The Celebration of Confirmation, 3rd October 2020

Mass 09:30 Sunday 21 June

Session 6 - 21 June 2020

The last session before the summer break, and Fr David will be joining us for part of the session - an opportunity for you to ask him any questions that you may have.

Here is the Timetable:
09:30 BST Sunday Mass streamed live from St Gregory (panel to the left).
10:30 Zoom meeting begins with Fr David. Zoom link has been sent by email - please email if you have problems accessing the meeting.
10:45 approx, an input organised by John. We shall be considering the questions that you are asked during the confirmation Mass, and your answers to them.
11:00 approximately, breakout groups with your catechists to discuss some questions.
11:30 back to main group for discussion, and some admin tasks.
11:40 Session Ends.

Mass from St Gregory the Great 09:30 7th June

Session 5 7th June 2020

Instructions have been emailed - in summary:

Mass, 09:30

Read Chapter 7 of your YouCat confirmation book

Zoom meeting 11:15 - 12:00. If you can not find the email / link to this zoom meeting please email John.

After the meeting, please use the button below to send your questions.

Confirmation Session 10:45 Sunday 17th

Confirmation Session 4 17th May

Before the confirmation session, please read the topic on prayer (slide through the pictures below). Also get pen, pencils and paper together as you will be invited to draw or write.

At 10:45 start the live stream on the left here. At the end of this (about 11:00) you will be asked to join the zoom breakout group which you have been emailed. If you did not get that email please click here.

Confirmation Session Plan

Here are the times for the fourth confirmation session:

During the week before the session: If you have the YouCAT confirmation book please read Chapter 8 (which is about Prayer). If you do not have this to hand, then at least check out the ten steps to prayer which will be on your confirmation page from Monday evening.
09:30 - join the on line Mass from St Gregory the Great when Fr David Mills will greet you and the Parish will be praying for your programme.
10:45 - 11:00 please watch the live stream session for you on what it is ‘To Be'. This will be available as above, on Sunday.
At 11:00 please join your discussion group. You will get an email nearer to the time, with the link for this.

Confirmation Session Four: Vocation

Dear Candidates

We all hope that at this trying time for us all, you and your loved ones are safe and well, and continue to be so. We are all finding this difficult and need to keep each other in our prayers and thoughts.

Our fourth session is going to be done on line - as will most of you be experiencing for school at this time. Please follow the time-table to the left.

You should read chapter 8 of the book before this session, some of which has been photographed for you here, in case you can not at present read your book. You will need to click on the images to step through the ten stages of prayer.

God Bless!

John, Elisabeth, Peter, Cecelia, Sarah, Maggie and Graham.

Confirmation Session Pre-Reading

Resources (candidates watch/read/listen in this order prior to session):

The questions we will discuss in the zoom meetings are:

  • Is it easy to be a Christian today? Give some examples of when it’s tough.
  • Is it harder to be a Christian today than, say, when the Apostles were around?
  • Can you think of examples where you have been scared/faced a very difficult situation but it all worked out? Did you pray?
  • What do you think happens to YOU at Confirmation?

Confirmation Session Three: The Sacrament of Confirmation

Dear Candidates

We all hope that at this trying time for us all, you and your loved ones are safe and well, and continue to be so. We are all finding this difficult and need to keep each other in our prayers and thoughts.

Our third session is going to be done on line - as will most of you be experiencing for school at this time. You are invited to attend the on line Mass from St Gregorys at 09:30 this Sunday (see the home page). Following this, or if you wish in advance - please watch the videos and read the materials in the small panel to the left of this message. Peter Hopkins has prepared these for you and if you take time to reflect on the songs and talks should take you perhaps 45 minutes to get through.

On Sunday, please join the zoom meeting with one of your catechists - you will have been sent an email with joining details - At 11:20. This meeting will last about 40 minutes, and will be an opportunity for you to discuss together the content of the work Peter has prepared for you.

You should read chapter 12 of the book before our next session, and also try to make time for Chapter 7 (which is about the holy spirit and builds upon what Cecelia gave us to think about).

Maggie and Graham reminded us of the need to get our baptismal certificates to them (or to let them know if this is impossible for any reason).

God Bless!

John, Elisabeth, Peter, Cecelia, Sarah, Maggie and Graham.

Confirmation Session Two: The Sacraments

Our second session on March 8th was again very well attended! Cecelia led us through an exploration of the sacraments. We made posters using the symbols relevant to each sacrament (see slideshow to the left).

Cecelia's slides can be viewed below (but not the videos, due to copyright reasons). The sacraments video is available on YouTube

You should read chapter 12 of the book before our next session, and also try to make time for Chapter 7 (which is about the holy spirit and builds upon what Cecelia gave us to think about).

