About
Confirmation of Teens is offered for those young adults, grades 8 through high school, wishing to complete their Initiation into the Catholic Church. The two-year preparation process usually begins in grade 7, and is completed at the end of the eighth grade year. The sacrament is traditionally celebrated during the Easter Season. These parishioners (from Sts. Joseph and John School, St. Joseph PSR, and other area parochial schools) take part in a 2-year, parish-based preparation process for the reception of this sacrament. Contact the Faith Formation Office for more information.
Welcome to our 2027 Confirmandi
We are currently working on the preparation calendar for Confirmation 2027. Right now, we know that we will make our Sacramental Intent form available in August. This form will be emailed to St. Joseph parishioners who attend SJJ or are registered for PSR at St. Joseph Catholic Church. All forms will be posted on this page as well.
We look forward to welcoming Bishop Martin J. Amos, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Davenport, who will preside at our Confirmation Mass on Sunday, May 2, 2027 at 2:00pm.
If you have any questions about Confirmation, contact Linda Zvoncheck at lzvoncheck@sjohio.org.
Please check your email, including your spam folder, regularly. Email will be our primary means of communicating with our Confirmation group.
Letters of Hope
A Letter of Hope is an encouraging, heartfelt letter written by a parent or sponsor to the Confirmation Candidate. In the Letter of Hope, parents or sponsors can share prayers for the candidate, express support for their faith journey and tell of their pride in them and their accomplishments as they proceed toward Confirmation. Parents and sponsors may also share parts of their own faith journey with the candidate or discuss what their own relationship with Jesus and the Catholic Church has meant to them over their lifetime. The best letters are personal and from the heart. Letters of Hope can be challenging for parents and sponsors to write, but they are often very meaningful for the Confirmation Candidates to read. We hope that our parents and sponsors will take the time to share their personal faith experiences with their Confirmation Candidate, write the Letter of Hope, and give it to the Candidate just before Confirmation.
Confirmation Sponsors
A Confirmation Sponsor is someone who:
- is over the age of 16
- has been fully initiated in the Catholic Church (has been baptized in the Catholic Church, received First Communion and has been Confirmed themselves)
- is a practicing Catholic who participates in the sacraments regularly (attends Mass, receive Reconciliation and receives Eucharist)
- if married, is in a valid marriage (was married by a Catholic priest or deacon; marriage is recongnized as valid by the Catholic Church)
- strives to live out their commitment to Christ and to the community life of the Church every day
The candidate’s parent cannot be their sponsor.
Sponsors must get a Sponsor Certificate from the parish at which they are currently registered and practicing their faith. If the sponsor is currently registered at St. Joseph Catholic Church, the certificate mandate is waived.
Appropriate Dress for Confirmation Mass
Confirmation is a significant event in every Catholic’s faith journey. We expect the attire worn by both the Confirmation Candidates and their Sponsors to be respectful and to reflect the importance of this occasion. Boys and men are asked to wear dress pants or uniform pants, dress (non-athletic) shoes, a shirt with a collar and a tie. Girls and women are asked to wear skirts or dresses no shorter than just above the knee, or dress pants. Make certain all aspects of your outfit are church-appropriate. Contact the Faith Formation Office if you have questions.
Confirmation Service Component
Service to God and one another are essential to being Catholic Christians. Information on Catholic Social Teaching is available here. Students preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Joseph Church are asked to participate in at least 3 different service experiences (not service hours), in the following categories:
- 1 service experiences here at St. Joseph Catholic Church
- 1 service experience at your school
- 1 service experience in the wider community (for example: in Strongsville, another city, downtown Cleveland)
After completing your service, we ask you to reflect thoughtfully on those experiences, to put those reflections into writing and to turn them in to the Faith Formation Office. In the next few weeks, we will be writing a specific Service Reflection Guide to help you put your experience into words. In the mean time, make note of when and where you served, what you did, how you brought your specific gifts and talents to the experience, and how the service experience could be viewed as an encounter with Jesus Christ. Turn your service reflections in to Linda Zvoncheck in the Faith Formation Office as soon as you have completed each service experience.
Service Opportunities
Parish Picnic ’26
Our Parish Picnic will be on Sunday, June 14th, starting after the 10:30 AM Mass (around 11:30 AM) and wrapping up around 3:00 PM. We need helpers in all areas! Follow this link to see the online sign up.
Strongsville Historical Society Chalk Walk
The Strongsville Historical Society needs volunteers to be docents in their historical village on Saturday, June 13th. Confirmation candidates can volunteer with an adult (parent, grandparent, confirmation, sponsor) to greet visitors and read from a prepared script. Follow this link to sign up to help.
Strongsville Homecoming Celebration
The City of Strongsville’s Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Homecoming celebration Wednesday, July 29th through Saturday, August 1st. Many organizations and businesses will be sponsoring and coordinating games and food booths during the event. As volunteer opportunities become available, we will list the contact information below.
- Ring Toss Booth (Vago Insurance Agency) Volunteers must be 10 years or older. Collect money, chat with customers, run the game, give out prizes. Sign up with an adult or a friend. Here is the link.
Ministry of Assistance School Supply Collection
The Ministry of Assistance group has asked for teen volunteers during their back-to-school collection at all Masses on August 1st and 2nd. For more information, and times, follow this link to the online sign-up.
Contact
Linda Zvoncheck, 440-238-5555, ext. 107 or lzvoncheck@sjohio.org
