The Confirmation Preparation Program at Saint Patrick Church is called Oneight. It derives it’s name from Acts 1:8 – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” That is what Confirmation, this important moment in our Catholic Christian life, is all about.

The Oneight Nights are mandatory for all 7th and 8th grade public school candidates. Additionally, they are highly suggested for all 7th and 8th grade home school and parochial school candidates, as they bring these candidates into community with the greater parish.

There are 14 different nights, covering different topics, which help prepare candidates for reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. See the Edge News box on this site, or the Edge / Oneight Calendar of Events (handed out each year) for specific night topics.

Candidates and their parents are provided all program specifics at a Mandatory Candidate and Parent Meeting held each September. Please note that this meeting is for all candidates and their parents, regardless of whether they are public school, parochial school, or home school. Again, dates will be published in the parish bulletin, as well as in the Edge News box on this site.

Dates and deadlines for paperwork submission, and other important notices will also be published in the bulletin and the Edge News box, as well as on the Important Dates & Deadlines At-A-Glance, handed out each year at the Candidate and Parent Meeting.

Candidates for Confirmation do not go through the process alone. In addition to their parents, the primary catechists in their children’s faith lives, there is the Edge / Oneight CORE, and the candidates’ sponsors. Sponsors should play a big part in walking with the candidate, not only towards the Sacrament of Confirmation, but in the years that follow. For this reason, we encourage the candidate to select their sponsor as early as possible in their 7th grade year, so that the shared faith journey together might begin. All candidates and their sponsors are asked to attend a Mandatory Candidate and Sponsor Meeting held near the end of October each year. The meeting is mandatory for all 7th graders and their sponsors, and for any 8th grader and their sponsor, who did not attend the previous year. Dates for this meeting will be published in the parish bulletin, on the Edge News box, on the Important Dates & Deadlines At-A-Glance sheet, and on the Edge / Oneight Calendar of Events sheet.

The overnight Confirmation Retreat is such a critical part of the Oneight program. Regardless of how much we “know” about our faith, the Sacrament, and Our God, unless we have had that personal encounter with Jesus Christ and have come to know Him in our hearts, we have not begun to approach that real relationship that God desires with us. To provide that opportunity to really experience Christ, or perhaps that opportunity to go deeper in relationship with Him, the Confirmation Retreat is mandatory for all 8th graders expecting to receive the Sacrament. There are no excuses for missing the retreat, and there are no “make-ups”.

How many times do we look forward to a vacation from school or from our everyday busy lives? We go to the beach, to the mountains, just about anywhere to get away and recharge our batteries. The retreat is intended to do the same. It will give us the chance to get away from the things that prevent us from focusing on Our Lord, to go away, to have fun, to relax, but more importantly, to recharge our spiritual battery. When we return from retreat, we can guarantee that our lives will be changed. The retreat fee is subsidized by the Edge and Oneight programs by more than 60%. The current cost is only $30 for the retreat (which goes from noon on Saturday through the conclusion of the Life Teen Mass on Sunday), all meals (including dinner, breakfast and lunch), lodging, materials, and a t-shirt. Anyone needing financial assistance is encouraged to contact Joe Goodman.

The retreat typically takes place in March; however, the dates may vary slightly depending on the Liturgical calendar. Dates will be publicized in the parish bulletin, on the Edge News box, on the Important Dates & Deadlines At-A-Glance sheet, and on the Edge / Oneight Calendar of Events sheet. 

The retreat will take place at the Philip Bongiorno Conference Center, 430 Union Hall Road, Carlisle, PA. For directions, go to Philip Bongiorno Conference Center. 

Registration for the 2012 Emmaus Confimation Retreat is now closed.

Registration Form

Permission Slip

Camp Covecrest-Hiawassee is a 6 day summer camp experience for teens in grades 7 and 8 during the year before that summer. Camp Covecrest-Hiawassee is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia. This outrageously fun experience with teens from all over the country helps them grow deeper in their faith and sets the groundwork for their Life Teen experience.

The specific dates of the camp vary from year to year, and are dependent on camp availability. Life Teen current hosts over 21 camps each summer, about 8 for Edge teens. Each camp fills up within minutes of online registrations. For this reason, it is critical to have all registration paperwork completed and fees submitted by the published deadlines. Typically, registration for camp takes place in mid to late November for the following summer.

The cost of camp is currently $450 plus the cost of transportation. Please note that the Edge and Oneight programs subsidize the extra costs for air and ground transportation, significantly. For more information on camp, or for financial assistance, please contact Joe Goodman.

Registration has closed for Camp Covecrest-Hiawassee 2012. We will be attending the camp from July 16th – 21st.