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Sally Cunningham

Service Opportunities

June 11, 2023 by Sally Cunningham

“Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up.

So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all.” – Galatians 6:9-10a

Serving others is one way that we can put our faith into action. As a way to experience and grow in this way of living out our faith, we ask that each Confirmation family completes at least one service project of fours hours or more (consecutive hours or separate times). Each teen then needs to complete a Service Reflection about their experience and turn it in at least one month before Confirmation Day (or sooner–no need to wait!). We highly recommend that teens complete this reflection right after finishing their time of service so that it’s fresh in their minds.

The opportunities to serve in our community are endless! The numerous ministries at Holy Family Church and the needs of our local communities provide various options for candidates and their families to find meaningful ways to serve together. It is our hope that each household will be generous and find a good match for their interests and their calling from God, who showed us that loving your neighbor is essential.

Confirmation Group Leaders: As our program is growing we need additional assistance. One of the ways to help is to become a small group leader. Each candidate is assigned a small group to create a sense of belonging when they start Confirmation. They remain with that group throughout the process. A group leader’s responsibilities are as follows: A couple of days prior to the session they will receive an overview of what we are covering. Generally there is a short topic presentation and we then break into small group discussions. You will receive the discussion questions and your role is to draw the candidates out and try to get them to discuss each question.

Union Station: Join us on the 1st Thursday of each month as we cook food in St. Joseph Center and bring it over to the Adult Center. While dinner is in the oven, we talk a little about homelessness and hunger. We meet at 4:30 pm in St Joseph’s and complete the cooking by 6pm in order to deliver the meals for 6:30 pm. Please sign up to provide food on the Signup Genius

Holy Family Giving Bank: It’s a place that utilizes its various connections and overall space to help our brothers and sisters on the street. Whether it be food or clothing, the Giving Bank is a vibrant, communal space here to help those who are without basic necessities to get through the day. For more information about the Giving Bank and how you can help, please contact our Director of Community Services, Marlene Moore, at 626-403-6140 or marlenemoore@holyfamily.org.

Adopt-A-Family: We are providing for more than 75 families this Christmas. Please could you deliver gift cards to help us with this effort. You can be imaginative in what the gift cards may be for! Help us make these families Christmas special. Please deliver them by December 16. Thank you.

Religious Education assistance needed Sundays 7:50 am -9:15 am. Please contact Colette Villegas: cvillegas@holyfamily.org for more information.

This page will be continuously updated to reflect current and new opportunities. As we continue to develop this page, we hope to add a weekend mission project, the “Get on the Bus” campaign, the St. Joseph’s Table, and more!  We welcome your suggestions for innovative opportunities to serve others.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” – Mother Teresa

MISSION TRIPS

In early Fall, we outline our upcoming Mission Trips.  We aim to have three opportunities:

  • A Middle School Domestic Mission – local, for those going into 6th grade, 7th grade, and beyond
  • A Younger High School Domestic Mission – for those going into 8th grade, 9th grade, and beyond
  • An Older High School International Mission* – for those going into 10th grade and beyond

* We hope to resume international missions in 2024.

ONGOING

St. Francis Center: As soon as it is deemed safe, we will resume this service.

The mission of St. Francis Center is to serve homeless and near homeless families and individuals in the undeserved neighborhoods of Greater Los Angeles in the manner of St. Francis of Assisi.  The center is located just west of LA Live (about eight blocks away), where many homeless people gather.  There are opportunities all the time!  Visit this link and volunteer as a family: https://www.stfranciscenterla.org/volunteers/ There are several Holy Family parishioners who dedicate time and talent to the St. Francis Center, including William Griggs and Jay Krueger.  Deacon Jay is willing to escort you to St. Francis Center when he goes on the second and fourth Saturday of the month.  You may contact Jay at jaykrueger@hardrockers.com

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.“  Dr. Seuss

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Children’s Hunger Fund (Christian organization)

Do Something

Elizabeth House (Christian Organization)

Generation On

Pasadena Humane Society

Youth Service America

“I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you have addressed the world’s deepest inequities…on how well you treated people a world away who have nothing in common with you but your humanity.“  Bill Gates

Filed Under: Components of the Confirmation Process, Confirmation

Retreats

June 11, 2023 by Sally Cunningham

“Being still” in this very stimulated society can be quite challenging; nevertheless, it is essential for our spiritual growth! Teens will have the opportunity to select at least two retreats to attend during their two-year journey to the Sacrament of Confirmation. This will allow each candidate to unplug for a short time in order to spend quality time with themselves, their peers, and with God.