Maggie and Graham reminded us of the need to get our baptismal certificates to them (or to let them know if this is impossible for any reason).

The next session on April 28th starts at  10:30 - straight after the 09:30 Mass finishes. Peter will be leading this session which will explore what confirmation is. We look forward to seeing you there: please contact Graham or Maggie to let them know if you can not come for any reason.

God Bless!

John, Elisabeth, Peter, Cecelia, Sarah, Maggie and Graham.

Confirmation Sacraments Session Powerpoint version 4

Confirmation Session One: Your Catholic Life

Our first session on February 19th was very well attended! Sarah led us through an exploration of what it might mean to be a Catholic in today's culture, including some thought provoking ideas. In our workgroups we continued to explore these, and produced posters inviting people to come and join our Church (see slideshow to the left).

Sarah's slides can be viewed below.

We agreed to read through chapter one of the YouCat confirmation guide before the second session (these were handed out at the end of session one).

Maggie and Graham reminded us of the need to get our baptismal certificates to them (or to let them know if this is impossible for any reason).

The next session on March 8th starts at the slightly earlier time of 10:30 - straight after the 09:30 Mass finishes. Cecelia will be leading the session in which we explore what the sacraments are. We look forward to seeing you there: please contact Graham or Maggie to let them know if you can not come for any reason.

God Bless!

John, Elisabeth, Peter, Cecelia, Sarah, Maggie and Graham.

Confirmation information meeting Jan 2020 Confirmation Presentation

The Preparation Course

19 January - Information Session

This has happened - most of the registered candidates attended, well done!  After Fr David's welcome, we discussed the program, how it is structured, and you met the catechists and each other. Program dates are as lower on this page, and have not changed from earlier publicity.

What you need to be doing now is:

  • Thinking about a Saints Name for you confirmation name. There is guidance here.
  • Check that you can get to the program sessions - let Maggie and Graham know if you can not for any reason.
  • If you were not baptised in the Cheltenham Parishes, and have not already done so, please email a copy of your baptism certificate to Maggie and Graham.

To help you prepare for your Confirmation, you will be provided with a preparation course at St Gregory’s Cheltenham. The course leaders will go through the Confirmation celebration with you to help you understand its meaning and implications for your life. In this application, you are invited to express your willingness to participate fully in this preparation course in our parish. The course is open to all young people at or above year 9 and still in school. If you are older, and wish to be confirmed in the church, you may find that the Rite of Catholic Initiation for Adults would suit you - please contact the Parish Office for details, or speak with any member of the clergy.

You will decide if you wish to go ahead and be confirmed towards the end of the preparation course: it is a decision that you take for yourself as a maturing Christian.

You will find a link below which leads you to an on line application form. If there are any difficulties for you accessing and completing this form please contact the Parish office which can send you a paper version which you would then return to the office. This form needs to be completed by November 29th 2019 but the sooner you fill it in the easier it is for the team to be organised to welcome you to the start of the course in January!

I look forward to your Confirmation, to welcoming you into the fullness of faith within the Church and I pray that God will bless you and your family.

Fr David Mills

Parish Priest

What is Confirmation?

The Sacrament of Confirmation strengthens the baptised and obliges them more firmly to be witnesses of Christ by word and deed and to spread and defend the faith. It imprints a character, enriches the baptised by the gift of the Holy Spirit to continue on the path of Christian initiation, and binds them more perfectly to the Church.” Code of Canon Law, Can. 1285

God has blessed you in your desire to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Through baptism you received God’s blessing and became a member of Christ’s Body, the Church. At baptism your parents made promises and a commitment to bring you up in the love and knowledge of God. They undertook to educate you in the Catholic faith and to bring you with them to Church in your formative years. Now that you are old enough to respond more fully to all the graces and blessings God has given you, you are invited to enrol in our Confirmation preparation course.

Planned Dates

The following dates are those planned for the program: at this stage they are subject to change (although we will strive to minimise changes!).

All Workshops 1 -7, Upstairs in the Old Priory: 10.30 – 12.30.

Information Meeting For Candidates & Parents/Guardians                  Sunday 19th January

Workshop 1  :  Sunday 9th February

Workshop 2  :  Sunday 8th March

Workshop 3  :  Sunday 26th April

Workshop 4  :  Sunday 17th May

Workshop 5  :  Sunday 7th June

Workshop 6  :  Sunday 21st June

Workshop 7  :  Sunday 13th September

There will be  a rehearsal for the Confirmation on Wednesday evening, 30th September.

The date for the Confirmation itself is Saturday 3rd October 2020 at 11:00 AM