IGNITE
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IGNITE Confirmation FormationAt Stella Maris -
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Introducing IGNITE
IGNITE is a dynamic, youth ministry approach to Confirmation formation for 8th graders. Candidates from the Family of Parishes will gather once-per-month for an evening session on a particular topic. A session will consist of a meal, games/activities, a keynote talk, small group discussion, a brief witness talk, and prayer. The program will be led by a staff member and an adult Core Team of volunteer catechists trained in youth ministry.
IGNITE disposes candidates to be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit by:
- helping them encounter and follow the person of Jesus Christ;
- re-introducing them to the Holy Spirit;
- cultivating a sense of belonging to the Church.
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Program Details
IGNITE Event Dates:
- September 15, 2024 — IGNITE Kickoff Event (6-8PM)
- October 12, 2024 — IGNITE Retreat w/ NET Ministries (9AM-3:30PM)
- Sponsor Form Due
- November 10, 2024 — The Word: Hearing God's Voice in the Bible (6-8PM)
- December 8, 2024 — Prayer (6-8PM)
- Confirmation Names Due
- January 12, 2025 — Life in Christ: Virtue and Grace (6-8PM)
- February 9, 2025 — Mission: Yours, Mine, and Ours (6-8PM)
- Saint Project Due
- March 9, 2025 — The Holy Spirit (6-8PM)
- Candidate/Sponsor Conversations Due
- April 13, 2025 — On the Sacrament of Confirmation (6-8PM)
- Letter to Pastor Due
- May 12, 2025 — Confirmation Rehearsal — St. Thomas More (6-8pm)
- May 13, 2025 — Sacrament of Confirmation — Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains (7pm)
- May 18, 2025 — Living the Abundant Life: Life after Communion (6-8PM)
Notes:- All IGNITE events will take place at St. Thomas More unless otherwise noted.
- There is a Sponsor Meeting scheduled for the evening of Nov. 20, 2024. Attendance is required. Arrangements can be made for out-of-town sponsors.
Cost: $40 (to offset costs for programming, meals, resources, and t-shirts)
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All the Forms You Need
We'll try to keep everything you need in one place. Here you go:
- Liability and Medical Release (due Sept. 1, 2024) — Return to any parish office or mail to Michael Staresinic, St. Bernadette Church, 1479 Locust Lake Rd, Amelia, OH 45102
- Sponsor Form (due Oct. 12, 2024)
- Confirmation Name Form (due Dec. 8, 2024)
- Candidate/Sponsor Conversation Feedback Form (due Mar. 9, 2025)
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The IGNITE Confirmation Handbook
Learn all about the IGNITE program elements in the IGNITE Confirmation Handbook. Download it today!
In case you missed the parent info meeting on Jan. 25, 2024, we're making available the slides from the night. We also recorded the main highlights from the presentation. Take a listen.
Ready to register your child? Scroll down and sign up!
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Volunteer Needs for IGNITE
Programs like IGNITE are only as effective as the people leading them are in leading teens closer to Christ. These programs also come with a heavy lift in terms of event-prep and hospitality. Therefore, we have two needs:
- Core Team: This group of 6-8 individuals will assist the Stella Maris staff member with IGNITE formation programming. From icebreaker games to talks, and from small groups to leading prayer experiences, the Core Team members will take a lead formational role. Core Team members must love their faith, love working with Jr. High kids, and be willing to share their faith with teens. A Core Team member must be able to commit to being present at all of the IGNITE events, plus an additional once-per-month planning meeting. Interested in learning more? Contact Michael Staresinic ([email protected]) today!
- Hospitality Team: This committed group of 4-6 people will handle event set-up, the meal, and event tear-down. They are the more “behind-the-scenes” or “stage crew” folks who are critical for a great event, but won’t be responsible for the hands-on ministry component. We want the kids to feel welcome — like they are cared for and belong — and the Hospitality Team will play a huge role in making this happen. A Hospitality Team member must be able to commit to being present at all of the IGNITE events and planning for events via email. Want to help with hospitality? Complete this form today!
