At St. Mary’s and St. Raymond’s parishes, we love high school students and offer a variety of ways for them to get connected to God and each other:
- For students seeking the sacrament of Confirmation, we offer a 2-year preparation process that usually occurs freshman and sophomore year, but can also begin at any time beginning in 9th grade.
- For students who are not confirmed/not interested in being confirmed, but would like to ask questions, meet friends, and learn more about faith, we offer small groups!
- For students who are already confirmed, we offer focused discipleship groups to help them grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus and His Catholic Church
This year, all of our classes and small groups will take place in-person. Below you’ll find a document that contains our specific reopening policies and procedures in relation to Covid-19 so we can meet together in a way that is safe, fun, and responsible!
If your student/your family are in an at-risk category, or find yourself uncomfortable with participating in person, even with precautions in place, please contact Jacqueline @ St. Mary’s (715-855-1294 x106) or Marianne @ St. Raymond’s (715-835-8840) directly to discuss a potential virtual preparation option.
Registration deadline is Friday, October 9th. Due to Covid-related distancing regulations, all high school students must be pre-registered by this deadline in order to attend our first class on October 14th. Any registrations received after the deadline will be added to the roster for October 28th.
Tuition for each student in their 1st or 2nd year of Confirmation preparation is $50 simply to cover the cost of materials, curriculum and retreats. There is no charge for students who are registering for small groups only!
In our approach to preparation, we focus on:
- Relational Ministry. Helping teens connect to a spiritual mentor. Each teen shows up to Confirmation with a different background, different struggles, different level of education and a different perspective on God and faith. That’s why we build relationships with each teen, meeting them where they’re at and helping them become the person God created them to be. We’re not afraid to enter into the mess that comes with being a teenager in today’s world, and we’re honored to accompany them on this portion of their conversion journey.
- Individual Conversion. Helping teens encounter the love of Jesus. Although we use a thorough curriculum designed to cover all the tenets of our Catholic Faith (Purpose Confirmation through Life Teen International), our Confirmation process is not about checking off boxes. Each gathering is structured in a way that’s designed to help teens ask tough questions, wrestle with Scripture and respond to God’s relentless love for them. Each meeting consists of: 1) a Gather Activity, 2) a Large Group Teaching, 3) Small Group Breakouts or Individual Reflection and 4) Prayer and Meditation.
- Unity & Community. Helping teens connect with each other. Today’s teens need real, face-to-face, human connection more than ever before. We focus on gently building up our community, facilitating healthy peer relationships and moving us toward true Christian unity with our parish and the Body of Christ.
If you have any questions, please contact:
St. Mary’s
Jacqueline Van Hemert
Director of Evangelization
715-855-1294 x106
JacquelineEVanHemert@gmail.com
or
St. Mary’s
Michael Van Hemert
Youth Ministry Coordinator
MichaelRyanVanHemert@gmail.com
St. Raymond’s
Marianne Callaghan
Director of Faith Formation
715-835-8840
macallaghan115@gmail.com
Carmen Nunez (en Espanol)
715-855-1294 ext. 100