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Capilla La Divina Providencia

Confirmation Study Guide

Hello Confirmation Students!

Here is some study material you can look over to prepare for your upcoming Confirmation. 

 

Please have your prayers memorized. You may have them memorized in English or Spanish.

Our Father

Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
a world without end.
Amen.

Act of Contrition

My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ
suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.

El Padre Nuestro


Padre nuestro, 
que estás en el cielo.
Santificado sea tu nombre.
Venga tu reino.
Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal.
Amén.

El Ave María


Dios te salve, María.
Llena eres de gracia:
El Seńor es contigo.
Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres.
Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre:
Jesús.
Santa María, Madre de Dios,
ruega por nosotros pecadores,
ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.
Amén.

El Gloria 


Gloria al Padre, 

al Hijo, 

y al Espíritu Santo.
Como era en el principio, 

ahora, y siempre,
por los siglos de los siglos.
Amén.

El Acto de Contrición

 

Seńor mío, Jesucristo, Dios y hombre verdadero, 
Creador, Padre, Redentor mío, 
por ser vos quien sois, bondad infinita 
y por que os amo sobre todas las cosas, 
me pesa de todo corazón haberos ofendido, 
también me pesa porque podéis castigarme con
las penas del infierno. 
Animado con tu divina gracia, 
propongo firmemente 
nunca más pecar, confesarme 
y cumplir la penitencia que me fuera impuesta, 
para el perdón de mis pecados. 
Amén.

The Holy Spirit:

"The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit" CCC 261

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He proceeds from the love that the Father and the Son have for each other eternally. God the Father loves the Son for all of eternity and the Son loves the Father for all eternity. That outpouring of love is the Holy Spirit.

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

  • Knowledge- the gift that allows us to see things as God sees them and make informed decisions. It is the ability to see things from God’s perspective as much as we humanly can.
  • Understanding- the gift that allows us to understand revealed truths. This gift helps us in understanding the difficult parts of our faith, like the Trinity. Understanding isn’t about scientific reasoning, but about faith. But it isn’t blind faith- there will be things we cannot prove, but nonetheless, understand and believe.
  • Wisdom- the gift that allows us to see and understand God’s plan in our lives and in the world. Wisdom helps us to put into action the truths of our faith.
  • Counsel- the gift that allows us to judge how a given situation will lead us to or away from God. It is also the gift that allows us to discern God’s call for our life.
  • Fortitude- this gift is also known as courage. It is the gift that allows us to joyfully endure suffering for Christ. It allows us to follow Christ, even when it is difficult to do so.
  • Piety- the gift that allows us to be aware of God’s presence in our lives. Piety helps us draw closer to God and seek out time with him and deepen our relationship with the Lord.
  • Fear of the Lord- the gift that allows us to recognize God’s greatness. This fear is not fear that God will hurt us, but that we might separate ourselves from God. There is a great relief in knowing that God is bigger than us, and a great joy in knowing that God loves us. 

The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit:

  • Love- To love God above all things and to love others as God calls us to.
  • Joy- This is more than just being happy. It is a feeling awakened by the possession or expectation of something good. And this joy can be present deep within us even when things don’t go our way.
  • Peace- The serenity and tranquility that flows from order. The world can make our lives disordered and chaotic. God wants to bring order to our lives- and with that comes a deep and abiding peace.
  • Patience- Enables us to endure inconvenience, difficulties, and hardship without complaint.
  • Kindness- Concern for others who are in trouble or in need.
  • Goodness- Doing what is good and right in every circumstance.
  • Generosity- To give freely of our time, talent, and treasure beyond what justice requires.
  • Gentleness- To be submissive to God and considerate of others.
  • Faithfulness- To be reliable and trustworthy with others and to remain close to God even in the midst of trials.
  • Modesty- The moderation of our speech, dress, and behavior.
  • Self-Control- The control of our desires so that we can focus them on what is good and right.
  • Chastity- The moderation of desire for sexual pleasure according to right reason, faith, and state in life.

The Holy Spirit & The Church:

The Sacraments- An outward sign of God’s grace that was instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church.

Outward Sign- A sign is something that represents something else. For example, a red stop sign represents the law that cars must come to a stop right there. Our outward human actions during the Sacraments represent the deeper work that the Holy Spirit is doing inside of us at that moment. For example, the pouring of water over the candidate’s head in Baptism points represents the Holy Spirit cleansing our souls of sin. In Confirmation, the chrism the Bishop will put on your forehead represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Grace- Grace is God’s very own life and love. God desires to give us his life. We don’t deserve it, but God gives it to us out of love. Grace helps us become who we are created to be. The Sacraments are one of the ways that God has chosen to give us his grace and ultimately our salvation

Instituted By Christ- Each Sacrament finds its beginning in Jesus. He established each one during his time on Earth. Many of our Sacraments have similar characteristics to our Jewish brothers and sisters. This makes sense since Jesus grew up in a Jewish family. However, as the Son of God, He has the power and authority to use natural resources (ordinary matter) to create supernatural effects (grace).

Entrusted to the Church- When He ascended into heaven, Jesus entrusted his plan of salvation to his Apostles, the leaders of the Church. Today, that responsibility has been passed down through the Bishops. The Church is the one who administers the Sacraments and She also protects them to make sure they are not misused or even abused.

  • The Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) make us full members of the Church. There are also Sacraments of Healing (Confession and Anointing of the Sick) and Vocational Sacraments (Holy Orders and Matrimony) that help us to live as disciples in the world.

The Sacraments:

Baptism is the first Sacrament of Initiation. It is the first Sacrament we can receive. It opens the door to all of the other Sacraments. Baptism is necessary for our salvation (John 3:5)

  • Through Baptism, we are forgiven & cleansed of original sin, we become Children of God, and we become Members of the Body of Christ.
  • At our Baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit and through Confirmation, we receive the fullness of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.

Eucharist is one of the Sacraments of initiation. It is the Sacrament where we get to partake in the Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is visibly bread and wine but is in reality the Body and Blood of Christ.

  • It is the substance that becomes the divine nature of Jesus Himself. This is understood as Transubstantiation, that through the consecration of the bread and wine, it truly becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, even though it still appears as bread and wine.
  • We need to be in a state of grace to receive the Eucharist at Mass. This means if we know that we are in a state of mortal sin then we need to go to Confession before receiving the Eucharist.

Confession - Also known as Penance or Reconciliation, is the Sacrament where we receive God’s mercy and the forgiveness of our sins. Reconciliation allows us to reconcile that relationship and be completely forgiven from sin and the punishment attached to them. The grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation strengthens us in the battle against sin.

Anointing of the sick: The anointing of the sick is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness, especially near the time of death. It is most likely one of the last sacraments one will receive. A sacrament is an outward sign established by Jesus Christ to confer inward grace. In more basic terms, it is a rite that is performed to convey God’s grace to the recipient, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matrimony is a Sacrament when celebrated between two baptized people. It is a sign of the love of Christ and the Church. The Sacrament gives the couple the grace to love each other with the love that Christ had for His Bride, the Church.

  • This is a calling of service, just as Holy Orders are. In order for a man and woman to be married lawfully and receive the graces given to them, marriages have to be:
    • Free- you cannot be forced or coerced into marriage
    • Total- you are called to give yourself completely to the other person
    • Fruitful- you are called to accept the gift of children lovingly and raise them in the Church
    • Faithful- you belong only to one another

Holy Orders are directed toward the salvation of others. Holy Orders are the Sacraments by which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church.

  • Only baptized and confirmed men are eligible to receive Holy Orders. This tradition comes from the fact that Jesus only appointed men to be his Apostles. It’s not that He didn’t value women, He had other important roles for them.

The 10 Commandments:

1.  I, the Lord, am your God.  You shall not have other gods besides me.

2.  You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.

3.  Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.

4.  Honor your father and your mother.

5.  You shall not kill.

6.  You shall not commit adultery.

7.  You shall not steal.

8.  You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9.  You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

10.  You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.


The Corporal Works of Mercy:

1. Feed the Hungry: There are many people in this world who go without food.  When so much of our food goes to waste, consider how good stewardship practices of your own food habits can benefit others who do not have those same resources.

2. Give drink to the thirsty: Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ do not have access to clean water and suffer from the lack of this basic necessity.  We should support the efforts of those working towards greater accessibility of this essential resource.  

3. Shelter the homeless: There are many circumstances that could lead to someone becoming a person without a home.  Christ encourages us to go out and meet those without homes, affirming their worth and helping them seek a resolution to the challenges they face.

4. Visit the sick: Those who are sick are often forgotten or avoided.  In spite of their illness, these individuals still have much to offer to those who take the time to visit and comfort them.

5. Visit the prisoners: People in prison are still people, made in the image and likeness of God.  No matter what someone has done, they deserve the opportunity to hear the Word of God and find the Truth of the message of Christ.

6. Bury the dead: Funerals give us the opportunity to grieve and show others support during difficult times.  Through our prayers and actions during these times we show our respect for life, which is always a gift from God, and comfort to those who mourn.

7. Give alms to the poor: Donate money to organizations that have the ability to provide support and services for those in need.  Do research and find organizations that put people in need first, rather than profit. 

The Spiritual Works of Mercy:

1. Counsel the doubtful: Everyone has moments of doubt in their faith journey.  Nevertheless, we should always remember that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and turn to him along our way.

2. Instruct the ignorant: Learn about our faith and be open to talking with others about our beliefs.  There is always something more to discover about our faith.

3. Admonish the sinner: Do not judge, but be supportive in helping others find their way and correct their mistakes.  Together we can learn to walk more closely with Christ.

4. Comfort the sorrowful: Be open to listening and comforting those who are dealing with grief.  Even if we aren't sure of the right words to say, our presence can make a big difference.

5. Forgiving Injuries: Forgiving others is difficult at times because we do not have God's limitless mercy and compassion.  But Jesus teaches us that we should forgive as God forgives, relying on him to help us show others the mercy of God.

6. Bear wrongs patiently: Do not be bitter about wrongs done against you.  Place your hope in God so that you can endure the troubles of this world and face them with a compassionate spirit. 

7. Praying for the living and the dead: Prayer is one of the most powerful ways we can support others.  Joining together in prayer for the living and the dead entrusts us all into God's care


THIS VIDEO IS FOR 2ND YEAR CANDIDATES THOSE ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THEIR CONFIRMATION

The Confirmation Liturgy: