Patron Saint Reflection

Requirements to be a Confirmation Sponsor:

Reminder: Parents CAN NOT be sponsors to their own Confirmation student. 

• Should be a practicing Catholic that has been Baptized, has received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, 1st Communion, and Confirmation.
• Should be above the age of 18
• If he or she is married, the marriage should have taken place in the Catholic Church.
• The person must have the intention, the ability, and adequate time to be a Sponsor.
• The Sponsor should live according to the Catholic Faith: attend Mass every weekend and receive the sacraments of the Church regularly, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist. A Catholic is required to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist once each year.
• The Sponsor should practice the Faith within a Catholic parish community, and live a moral life.
• Students and sponsors are recommended to meet (in person, by phone, or if necessary by other means such as Skype or email) to discuss their spiritual growth. A sponsor plays an important role in the confirmation student's life and are meant to be a role model of what a good Catholic is. The student should aspire to be like such person.

• Help the Candidate become aware of his or her reasons for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.
• Help the Candidate understand and appreciate the sacrament of Confirmation, and have the right intention for receiving it.
•  Help the Candidate prepare for Confirmation by encouraging him or her to pray, to participate in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, and to become actively involved in the life of their parish.
• Support the Candidate and their family, and be a good example of Catholic Christian living.
• Meet with the Candidate on a regular basis for Mass, prayer, faith-sharing, reading Scripture, and discussions about the Christian life. If it's not possible to meet, then talk over the phone or via email about spiritual growth at least once a month.
• Help the Candidate understand what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
• Present the Candidate to the bishop for Confirmation. This will be done at the Confirmation Mass.
• Ensure that the confirmed person behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations inherent in this sacrament.
• Continue to encourage the confirmed person to live a Catholic Christian life through:
  • prayer and the celebration of the sacraments
  • living the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  • turning to other Catholics for support and guidance
  • studying the Catholic Faith 

• As a means to help the sponsors and students to foster a closer relationship, our program incorpartes a half-day seminar held on a Sunday.
• The workshop helps the sponsors and students learn of the role in Confirmation prepartion program.
• Information will be provided via email.

Directions:
Students are asked to research a saint that they wish to make their Patron Saint for Confirmation. They are asked to write a 300-word reflection (it can be longer if needed) about their Confirmation saint.  They must be prepared to be able to speak on that saint when asked about him/her in class or by their sponsor.  

Reflection must include: 
Why they chose this saint?
What is the saint known for?
When was their saint canonized?
What gifts of the Holy Spirit do you see in that saint?
Also, include any other pertinent information about the saint.  

Students are welcome to use any Catholic online resource or book.

Please submit the paper in class or to Nathan LaCroix at [email protected].