Teens will be asked to participate in at least one retreat each year with Holy Family.  All participants in the retreat are expected to attend the entire retreat.

YEAR 1

Year 1 Option # 1 StrengthsFinder Retreat – Register by November 15 so that we can make sure to have a book for them.

When: Saturday, December 9th from 9am – 5pm and Sunday, December 10th from 1pm to after the 5:30pm Mass. Parents are invited to attend Mass with their candidate.

Where: Holy Family Church (South Pasadena, CA) – Eden Center

Drop off will be at Eden Center. Pickup on Sunday will be after the 5:30 pm Mass at Church. Parents please join us for Mass.

About: This Year 1 retreat enables each teen to reflect on his/her unique gifts.  Using the StrengthsFinder survey, the teens will examine their own top 5 gifts, test how their top 5 gifts work together, and discover how his/her gifts are complimentary with the gifts of others.  After signing up , teens are given the StrengthsFinder book* that gives them a code to complete the online gifts assessment one week before the retreat. Please email the results to youthminister@holyfamily.org no later than December 1.

*The retreat fee includes your copy of the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath), lunch on Sunday and retreat supplies. Please pick up your book from the Pastoral Center.

Be sure to bring your books to the retreat.

Please complete the following:

1. Register: TBD

2. Pay for retreat: $75.00 Check payable to Holy Family mailed to 1527 Fremont Ave, S. Pasadena, CA 91030 or Pay for the retreat online: Go to Youth Ministry and click on StrengthsFinder Retreat

3. Release Form: StrengthsFinder Release form Please return form signed to participate in retreat.

YEAR 2

Year 2 Option #1 Depth of God’s Love Retreat

This retreat is run by Holy Family.

When: Friday, April 5, 2023 from 5:30pm until Sunday April 7, 2023 at noon.

Where: Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center (Sierra Madre, CA)

About: Teens in Year 2 will explore each of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Each gift will be presented in creative and interactive ways.   Teens attend from Friday through Sunday for the duration of each day’s schedule to ensure they are able to experience the retreat in its fullness. We will arrive 5pm Friday evening and leave Sunday 12 Noon.

Please complete the following:

1. Register: To be updated

2. Pay for retreat: TBD – Each teen will have a private room and individual private bathroom. This retreat is organized and paid for through Holy Family. We are using the facilities at Mater Dolorosa. Please register as soon as possible. Pay for the retreat online: Go to Online giving and scroll down to Confirmation and select Mater Dolorosa 2nd yr Confirmation retreat Click to Pay.

3. Sign release form: Click for Release form

Year 1 or 2 Option #2 – Parent Teen Retreat

This retreat is run and paid for through Mater Dolorosa. If you attend please let Holy Family know.

When: April 21-23, 2023

Where: Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center (Sierra Madre, CA)

About: This will be wonderful opportunity to be with your teen for a weekend. Their program will offer many activities as well as prayer. Parents and teens can share a private room and experience a spiritual and fun time together. This retreat is coordinated by Mater Dolorosa retreat team.

Cost: ___. (“Mater Dolorosa continues its long-standing policy of turning no one away because of financial need to pay for the retreat.”)

Register: Please register directly with Mater Dolorosa. Make sure to select the ______

Other: Please note that Mater Dolorosa is requiring all adults to be fully vaccinated to attend their retreats at this time.

OTHER RETREAT OPTIONS

YEAR 1 OR YEAR 2

Other parishes welcome our teens to attend their retreats.

Filed Under: Components of the Confirmation Process, Confirmation

Year 2 Schedule

June 3, 2023 by Sally Cunningham

Please Note:

Please note: Confirmation date is announced by the LA Archdiocese sometime in either January or February of 2024. We will notify you as soon as we receive the date.

Rehearsal is normally the Tuesday prior to Confirmation 7:15pm. Plan to spend about 90 minutes.

