Responsibilities and Checklist for the Confirmation Coordinator

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Being involved in the preparation of young people for the Sacrament of Confirmation can be extremely exciting and rewarding. Programs of Confirmation preparation are typically filled with great moments of laughter, friendship, searching, honesty, and growth. It is indeed a privilege to walk alongside those who are preparing for this Sacrament of Christian Initiation.

Behind the Confirmation program stands a very important person: the Confirmation Coordinator. The responsibilities that you assume in this role are essential to ensuring an experience that the young people, their parents, their sponsors, and the entire faith community will find both engaging and meaningful. While the success of a program is dependent on a whole team of people and the faith community into which the young people are being initiated, it is the Confirmation Coordinator who remains the organizing agent. It can be helpful, therefore, to reflect on some of the various responsibilities involved in this ministry. By doing so, one can be affirmed and strengthened in the various aspects of being a Confirmation Coordinator.

Calendar Preparation – The responsibilities of the Confirmation Coordinator begin long before the program of preparation itself. Planning the specific dates and places of meetings, sessions, retreats, service activities, and the Confirmation celebration is a critical organizing task.

Recruitment – Finding a team of catechists who work well with youth is essential to the success of the Confirmation program. Catechists should be in good standing with the Church, have a desire to work with youth, and have the available time necessary for consistent presence to the program.

Training – It is important to properly prepare the Confirmation catechists for their role. Making sure they understand the characteristics of the youth that will be in the program, the components and features of RCL’s Confirmation program, and any features distinct to your program will help them approach their ministry with confidence.

Involving Others – A successful and enriching Confirmation program involves more than just the youth and the catechists. Encouraging the active participation of parents, sponsors, and the entire parish community in this time of preparation is an important facet of the Confirmation Coordinator’s role.

Coordinating Corresponding Events – Aside from the regular meetings of youth and catechists, there will be other aspects of the Confirmation program to coordinate. A retreat, an evening of reflection, a Reconciliation service, and the Confirmation liturgy itself will be some of the events that will take coordination with other team members and the parish liturgy committee.

Evaluation – An essential part of any program is its evaluation by the different people who were involved. Evaluation provides an important tool of assessment which can offer insight into particular aspects of the program that were viewed as essential. This can be extremely helpful when preparing future programs.

NOTE: For more insight into the responsibilities of the Confirmation Coordinator and extensive resources to support these responsibilities, please see RCL’s Confirmation Program Director’s Manual.

The following is a checklist that incorporates the responsibilities of a Confirmation Coordinator into a workable timeline that can be used in organizing the Confirmation program.

Checklist for the Program Director

Six to nine months prior to the program

• Read through the Confirmation Program Director’s Manual, Confirmation Candidate Book, Confirmation Catechist Guide, and Confirmation Sponsor Handbook, and explore the sacraments section of RCL’s Web site at www.FaithFirst.com.
• Decide on the model you will use to implement the sacrament preparation program. (See “Models for Using RCL’s Confirmation Program” on page 10 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Determine the number of gatherings for candidates, parents, and sponsors, including: candidate preparation sessions, orientation meetings, a whole community assembly, a retreat, a communal reconciliation service, an evening of reflection, and mystagogy sessions.
• Schedule sessions and reserve appropriate facilities.
• Order copies of the Confirmation Catechist Guide.

Three to six months prior to the program

• Recruit catechists.
• Conduct the catechist orientation session.
(See “Orientation Session with Confirmation Catechists” on pages 72–76 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Publicize the program.
• Hold registration.
• Record baptismal certificates.
• Order copies of the Confirmation Candidate Book and Sponsor Handbook.

One to two months prior to the program

• Hold candidate, parent, and sponsor orientation. (See “Orientation Meeting with Candidates, Parents, and Sponsors” on pages 89–93 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Make decisions regarding specific service opportunities for the candidates. (See “Implementing Service Projects” on pages 83 and 84 of the Program Director’s Manual.)

During the program

• Arrange for the parish flyer to be copied and distributed during the weeks of preparation. (See “A Parish Flyer: Sacramental People” on pages 116–123 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Coordinate the use of the blessings with the pastor and the presider for each week at the parish liturgy. (See “Parish Blessings” on pages 115 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Coordinate with liturgy planners to insert weekly general intercession prayers. (See “General Intercessions” on pages 129 and 130 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Coordinate the celebration of the sacrament with the parish team. (See “Guidelines for Planning the Celebration of Confirmation,” “Liturgy Planning Worksheet for Confirmation,” and “Rite of Confirmation” on pages 18–24 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Plan, rehearse, and conduct the Confirmation retreat. (See “Retreat Planning” on page 54 and the various models of retreats offered on pages 55–68 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Offer the evening of reflection for candidates, parents, and sponsors. (See “Evening of Reflection” on pages 48 and 49 of the Program Director’s Manual.

After the celebration of the sacrament

• Conduct mystagogical session or sessions. (See pages 134–144 of the Program Director’s Manual.)
• Evaluate the program. (See the various evaluations offered on pages 38–42 of the Program Director’s Manual.)