance is the key word here. Sessions, service, prayer experiences and Mass, retreat, and participation in special events (youth mass, rites, etc.) are all components of a balanced program. Teens cannot "pick and choose" their confirmation program.
Q - What are the very important dates (outside of the sessions) for my teen to attend?
A - Here are the most important dates to remember:
about Confirmation December 12, 2006 - Advent Reconciliation February 23-25, 2007 - Retreat April 6, 2007 - Stations of the Cross April 20, 2007 - Confirmation Rehearsal April 21, 2007 - Sacrament of Confirmation Q - What if my teen cannot be at the designated Confirmation date? A - It is not accepted practice by the Diocese of the Church to celebrate the Rite of Confirmation with a parish outside of the community your teen has journeyed through the process with. The most important component of the Sacrament of Confirmation is community aspect of it. It is key for the teens to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation within the context of the parish community and in the context of those with whom she/he has journeyed with throughout the process. In order to receive the sacrament with Corpus Christi Parish, your teen must be in attendance at this Rite of Confirmation (see date above). Q - What if my teen's chosen sponsor cannot be at the rehearsal or the Rite of Confirmation? A - Although your teen must be at both the rehearsal and the Rite of Confirmation, the sponsor does not have to be present in order to be your teen's sponsor (although we do not encourage this). The teen needs to choose someone special to them self to stand in proxy for the actual sponsor. The role of sponsor is much bigger than just being at the rehearsal and the Rite. The role of sponsor is on-going and involves prayer, participation in the faith-life of the Confirmandi (going to Mass or doing service together), and being present for the teen throughout trials and good times as a consistent model of living out the Catholic faith, not just during Confirmation year, but in the years ahead. Q - Why does my teen have to go to sessions, retreats, and service projects at the parish when she/he is getting all this information at her/his Catholic school? A - The Sacrament of Confirmation is the third and final of what are called the "Sacraments of Initiation"; the other two are Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. Schools may study about what the Sacrament of Confirmation is; however, for the sacrament to be valid, the individual must enter into it willingly and of open heart. For this to take place, there exists the need for opportunities to reflect and discern....which just studying or learning about the topic does not offer the teen in a school setting. More important is the needed aspect of building community and journeying to this place of decision with others who are experiencing the same challenges and faith-questioning. For these reasons, the dioceses around the nation have supported the Sacrament of Confirmation to be prepared for, celebrated, and lived out at the parish level. Candidates for the Sacrament of Confirmation are initiated into a parish, representing a global church, they are not initiated into a school. |
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