Other Important Year 2 Dates & Reminders


  • October 14 and October 15 Holy Family Church Fall Festival: Confirmation Candidates Volunteer to work our Booth
  • October 31: Halloween Truck or Treat
  • December 2023 – Adopt-A-Family, gifts due
  • February 13: Mardi Gras
  • February 14: Ash Wednesday
  • February 26-28  Parish Mission with Fr. Roy Pereira, S.J.
  • March 3  Rite of Affirmation  Retreat with Sponsors  and Rite at 5:30 Mass
  • March 24: Palm Sunday
  • March 25-March 31: Holy Week (Teens participate in the Good Friday Masses- Venerating the cross)
  • Confirmation 2024 (date to be announced, sometime in April)

Filed Under: Confirmation

Forms

May 9, 2022 by Sally Cunningham

Year 1 Online Registration
Confirmation Forms Packet

Thank you for completing the forms contained in the packet above before beginning Session 1. Please note take of the following when filling out this paperwork…

  • “Medication Authorization & Permission” – All families must complete this form, whether or not a teen is taking medication. Please note the highlighted sentence towards the bottom that gives us permission to call paramedics if necessary.
  • “Boundary Guidelines for Junior High and High School Youth Working or Volunteering with Children or Youth” – All teens must complete this form before participating in the Confirmation preparation program.
  • “Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Minors at Parish/School Activities or Events” – All adults who plan to attend Confirmation sessions or other activities must complete this form. Each parent or guardian must complete a separate copy (hence why we have included two copies as a reminder for you). The first page of this form is for you to keep. We just need the second signed page.
  • Baptism & First Eucharist/Communion Certificates – Please be sure to give us a copy of your Baptism and First Eucharist (First Communion) certificates if your teen did not receive these sacraments at Holy Family. You may scan and email them to us or bring hard copies to our office or to the Holy Family Pastoral Center. There is also an option to upload scanned copies of the certificates during the online registration process.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Confirmation Day

May 2, 2022 by Sally Cunningham

Confirmation Dates: _________ with __________________ presiding

Tickets:

Holy Family Church can hold about 500 people.  With about 100 plus candidates (teens and adults to be confirmed), 100 sponsors, two guests per candidate (200), and necessary liturgical ministers, that makes over 400 people in the Churchy.  To ensure 2 guest spaces per candidate, we issue 2 tickets to enter the Church per family and no more.  We open the additional spaces to guests on a first-come, first-served basis about 15 minutes before Mass begins.  The parish hall will be available to watch the livestream of the Mass simultaneously for any additional family members and guests on campus: https://livestream.com/holyfamily/live

Reconciliation Service Tuesday March 26, 2024 at 7:00pm: The fullness of Initiation, begun in Baptism and strengthened in Confirmation, is expressed in the reception of Holy Communion, which nourishes and sustains believeres to live out their calling to be missionary disciples. The Archdiocese has asked that candidates and sponsors properly dispose themselves for receiving the grace of the Sacraments.

Rehearsal:  Tuesday ________ prior to Confirmation at 7:15 pm at the Church. (90 minutes – Sponsor and Candidate)

Confirmation Prelate:   __________________presiding

On the day of the Confirmation Mass…

  • Sponsors and Candidates will meet in the Hall one hour before the ceremony: 6:00 pm
  • A candidate group photo will be taken on the front steps of the church one hour prior to the ceremony start.
  • Candidates and sponsors will process from the hall to their assigned seating and be seated 10 minutes prior to the ceremony beginning.
  • Professional photographs will be taken of the candidates and will be made available electronically. Video of the ceremony will be made available to the families for downloading. (Families can’t take photos in the Church.)
  • Certificates will be distributed in the Church after Confirmation.
  • If your family would like a professional family photo you will have the opportunity in the Church after Confirmation.

Confirmation Dress Code

This is the day!  Wear your Sunday-best–Dressy Dress…Think Church, modest, respectful.  Note, however, you will be standing for a long time. Therefore, plan for the right shoes.

Women

Please choose a modest dress, blouse with a skirt, or shirt with dress slacks– not too tight, not too low, not too short, not see-through, no spaghetti straps, no miniskirts, no sheer shirts with under garments exposed, no bear mid-drifts.  The length of the dress or skirt should be just above the knee or longer.

Men

White shirt and tie with dark slacks and dark dress shoes (no baggy oversized pants, low riders, T-Shirts or athletic wear).

Filed Under: Confirmation

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