« Two Great Essays | Main | Argh »

January 7, 2006

The Hot Seat

My old CCD program coordinator has asked me to join a group of "recent graduates" of the program to talk to the current batch about confirmation. It's just a five minute presentation, and there are eight questions that she's asked us to cover in those five minutes. I think she's in for a shock because she's going off my present situation (being at Franciscan University) not realizing that I was a poster child for how NOT to approach Confirmation at the time. Here's the eight questions and the corresponding answers:

1 - What name did you choose and why?

The name was Francis. I don't exactly remember which one, though I tend to think St. Francis of Assisi. The principal motivation here was that I already liked my current middle name, and didn't have it explained well enough to realize that picking out a name at Confirmation did not involve having to legally change your name. This is definitely a point of regret, since in hindsight I would much prefer having looked into the saints instead of going with what I already had, especially since I landed that one in virtue of it being a grandfather's name.

2 - How did you feel about coming to the sessions?

How much longer until it's over? I absolutely hated these things and was bored out of my mind. It didn't help that I didn't want to be there in the first place. The format was someone would speak on some issue for the first part, and then there would be group discussion with a group leader. The speakers made little impact, and I dislike "group work" in general.

3 - Did any of the sessions or speakers impact your life?

No. Couldn't tell you who they were or what they talked about except the one person who tried talking about vocations and did it so badly, they were mocked for quite a time afterward.

4 - Who did you choose as a sponsor and why?

An aunt, primarily because she was literally the only adult Catholic I knew to ask outside of immediate family. I think this was impacted to a great degree by being isolated from parish life - I lived outside the geographic boundary of the parish and consequently knew none of the other kids (with I think 1 or 2 exceptions over the years) and due to personal isolation, didn't really know any adult Catholics outside of the instructors and priests.

5 - What are you doing now?

Studying for a Master's in theology, yet unsure what to do with it. Still not sure whether this will lead into the religious life or not. Presently, the only thing ministry-wise is altar boy, usually a 3-times a month thing, although I might be busier this semester with more of my evenings free for it.

6 - How did you decide on the ministry you are involved in now?

No real better reason than that I wanted to try it, and I signed up for it.

7 - What was your Confirmation service project?

So inconsequential personally that neither I nor my mother remember what it was. On paper, it was supposed to be 10 hours worth of service somewhere in the community, but the people who sign off on these things really aren't that scrupulous about the time involved (I once got 5 hours credit for cheering on a bunch of racers for no more than 30 minutes). I know some things I did do over the years for CCD, I just don't remember which years they're for.

8 - How do you stay "connected" to the Catholic faith?

Yes! Here's my chance to give an answer that doesn't make me seem like a total loser. EWTN, the many blogs of St. Blog's Parish, the discussions at Franciscan, reading Catholic news, and reading up on books are some of the ways I've done this over the years. Hopefully some of these will be things the current crop of kids haven't heard about and will be willing to check out.

As I say, this ought to be an interesting evening, as well as an exercise in humility, since the first 7 questions all have answers that don't exactly cast me in the best light. I'm still debating whether to introduce myself as the person who six years ago "was in your seat, didn't care, didn't want to be there, and was just going through the motions." I'm praying that I go last.

- Posted by in Catholic at 11:58 PM