Confirmation is a Catholic Sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation for Catholics. It is most often associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

A candidate for Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the faith, be in the state of grace, have the intention of receiving the sacrament, and be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both within the ecclesial community and in temporal affairs.  (CCC 1319)

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For adult Confirmation, please contact our parish office at 410 398 1100 to schedule an appointment with a priest. Adult Confirmation is held annually on Pentecost Sunday at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Wilmington.

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Our parish Confirmation program is for students in grades 9 through 12.

The ten-week sacramental preparation sessions begin in mid January with the sacramental celebration in the Spring.

Important dates for the 2013-14 program year are as follows:

April 30            Registration ends for Confirmation in the Spring of 2014
TBA                   Orientation meeting for Parents and Candidates, 7 PM  ICS cafeteria
TBA                   Orientation meeting for Candidates and Sponsors, 4 PM ICS cafeteria
November         Scavenger Hunt for Outreach (explained at Parent orientation)
Spring 2014      Confirmation retreat (date and location TBA)
TBA                   Confirmation Rehearsal, 6:30 PM, Immaculate Conception Church
TBA                   Confirmation, 1:30 PM Mass, Immaculate Conception Church

The Confirmation program is integrated into the total Youth Ministry program of the parish. The candidates meet weekly in private homes or parish meeting rooms. Candidates participate in our annual scavenger hunt for Outreach in November as well as other service opportunities. Candidates also attend a Confirmation retreat and participate in a sponsor mentoring program.

Who can be a sponsor? Candidates are encouraged to choose a sponsor who models how to live a life that reflects Jesus’ teachings. According to Canon 874 of the Code of Canon Law, a sponsor for a Catholic confirmation must be a Catholic who:

• is at least 16 years of age
• has been confirmed and has received the sacrament of Holy Eucharist
• leads a life of faith in keeping with the role to be undertaken
• is eligible to recieve the sacraments and is not bound by any ecclesiastical penalty
• is not the mother or father of the candidate.

Please note: Our diocese requires students who wish to receive a sacrament to attend a Catholic school or parish religious education program the year they receive the sacrament as well as the previous year. This is in addition to, and separate from, the Confirmation program. Please see our Faith Formation page for 9-12 grade.

Remember to visit NEWS on this website to keep up-to-date with calendar reminders, weather related cancelations, service opportunities and special events. Click here to see photos of Confirmation in 2012.

Please remember to visit our Grade 9-12 Youth Ministry page.

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Growing in friendship with Christ necessarily means recognizing the importance of joyful participation in the life of your parishes, communities and movements, as well as the celebration of Sunday Mass, frequent reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation, and the cultivation of personal prayer and meditation on God’s word.
(World Youth Day homily, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI

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…and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.   2 Timothy 2:2

Parents and guardians, is God calling you to become a part of this important ministry to pass along our Catholic faith to our children? Please consider sharing your time and talent by volunteering as a Catechist or Assistant for our Confirmation program. All resources are provided. No prior experience is necessary.

Call our Religion office at 410 392 3551 or email Ruthie Patterson to learn how you can enrich the faith lives of our youth as well as your own.

“Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.” – Unknown

Sunday nights in Spring & Summer

May

5th   SERVICE OPPORTUNITY – We’ll be marking the Fair Hill Race track bleachers with Section, Row and Seat numbers. Soda and pizza provided! Meet us at the Fair grounds at 6:00 PM. Call Ruthie at 443 350 4627 if you need directions or a ride. Parents welcome!

12th  Mother’s Day – no gathering

19th   Join us for our parish celebration of Pentecost Sunday with 4:00 PM Mass at Old Bohemia church in Warwick, MD just 13 miles south of Elkton. See the bulletin for details. Parish picnic to follow on the grounds at Old Bohemia. Click [here] to see pictures of this historic church.

19th  6:00-8:00 PM we’ll have Tacos and stuff envelopes at the parish center. We need LOTS of help. Bring a friend!!

25th (Saturday) REMINDER: Lots of help is needed at the Fair Hill Races. If you can help, please [email] Kristin Lewis ASAP! Thanks.

26th   Memorial Day Weekend – no gathering

June -

2nd           Check back later for the June schedule

9th

16th

23rd

30th

July

7th   No gathering – July 4th week.

14th  See you at 6:00 PM in the parish center youth room.

21st   No gathering. Work camp week.

28th  No gathering. Sleeping.

August

NO gatherings in August. See you at the Leaders Today Leader Tomorrow (LT2) conference! Click [here] for details. Sign up today!

Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) went back to the drawing board and partnered with a professional to make this year’s youth leadership institute better than ever.

If you are already a great leader or would like to become one, let us hone your skills and make them great.

Here is just a glimpse of what you will experience:

• Learn to be intentional about leadership style and the choices available in any situation
• Gain insight to strengths, personality, views, and interests that guide decisions
• Label, understand, and manage conflicts that arise
• Improve how you lead in school, your parish, and in the world

With a series of activities, workshops, and hands-on learning, you will leave the conference understanding the leadership styles of others and how to foster commitment, not compliance. You will get to choose the workshops that most interest you and enjoy “down time” in the evenings, experience powerful prayer services (that you will help lead), and the special event that follows Mass with Bishop Malooly (more about that later).