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The IGNITE Core Team
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Pablo Guzman-Gomez
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Amalia Guzman-Gomez
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Anna kellerman
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My name is Pablo Guzman-Gomez. I was born in Bogotá, Colombia (yes, I am Amalia’s twin brother). My family and I have spent the last 16 years in Cincinnati; I attended Indian Hill High School and Ohio State University, where I received a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. I am an Interactive Performance Marketing Analyst for a local digital marketing agency, US Digital Partners. During my high school years, I encountered Christ through the youth ministry program
at St. Gertrude. A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to give back to the St.
Gertrude community by serving on the core team of the same youth ministry program that played such an integral role in my faith life. Now, I'm excited to serve at Stella Maris. My goal in life is to serve Christ in everyday tasks.
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My name is Amalia Guzman-Gomez. I was born in Bogota, Colombia, and after several moves early on in life, my family and I landed in the Queen City. Currently, I work for P&G as a Consumer Market Knowledge Analytics and insights Manager in their Fabric Care Division. Before starting my career, I received a Psychology and Biomedical Sciences degree from Xavier University. Youth ministry was integral to the formation of my faith, and I hope to share my passion for the Lord with you all as well. A quote that encompasses my faith life comes from one of my favorite saints, St. Josemaria Escriva, “If we struggle daily to become saints, each of us in his own situations in the world…I assure you that God will make us into instruments that can work miracles.”
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Hello, my name is Anna Kellerman. I am so excited to be a part of the Stella Maris Youth Core Team. I grew up in New Richmond and have been a part of the St Bernadette parish since birth. While I attended PRP classes in grade school, I also played sports with the parish since 3rd grade. I went to McNicholas High School while I was a part of St. Bernadette’s Youth Group where I encountered Jesus through the Eucharist. After high school, I obtained a B.S. in Forensic and Investigative Science at West Virginia University. I currently work for my family’s company that builds hearses in the funeral industry. My favorite theology topics are The Blessed Sacrament, St. Pope John Paul ll’s Theology of the Body, and The Blessed Mother.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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We currently have an 18-month Family-wide program. In evaluating it, we can be simpler and more efficient, without placing undue burden on families. We can cover all the content we need to in 9 months, while kickstarting a process of discipleship that will hopefully endure into high school and beyond!
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We’re certainly not discouraging service! But, we’re not requiring a set number of hours to receive Confirmation. A service hour requirement can unintentionally imply that one “works for” or “earns” the Sacrament of Confirmation, which is not the case at all. The Sacraments are gifts given to those who are properly disposed to receive them. Confirmation service hours were put into place to reinforce the idea that now one is becoming an adult in the faith and must take up responsibility for serving others. This point is valid, but it does not acknowledge that one becomes a Christian in Baptism, and by definition, a Christian is one who serves. Remember, Jesus told his disciples to serve others (cf. Mt. 20:25–28). In other words, service does not start at the time of Confirmation. Service is simply what it means to be Christian.
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While our IGNITE events are the heart of formation, each candidate should spend time outside of our monthly offerings in preparing for Confirmation. The elements we’ve put together are designed to help young people discern their willingness to be confirmed, enlist the help of sponsors, and grow closer to the Lord.
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The Catechism reminds us that “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children” (CCC §2223) and that “family catechesis precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith” (CCC §2226). Keep offering the formation you’re already providing, and recommit to living your faith vibrantly. The best thing a parent can do: be an authentic and encouraging witness.
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No way. The word is in all caps because when we were working on the logo, it just didn’t seem to have enough juice with lowercase letters. It’s more like it’s jumping off the page at you — like a comic book: BAM! POW! IGNITE!
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Yes. Your child absolutely did. We are baptized "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and we are anointed. The Holy Spirit was imparted. Confirmation strengthens that gift of the Holy Spirit by sealing it. Think of a wax seal. In Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit, like hot wax. Confirmation impresses the seal upon the wax.
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If you’re interested in helping as part of the Core Team of disciple-makers or as part of the Hospitality Team that will be taking care of event set up/tear down and meals, please complete a volunteer application and email it to Brad Bursa ([email protected]).
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Absolutely! Just contact Dcn. Bob Brazier at St. Thomas More. We have plenty of books so every family can have a copy. Dcn. Bob's email is: [email protected]
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