I saw the post of the question of First Communion. I was hoping people could share what are some challenges you face in Confirmation?

Kids in my parishes receive Confirmation in 6th grade through 9th grade mostly (a few in 10-12th grade once in a while). I find I get a lot of attitude and kids telling me they don't want to be there.

I have considered inviting sponsors to be part of the preparation/teaching sessions, but I always feel like with just the Confirmands that I can make it more interactive and fun. And I get the more honest teen who tells me how they really feel... also the downside of they tell me how they REALLY feel (don't want to be there, doing this for their parents, etc). It's hard to keep them quiet/get them to listen.

The preparation in the Diocese I work is short and intensive. I worked at a retreat center so I use a lot of my resources from that which are primarily interactive. I think my group formed a pretty good community even in the short session prep.

The rite went wonderfully. So I think I did well. But, I want to adjust my preparation for next year.

Any ideas on how to handle Confirmation?

I don't teach a Confirmation class. I teach 6th grade, but refer to Confirmation regularly. This is some of what I intend for the kids to know about Confirmation:

Laying of hands matters, it physically transmits a unique gift of the Holy Spirit. We look at Isaac's mistaken laying of hands on Jacob, and his inability to withdraw the blessing; hands laid on Paul before he could preach; Paul's laying of hands on Timothy, a bishop, an episkopos, an overseer; Paul's advice to Timothy about whom Timothy should lay hands on. We emphasize the 2000-year physical living chain of bishops transmitting blessing and authority by laying hands.

We also discuss the 'doses' of the Holy Spirit which the apostles received: Baptism (inferred), power to forgive sins (Receive the Holy Spirit), and Pentecost's descent of the H.S. This is important in the Bible Belt, so the kids can explain Biblically why baptism is the first, but not only, sealing by the Holy Spirit.

Dowens,

We confirm in 10th grade. Students are expected to engage in long term catechesis, either through R.E. or our local Catholic high school. We also have eight immediate preparation sessions, one of which is a retreat. Since we have students coming from a number of high schools, our sessions always include a lot of community building.

We also ask students to particiapte in an interview. The writing of the letter to the Pastor takes place during the retreat, where we connect it with letters that candidates receive from family members and sponsors. There is also an expectation of service given to the community (however the candidate defines the community - we want them to connect with the ommunities that they feel are supporting them on theoir journey).

One of the sessions includes parents, and another inclues sponsors. To help both, I've created both a parent handbook and a sponsor guide. It includes our goals for Confirmation preparation, as wel as activities and ideas that parents and sponsors can use to encage candidates in prayer and discussion.

I teach 8th grade Confirmation. Yes, there are always some who say they don't want to be there. I usually don't make much out of it but concentrate on creating an environment that they find supportive, engaging, and growthful so that ultimately they want to be there. The community I live in is overwhelmingly Catholic so for most kids, they don't think twice about being confirmed...it's what "everyone" is doing.

Our Confirmation preparation includes having the kids write a reflection about why they chose their sponsor, a reflection on their Confirmation name/saint, service involvement, and a reflection on their service. In addition to their weekly RE classes, we have five, 2-hour Confirmation intensives for immediate preparation. These intensives are filled with activities flowing from and to the Rites of Confirmation. You're welcome to check out some examples at my blog http://www.catechistsjourney.com (Jan. 14, 2009 post)

In all, there's a pretty good spirit among the Confirmands and after Confirmation, we have nearly 100% returning to finish the year (usually about 4 or 5 more classes). Much credit goes to our DRE who makes it clear to the parents that Confirmation is not "graduation" from the Church!

"....we have nearly 100% returning to finish the year (usually about 4 or 5 more classes)"

No small acheivement...I'm curious, what do you cover in those post-Confirmation classes?

I too am curious. What does your parish do for High School catechesis and what is the percentage of partcipation beyond the confirmation year?

"What does your parish do for High School catechesis and what is the percentage of partcipation beyond the confirmation year?"

Our highschool youthgroup probably has a typical attendance of 30 with an overall group of 45 (grades 9-12). All 4 of my youngest children participated. The reason it's well attended (I believe) is that they are acquiring a substantial orthodox Catholic worldview from a well-catechized (self-catechized, mostly) motivated teacher. Participation by the rising 8th graders is probably 20%...but some of that will be due to parents unwillingness to chauffer on a Sunday evening.
They have fun as well, but the fun is not the youthgroup's raison d'etre. Living and understanding their Catholic faith is.

I wish I had something dramatic to share! In reality, we just continue with our regular lessons. The final unit (we use the FINDING GOD program) of the year focuses on morality so our final lessons cover the Ten Commandments.

As I mentioned earlier, the credit goes to our DRE who hammers home the message that Confirmation is not the end of the program. She says this at the beginning of the year, repreats it whenever possible and then sends a letter home to the parents before confirmation that includes a calendar for the remainder of the year.

Since confirmation occurs in early Lent for our parish in most years, it is followed by a few special events that involve the 8th graders over the ensuing weeks: the Living Stations, Lenten reconciliation, and, interestingly enough, the Confirmation retreat which our DRE does AFTER confirmation. In all, many things have come together to create a "culture" in our program that says, "Confirmation is not the end."

I would also like to think that one of the ingredients in that culture is a team of 8th grade catechists (with whom I am privileged to serve) who create an atmosphere of learning about the Catholic faith that effectively engages the young people and makes them feel that their sessions are time well spent.

"an atmosphere of learning about the Catholic faith that effectively engages the young people and makes them feel that their sessions are time well spent."

Well said! I agree completely. My experience with 6th grade is that if you respect their intelligence, demand that they use that intelligence in class, and compliment them when they do, they come to class of their own accord. Every year after the first few weeks, I can see the kids begin to feel confident that when I expect them to work their brains for the whole 50-55 minutes that they can do it, and like it.

If a robust learning environment is established, it doesn't really matter what the subject is.

A retreat after Confirmation?!? I'm amazed. I must commend your DRE for all the work she has done to move the parish into a new indset regarding this sacrament. Kudos indeed :)