The conference is August 6-9, 2013 at the Wilmington Sheraton South and costs $185 per person for rooming, food, conference materials, and more. Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are encouraged to attend. To sign up, please [email] Ruthie Patterson or call our Youth Ministry office at 410 392 3551.

Service opportunities listed below are open to students in Grades 7-12, college students, and adults. FAMILIES are encouraged to serve together!

Please call or email the contact person listed for each opportunity, before you arrive on site. Information listed here is updated periodically and subject to change.

Service opportunities coordinated by the Youth Ministry office, and not on parish grounds, require a consent form for all 7-12th grade students. Please download [this form] and bring it to the parish office or the worksite location.

Date: Postponed till Spring….
Time: 10:00 AM – ?
Location: West Main Street, Elkton
Task: Paint the front porch and stain a small deck for a senior parishioner. Consent form needed.
Contact: Ruthie Patterson, Youth Ministry office 443 350 4627 or [email]

Service opportunities offered by local agencies and organizations require direct contact between participants and the organization.  Parents of school-age students are responsible for arranging volunteer opportunities for their children. Transportation, chaperones, etc. are not provided by Immaculate Conception Parish.

Date: Mondays through Thursdays (ongoing; good opportunity for summer, holidays and other non-school days)
Time: See contact info. Please contact in advance for time.
Location: The Settlement House, 168 E. Main St, Elkton (across from the Post Office)
Task: Help with lunch
Contact: Mrs. Kathy Chamberlin 410 398 7299 or [email]

Dates:  Friday, July 26, 2013
Time: 11:30-1:30 PM
Location: Elkton Community Kitchen, 209 E. Main Street (Elkton Presbyterian Church)
Task: Help with lunch, set up and clean up
Contact: Mrs. Kathy Chamberlin 410 398 7299 or [email]

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Fair Hill Race Track
Task: A variety of opportunities are available throughout the day. Email to learn more.
Contact: Mrs. Kristin Lewis [email]

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Our diocesan Youth Ministry office provides information on additional service opportunities locally and throughout our diocese. Please see [this link] for more information.

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All families currently enrolled in our Religious Education and Youth Ministry programs should re-register during March to avoid a late fee. Please note the new times.

New families and parents with students in Catholic schools registering for sacraments should also register now.

Please [click here] for online registration.   

PreK & K:

Sunday, 9:30-10:30 AM

Grades 1-8:

Sunday, 8:10-9:25 AM

                OR

Wednesday, 6:15-7:30 PM

High School classes:

To be determined

Every week our parish Outreach ministry provides food for hundreds of hungry men, women and children.

For both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays we pack food baskets for 90-100 families.

How can you help? Easy. Participate in our Annual Food Drive.

Fill a bag with non-perishible food items, and drop it off at Immaculate Conception or St. Jude churches or the Parish Center any time theses buildings are open.

At this time our pantry is in desperate need of ALL food items, including the following:

• mac & cheese
• baked beans
• soup
• instant potatoes
• rice a roni
• fruit
• cereal
• pasta

In North East, join us at Saint Jude Church after the 9:00 AM Mass the first Sunday of every month.

In Elkton, join us in the school cafeteria after 10:15 Mass on the following Sundays:

October 7, November 4, December 9, 2012
January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, 2013

Need Service hours? Come early and help set up. Stay for a while and help clean up. Many hands make light work!

All are welcome!

Our parish is now using a new communication tool, Flocknote.

Flocknote will allow parishioners to receive text messages, emails, and phone calls from our parish staff and those involved in parish ministries and activities. It was designed by Catholics for Catholic parishes, schools and organizations.

Flocknote will be our new parish registration tool (coming soon on the parish web site.)

For existing parish members, your Flocknote registration will allow us to update our information and will give you the opportunity to subscribe to any lists you like.

If you or a family member are involved in any ministry (music, religious education, liturgy, youth ministry, adult education, athletics, scouting, adult education… and more) please sign up today and stay connected to all the news and reminders you need.

It’s so simple. Here’s how to register:

1. Click [here] to register.
2. Enter your name and email address or phone number.
3. Check your email or phone for a verification message and confirm your registration.
4. Complete the registration form.
5. Choose the lists/ministries to which you belong or would like to belong.
6. Choose your subscription settings (Do you want to be contacted by email or text message? For phone calls only, please contact the parish office to activate that option.)

Welcome to the Flock!

Be sure to check out this FREE website!

This interactive resource is designed to give you unlimited access to easy-to-use tools, tips, family activities, blogs, forums, and advice–everything you need to build a stronger, more faith-focused family.

All of the faith-forming activities are written with a specific audience in mind such as Young Family or Teen Family or Adult/Couple, but many activities are perfectly appropriate for individuals and families of all ages and stages. See [this link] to learn more.