Youth Ministry Announcements
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Sign up for Summer Service Sports Camp!
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IMPORTANT: Details about Confirmation 2019
1. It's time to pick your Patron Saint!Once you've chosen your Saint, please fill out this online form. If you change your mind, just fill it out again! I'll use the most recently submitted form for Confirmation Sunday.
Still sort of confused about Patron Saints?
Read this LifeTeen article about why Catholics choose Patron Saints, and this Busted Halo article about finding a Saint you connect with.2. Get your sponsor settled!
Your Confirmation sponsor will need to fill out this form. Make sure s/he is prepared with Proof of Confirmation (e.g., Baptismal Certificate with notifications on the back, Confirmation certificate with a Parish Seal on it).
Do this early - a sponsor who isn't a Santa Maria parishioner will need a letter of introduction from their current pastor! (Details on that sponsor form.)3. Tell your sponsor about the June 8 Twilight Retreat.
Saturday, June 8 | 5:00-7:30pm | Santa Maria Parish Hall | Casual Dress
All candidates and sponsors who will be Confirmed at the 10:30am Mass on Sunday, June 9 must attend this retreat! We'll go over the readings, spend time reflecting on the Sacrament, and prepare our minds and hearts to be able to more intentionally celebrate this special Sacrament on the following day.
If your sponsor is unable to attend with you, please bring a responsible person who can fill your sponsor in on his/her role after attending with you.4. Get ready for Confirmation Mass on June 9!
Sunday, June 9 | 10:30am-12:00pm | Church of Santa Maria | Dressy Dress
Candidates and their sponsors will arrive in the Parish Hall no later than 9:45am. Parents, family, and friends may arrive at their leisure to the Church. Seating will be reserved for candidates and sponsors only.
Please dress according to the Confirmation Guidelines of the Diocese of Oakland. -
Extra Involvement Opportunities (Confirmation Make-Ups)
Everyone is invited to these extra involvement opportunities - and each also counts as a Confirmation make-up if you follow the instructions (if any) at the end of each listing! Parents, please be aware - on rare occasions, some events are age-specific, so read carefully and use your best judgment in attending.
NB: You're allowed up to 2 absences per year for Confirmation, and you can make up the time with any of these events or others you've spoken to Megan about. Remember - make-ups make up the time you've missed; they don't "cancel out" your absence!
MSYG Leadership
Wednesdays | 6:30-8:30pm
Santa Maria Youth Room
Come help get our Middle Schoolers psyched about our faith! Help with skits, discussions, crafts, activities, and more - work with Megan to plan something great for the youth that you're into, too.
For a make-up - contact Megan with enough time to plan something you'll be leading at Youth Group, then attend from 6:30pm-8:30pm for a half hour of prep before Youth Group starts at 7pm.
Teach K-5 Faith Formation
Mondays | 2:30-3:30pm OR 4:00-5:00pm
Santa Maria Classrooms
Help a catechist instruct our younger Catholics in their faith formation and help them walk closer with Jesus! Almost every Monday (excepting holidays and vacations), our K-5th graders gather at the parish for Faith Formation classes.
Help make their classes more fun and be a great role model!
For a make-up - email Theresa Gonzales to get connected with a catechist who needs some help that upcoming Monday. Teach about 20 minutes with that catechist supporting you on their topic of the day.
Holy Thursday Liturgy
Thursday, April 18 | 7:30pm
Church of Santa Maria
Can you name one specific thing Jesus told you to do? Come to Holy Thursday and learn about one really important instruction he gave us - and no, it's actually not "go to Mass"!
For a make-up - Attend and say hi to Megan and share what you think the instruction Jesus gave was.
Friday, April 19 | 12:15pm-3:00pm
Good Friday Way of the Cross and Liturgy
Church of Santa Maria
Commemorate Jesus' last steps before his death in this traditional Catholic devotion. We'll start at the church and walk to Orinda Senior Village, share some of the Stations with them, and come back in time for the 2:00pm Good Friday liturgy, which we will celebrate together.
For a make-up - return the Permission Slip and attend this event. Please note that if you attend the Way of the Cross, you must attend the liturgy unless you have written permission from your parent or guardian to do otherwise.
Prayer & Song Day Retreat with Sarah Hart
Saturday, May 4 | 1:00pm Retreat; 7:30pm Concert
St. John the Baptist Church, El Cerrito (Get Directions)
All 5th-12th grade youth are invited to an afternoon of fun, talks, and games with LA Youth Day and World Youth Day presenter Sarah Hart. Click here for details or to register!
For a make-up - attend either the retreat or the concert (or both!) and let Megan know your thoughts on the event. (Bring back any songs you loved and we'll see if we can use them at Youth Masses!) -
Sunday Confirmation Topics
Want to get ahead, catch up, or just see what's going on? You're in the right place!
A friendly reminder - because we only have 15 sessions per year, you're allowed to miss no more than 2 sessions each year in order to complete the program year. Any more than that is the equivalent of missing a day of school EACH WEEK - yikes! Each session you miss must also be made up at one of the above Extra Involvement Opportunities.March 3:
C1: The Bible, Part I
Read: Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105
Watch: Video 3.1 (Choose "Session 5.2" on the menu on the side menu)
Think: Where do you think the Bible came from?C2: Confirmation, Part I
Read: Mathew 28:19-20; Luke 11:28; John 10:27-28
Watch: Video 7.3 (Choose "Session 10.1" and "Session 10." on the side menu)
Think: How would you explain the Sacrament of Confirmation to someone who didn't know anything about the Church? -
Have you done your sign-ups yet?
Sign up for your ministry:
- Parents - sign up to volunteer.
- C1/C2 (MSYG optional) - sign up for Liturgical Ministry
Download/import the calendar: