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SAINT JOHN NEUMANN

Confirmation Parent/Candidate Meeting #1: Faith

Your Story of Faith

MJoseph

11/5/2020

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Part of the significance of receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation is that, by completing your Sacraments of Initiation, you will become a full member of the Catholic Church. When this happens, you too, will share in the Church’s Mission of Evangelization. Like your fellow Catholics, you will have the joyful task of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all those you meet. To do this effectively, you will need to be aware of and able to articulate who Jesus is for you and what having a relationship with him means to you. In the words of St. Peter in his first letter:

“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” - 1 Peter 3:15 Each of us has a unique Story of Faith in which God has been active and present in our lives. The exercise in the pages to follow is intend-ed to help you to discern your own Story of Faith – using the “Your Story of Faith” Discernment Tool provided in this packet. This packet contains the following items:

1. Symbols legend with specific instructions 2. Two Timeline Sheets (one for the candidate and one for an adult) 3. Example Timeline Sheet 4. Note sheets

Once you have completed your Timeline, take a few moments to study it and notice how God has been present to you throughout your life. Next, try to formulate your faith story. In other words, try to explain to yourself how God has been present and active in your life. As you formulate your story, write it down on the note sheets provided and read it back to yourself. Make adjustments as needed. It is important that you be able to actually talk to someone about your Story of Faith. Once you have completed all of the preliminary steps, articulate your Story of Faith to your sponsor or your parents, or an older sibling. Practice telling your story with him or her until you are comfortable with it. Your Story of Faith will grow and change as you get older – which is good! Once or twice a year, it is a good idea to re-evaluate your story and update it. It is important to be aware of how God is moving in your life – and to be able to communi-cate your love for God and his love for you to others!

Remember! “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone

who asks you for a reason for your hope.”

YOUR STORY OF FAITH

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Directions: 1. Reflect on the significant moments of your life - especially those pertaining, but not limited, to your involvement in the sacramental life of the Church. Consider

what you were thinking and feeling at that time. Consider also what your actual experience of God was like at that time. For example: Did you actually feel clos-er to God or farther away from Him? Were you at a happy point in your life or a sad time? Did you feel close to other people in your life or were you feeling lonely? What was your experience of God at these significant times of your life?

2. Use the symbols below to mark the significant points in your life online the Timeline Chart provided which best describe what you were thinking and feeling. (A

Timeline Chart for adults is also included with this packet.)

3. Draw the symbols (or something similar) on, above, or below the baseline of the chart to indicate how you experienced your relationship to God at the time (Were you feeling closer to God or farther from God?) Feel free to invent your own symbols if necessary. SEE THE EXAMPLE TIMELINE

4. Once you have completed your Timeline, study it closely. Notice when you were happy or sad and whether you felt close to God or further away from him. 5. Write down your thoughts on the Note Sheets provided. 6. Once you have completed your Story, practice telling it with your sponsor, your parent, an older sibling, or another adult.

Sad time

Stormy or angry time

Spiritual elation - “Mountain top” experience of God

Time of spiritual epiphanies

Time of spiritual devastation, feeling crucified, alone, etc.

Time of spiritual renewal, resurrection, etc.

Eucharist

Happy time Baptism

Confirmation

Time of surprises, unexpected events, etc.

Time of powerful experience of love, etc.

Time of loss, of endings, etc.

Time of great expectations, plans, etc.

Marriage Time of healing, recovery, or reconciliation

Time of powerful experience of community, etc.

YOUR STORY OF FAITH

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YOUR STORY OF FAITH Candidate Timeline Worksheet

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Closer to God

Baseline

Farther from God

8 yrs 10 yrs 12 yrs 14 yrs 2yrs 4 yrs 6 yrs

Candidate Timeline Worksheet

YOUR STORY OF FAITH

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Adult Timeline Worksheet

Closer to God

Baseline

Farther from God

5 yrs 10 yrs 15 yrs 20 yrs 25 yrs 30 yrs 40 yrs 50 yrs 35 yrs 45 yrs 55 yrs 60 yrs 65 yrs

YOUR STORY OF FAITH

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YOUR STORY OF FAITH - NOTES

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YOUR STORY OF FAITH - NOTES