Confirmation at Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish

Jesus calls us into a lifetime of discipleship, and Youth Ministry can provides several opportunities for service. Candidates may also be given various service opportunities at their Catholic School or during their Faith Formation classes. When looking for service project ideas, a great guideline is performing Corporal Works of Mercy which include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting prisoners, burying the dead, giving alms to the poor.

A service element needs to be a part of the Confirmation preparation, as this sacrament is a call to discipleship! The idea is to "go out" into the community to help others and share God's love.

If you would like to hear about opportunities through Youth Ministry, please reach out to our Youth Ministry coordinator, Stephen Hartle, by emailing [email protected] for more information.

Additionally, there are many other ways that you can volunteer and perform service. Here are some examples of service:

1. SKY Service Events - Check the calendar for events, dates, and times
2. Atria's Senior Living Center - Help with Bingo and other events (under 16 must have a parent present)
3. St. Vincent de Paul, Butler—work in stockroom
4. The Lighthouse Foundation – stock supplies
5. Kilian Cupboard Fellowship dinners – Prep or serve, signup online
6. The Saint Mark Fish Fry – MANY opportunities to volunteer
7. The Saint Kilian Parish School Celtic Way 5K in the fall has 3 days where volunteers are needed
8. Family Fun Day for special needs families, put on by Cranberry Township
9. Special Olympics volunteer
10. Rosecrest Assisted Living – spend an hour on Thursdays with residents. Activities are provided

Catholic Encounters are events or devotions that bring you into the life of the Church. As you approach your Confirmation, it is important to become an active member of your Catholic community and contribute in some way to the Body of Christ. The purpose of this element of Confirmation preparation is to bring you into contact with the various ways that we express our faith as Catholics through traditions, devotions, sacramentals, and community interaction. Opportunities for Catholic Encounters are numerous and are not limited to what happens here at the parish level.

All Confirmation Candidates are encouraged to experience many different Catholic Encounters.

The following are some examples of Catholic Encounters:

1. Participating in the Living Stations Ministry
2. Praying the Stations of the Cross
3. Visiting a National Shrine or a Basilica
4. Attending a Catholic program, workshop, or lecture with a qualified guest speaker
5. Visiting travelling relics
6. Attending a retreat
7. Going on a pilgrimage
8. Participation in a healing Mass
9. Participation in a group Catholic bible study
10. Attending the March for Life with a group
11. Visiting the relics at Troy Hill
12. Attending a Festival of Praise
13. Attending Adoration for a minimum of 30 minutes
14. Attend an Ordination ceremony
15. Attend a Chrism Mass
16. Take a Mission trip
17. Join and participate in a prayer group
18. Attend "The Silver Ring Thing"

CONFIRMATION PARENT MEETING DATES

Parent Meeting dates for Fall 2025 are virtual. 

Parents should choose 1 meeting option to attend for important information about Confirmation at our parish.

CONFIRMATION INFORMATION FORM

Due no later than January 15, 2026

SPONSOR VERIFICATION FORM (For sponsors outside of our parish)

Due (signed hard copy with parish seal) no later than February 15, 2026

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

TBD