There were less than 24 hours before Confirmation Mass and I noticed one of my students didn’t show up for rehearsal. I called him, asked him what had happened and he responded:
“Mass is tomorrow?”
This was typical for this particular teen and, fortunately, he was only a block away. So he ran over to the church we went through the Mass and then I told him to pass the information along to his sponsor. That’s when he replied:
“What’s a sponsor?”
I once again explained it to him. I told him that according to our paperwork he had selected someone, to which he responded, “Why can’t you be my sponsor?”
On top of being his youth minister, I was his small group leader. We had trust and rapport so it only seemed natural, so I said, “Sure.”
When it comes to confirmation preparation sponsors can be an afterthought. We give our candidates the basic requirements and then get frustrated when they select their someone that lives clear across the country. By not paying enough attention to who people select we’re missing a big opportunity.
If we could change our focus from content, requirements, and parent engagement to the formation of our sponsors, then we would address a huge missing link. The reason sponsors are so important, beyond what Canon Law tells us, is because they:
Whether you have 2 or 200 candidates recruiting volunteers can be a pain. Sponsors alleviate that pressure to find enough volunteers if you give them the primary responsibility of preparation.
Most candidates are going to pick someone who is already a part of their life. That means it’s most likely going to be someone who continues to be a part of their life after Confirmation Mass.
Not only does the candidate have a rapport with the sponsor, but so do the parents. This is someone who will be a little bit more successful than a catechist who might not know the teen before preparation begins.
Now, it’s not as simple as going to the candidates, their parents and sponsors and saying, “This is how it’s going to be.” To maximize the relationship a sponsor has with their candidate you need to:
This should take place at the information meetings, and throughout the enrollment process. Explain to candidates and their parents the qualities of a sponsor. Tell them to find someone that not only exemplifies Christ and the Catholic faith but is accessible.
To help them decide write out a job description that explains expectations and responsibilities. The more of a picture you can paint the more likely they’ll pick someone who meets your standards.
To help bring clarity you should identify people in your parish that would make a great sponsor. Look at different areas of the parish, look for recommendations from coworkers and parish council. Have these people serve on your leadership team so that they can mentor and coach the sponsors.
Instead of spending all of your time researching different content for the teens start looking at what you can do for the sponsor. Find tools and resources that will help them get to know Christ, tell their story and empower their candidates to go deeper.
In early of 2019, Marathon Youth Ministry will be releasing a brand new resource:
In this kit, we’ll give you training videos and resources for your sponsors. Our hope is that this resource will help you pour into the men and women who have been called to pour into the candidates they are sponsoring.
We want to keep you in the loop with everything that we’re doing. If you sign up for our email list we’ll send you sneak peeks and let you know when it’s being released. In addition, anyone who signs up will receive a free copy of my Getting The Right Candidates Flow Chart from Rebuilding Confirmation.
Sponsors are the missing link to going deeper with your candidates. Invest in them so that they are equipped to continue to walk with the next generation throughout their faith journey.
What are the ways you include Confirmation Sponsors in the preparation?