Catholic Diocese of Erie to launch earlier confirmation, new programs for kids and teens

Confirmation in the Catholic Diocese of Erie will no longer be a one-year-and-done foundation for faith, and it won't be limited to the classroom.

The diocese not only is changing the timing for confirmation in the church, from 11th to ninth grade, it's also introducing new programs for children before they're confirmed and for teenagers after confirmation to help root them in faith.

The emphasis won't be on classroom instruction.

Children in sixth through eighth grades will learn and share about their faith in brief, small-group sessions. After confirmation, teens will continue to meet in small groups, work with mentors to tackle faith, spiritual and life issues, and have opportunities to serve, both in the church and in mission work.

"Younger students will have opportunities to learn through discussion, activities and a challenge-of-the-week type of thing before their sacramental, or confirmation, year," said Deacon Steve Washek, executive director of the Faith Formation Office of the Catholic Diocese of Erie. Washek led a Faith Formation team in an 18-month study of alternative ways to help ground and engage students in their faith.

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"After confirmation, students will have opportunities to experience what it means to be a parishioner themselves, rather than a child of their parents in the church, before they go off to college and separate from their parish," Washek said.

Parents can learn more about the changes during virtual meetings Monday.

Why change? Stemming a tide

Children have been leaving the church in droves before they're old enough for confirmation.

"According to research, by age 10, 17% of children have left the Catholic Church. By the time children are confirmation or graduation age, that number jumps to 67%," Washek said. "What we've been doing is not working in terms of keeping children engaged and involved in the church."

Students are not interested in traditional classroom instruction in faith.

"Research also shows that students are saying they'd really like different ways of receiving information," Washek said. "Sitting in a classroom for an hour and a half at a time is not the way they want to receive information. They're more interested in sound bites, taking in information a little at a time."

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The goal is to give students a personal relationship with Christ and a firm foundation for lifelong faith, Erie Bishop Lawrence Perisco said in a letter on the diocese Faith Formation website.

"Our new approach moves from a classroom model to a discipleship model. Using a number of well-tested approaches ... the emphasis is on guiding each young person into a personal relationship with Christ," Persico said.

Scripture and catechesis will remain essential components of the process, the bishop said.

"But small group discussions, service opportunities and worship experiences are more fully integrated. We know that strengthening a personal relationship with Christ leads to growth in the desire to learn more and embrace the fullness of the Catholic faith," Persico said.

The changes: Grades six through 12

Students in grades six through eight will participate in a program called Edge, with brief catechism or scripture teachings, small group activities and discussion, and a weekly challenge.

"A couple pilot parishes are working with Edge this year," Washek said. "Students involved said they really understand faith more, are more engaged and feel closer to Christ."

Catholic school students won't be obligated to participate since they receive religious education in school.

"Still, we will encourage them to participate in the groups and get to know other students before their ninth grade confirmation year," Washek said.

Students will prepare for confirmation in ninth grade and will continue to connect with others in small groups after confirmation. The focus in 10th grade will be on topics of interest to students.

"It might be, what does it mean to be a man or woman today, or issues in growing up ― topics that concern them ― to help them stay engaged," Washek said.

In 11th grade, students will connect with adult mentors to discuss spirituality, faith and life issues. Students in 12th grade will have opportunities to participate in parish ministry and mission trips.

"Tenth grade will be the linchpin year," Washek said. "We can't make students come back after confirmation. We can only encourage and engage them."

The changes will cause concerns and will require commitment from parents and other adults, Washek said.

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"Any big change in something is certainly going to cause some unrest, and certainly has," Washek said. "Adults will question what it means for them being Faith Formation leaders, about whether they have to change the way they do things and how they will get more volunteers.

"They're legitimate questions. We will need to engage more adults in the parishes, but the commitment sometimes won't be a whole year teaching catechism. Someone can come in for a short time, over six weeks maybe, to connect with students in different ways, even for a college essay writing night or to talk with a student interested in a certain college major if they're working in that field. It's a way to increase adult Faith Formation in a parish as well."

Implementation and more information

Parishes will decide how soon to introduce the new programs.

They can choose to start the pre-confirmation Edge program as early as August and continue to roll out programs for older students as participants advance to higher grade levels.

Parishes also can opt to begin in August 2023. Small parishes, with few students in each grade level, may need even more time to plan how best to use the new programs.

Parents can learn more about the new Faith Formation programs for students during virtual meetings Monday. Meetings will be held at 2, 6 and 7:45 p.m. on Zoom. The link at bit.ly/3MPYts6 indicates that it is for the 7:45 p.m. meeting but can be used for any of the three meetings.

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Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @ETNmyers.