Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Welcome and thank you for looking into Confirmation preparation at St. Bart’s! The sacrament of Confirmation is vital to our Catholic life—it is essential for the completion of baptismal grace, unites us more firmly to Christ, and fills us with the Holy Spirit so that we can live as authentic Christian witness. Our primary aim is to ensure that our students are well-formed in their Catholic faith with a foundation that will carry them through high school, college, and beyond.
Confirmation preparation is changing to a two-year model to better prepare our teens to embrace the beauty and richness of the sacrament of Confirmation and its importance to our Catholic faith. The first year focuses on cutlivating a stronger relationship with Christ by helping students to encounter Christ, develop a deep prayer life, and grow in their faith through small group sharing. The second year explores the importance of the sacrament itself, the gift of the Holy Spirit it confers, and its relevance for our modern lives.
Confirmation preparation meetings will take place on Sundays, meeting roughly twice per month. Students and their families are invited to attend our 5pm Sunday evening Mass, with Confirmation Preparation meeting afterwards from 6:15-8pm.
2023-24 Youth Ministry Calendar
(This calendar may be updated throughout the year.)
2022 Rite of Confirmation at the Cathedral
About Confirmation:
St. Bart’s invites students in 8th grade and above to enroll in Confirmation Preparation to discern and prepare for receiving the sacrament. This year’s candidates will be confirmed in February 2025. Following Confirmation, they will participate in a Mystigogiacal period through May that includes practical, hands-on experience in unpacking the grace of the sacrament and walking out their faith as life-long disciples of Christ.
Those preparing for Confirmation are also encouraged to participate in our Middle School youth ministry or High School CORE Team, based on their grade. Additionally, they are also invited to serve in parish-sponsored service projects and join St. Bart’s in attending dynamic local ministry events like NET Ministries’ Lifeline and Damascus’ Jesus Nights. This mix allows candidates to form a strong foundation for living a vibrant, full, authentically Christian life.
NET Lifeline
Hosted by NET Ministries in West Saint Paul, Lifeline is a dynamic Saturday night event for High Schoolers that features praise and worship, a presentation, Mass, and Adoration. The night runs from 6-9:30 pm and we will be meeting at St. Bart’s at 4:30pm to depart as a group. You can check the St. Bart’s calendar for dates and sign ups will be posted before each event. For more information on Lifeline, check NET Ministries website.
Costs for 2023-24.
Registration costs for the 2023-24 Confirmation Prep year will be $140/student for registered parishioners and $190/student for non-parishioner families. These costs cover all preparatory and supplemental materials needed throughout the year and also make possible several significant faith enrichment opportunities for our candidates. Please note that retreat costs are not included in the registration fees.
Candidates will receive a discount of $25 on Confirmation Preparation registration fees if they choose to register concurrently for either the Middle School youth ministry or High School CORE Team programs. Please use the Middle/High School Youth Ministry Registration Form button to register and receive this discount.
Scholarships are also available in cases of financial need—please contact the parish office at 952-473-6601 if you need information on the application process.
Youth Ministry Information Nights:
We realize that this is a significant transition and so we are hosting several meetings to introduce the program, answer questions, and address any concerns that you might have. The meetings will be as follows:
August 20 | 3:45 - 4:45 pm
August 21 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm
September 10 | 3:45 - 4:45 pm
September 12 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm
We look forward to sharing this new vision with you and embarking on this journey together. If you have questions, contact Lindsay Rohr, lrohr@st-barts.org, 952-473-6601. Thank you for your continued support. We are excited for what is shaping up to be a wonderful, fruitful year!
Lindsay Rohr, Ongoing Formation & Discipleship Associate
Questions?
Contact Lindsay Rohr, Ongoing Formation and Discipleship Associate, lrohr@st-barts.org or 952-473-6601.
Posted August 10, 2023. Exciting changes to the Youth Ministry programs.