AAD Session 4

Requirements Overview

Chapter 3: Confirmation

CONFIRMATION completes our initiation into the Church. Strengthened with the gifts of the Holy Spirit we are sent out to share the Good News. Acts 2:38 "...then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Goal: As a Scout, to discover the role of the Holy Spirit in your daily life.

A. Life Experience

1. Discuss the following with your AAD Group/Counselor: a) What is the power of team spirit, both to the individual players and to spectators? b) Have you ever been a part of a team that has lost its spirit? (Was discouraged, etc.) c) What do you think happens to your team, or any team that has lost its spirit? d) What is the spirit of Scouting? e) How does this spirit of Scouting express itself, and what does it cause to happen? Is it present in you and your unit? How do you know? f) What kind of spirit do you experience being present in your parish family? g) How does this parish spirit express itself, and what does it cause to happen in peoples' lives?

2. The Spirit active in the Catholic Church is the Spirit of God. We call this Spirit the Holy Spirit. Read Acts 2:1-11 and 8:14-21. Discuss the following with your AAD Group/Counselor: a) How did the Spirit express Itself in Acts 2:1-11? What happened? b) In Acts 8:14-21, we have the Apostles going out and giving the Spirit. Did anything else happen? Why or why not? c) Do you see the Spirit active in your parish church? If you see the Spirit expressed in the Church, how is it expressed? If you don't see the Spirit expressed, why do you think this is? d) Do you see the Spirit active in other people? Name someone you see working in the Spirit. How does he/she express the Spirit? e) Do you see the Spirit active in yourself? How do you express the Spirit in your daily life?

3. Saint Paul teaches that to live as Christians, we must have the power of the Holy Spirit. Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. a) The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in the Seek and Find below. See if you can find them. b) Discuss with your Counselor how Christians enjoy the Gifts of the Spirit. Write a paragraph about at least one person you know who demonstrates some of these gifts by his/her life. Discuss with your AAD Group/Counselor.

4. Paul further explains that those who live by the Holy Spirit enjoy the Fruits of the Spirit. Read Galatians 5:22-26. a) The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are listed in the Seek and Find below. See if you can find them. b) Consider what a world it would be if all lived in "accord with the Spirit" and then discuss this with your family. Share your thoughts with your AAD Group/Counselor.

5. How are the Gifts and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit evident in the Spirit of Scouting?
   
   

B. Activity

1. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, a person is anointed with the Holy Oil of Chrism. To understand the importance and symbolism of anointing, read Exodus 30:22-33 and discuss it with your AAD Group/Counselor. Today we use the Oil of Chrism for consecrations. Ask your Counselor to share with you why chrism was so important and valuable to the early Roman people, as well as to us today.

2. When confirming, the Bishop or his delegate says while anointing with oil, "(name), be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit." Explain what this anointing means in your own words.

3. You are expected to have grown in your ability to provide leadership and witness to the Scouting Spirit. Explain how you have been accomplishing this growth. What are you doing to prepare yourself to grow in these abilities? Discuss with your AAD Group/Counselor. (Scout Spirit Handout)

4. The Documents of Vatican II that deal with the laity specifically address youth in the Church. In these documents, the Bishops of the world state: "The young should become the first apostles of the young, in direct contact with them, exercising the apostolate by themselves among themselves, taking account of their social environment." Discuss with an Eagle Scout/older crew Member how they see their role in helping younger Scouts see the values promoted by Scouting.

5. Witnessing often takes the form of simple actions you do in your everyday life. When the people of your parish collect food and clothing for poor people, they are witnessing to Christ's love for His people. What are some ways you witness in your daily life?

6. The document The Church Today from Vatican II said, "Everyone must consider all his neighbors without exception, as another self, taking into account first of all his life and the means necessary to living it with dignity." Discuss with your AAD Group/Counselor what is meant by human dignity. What lessens human dignity? Are there types of poverty, other than material, that lessen this dignity? Do one of the following: a) Make two art projects, one showing human dignity, and one showing the loss of human dignity. b) Prepare and put on two skits, one showing human dignity, and one showing the loss of human dignity. c) Bring in articles from newspapers and magazines on human dignity and loss of human dignity and explain.

C. Faith Response

1. Saint Paul said, "We have many gifts that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us." (Romans 12:6-8) With the assistance of your AAD Group/Counselor, develop a list of your gifts and talents that can be used to help others. From this list, develop and carry out a service project that uses your particular gifts to serve others.

2. Do "a" and either "b" or "c": a) Participate in a Prayer Service that emphasizes the sharing of the Gifts of the Spirit. b) Discuss your beliefs and understanding of God with a peer who is not in the AAD program or with someone of a different faith. c) The Holy Spirit, being the Spirit of Truth, guides the Christian into all truth. Make up a prayer to the Holy Spirit that asks assistance to decide your vocation in life. Share the prayer with your family, your Religious Education class, or your Scouting Unit.

Agenda

1. Gathering Attendance

2. Prayer

3. Session 2 Homework

4. Requirements A 1 ,2,3,4(Assign as Homework),5,6

5. break

6. Requirements B 1,2,3,4,5 (Assign as Homework)

7. break

8. Requirement C Plan and Perform prayer service.  Baptismal promises #57 and 58 on page 48 of the youth manual.  Use water candles and prayers from this session.

9. Cleanup, Have the boys make sure everyone is ready to go and the room is neat before dismissal.

10. Prayer Dismissal