Confirmation Program
2025-2026 Calendar
Our 2025-2026 calendar is available below!
Please note these are subject to change. If we make a change, you will be notified via email. This calendar is in Google Docs so they can be updated in live time.
Students must attend all scheduled Sunday classes followed by the 5pm Sunday Mass.
Subscribe to our Google Calendars for your convenience!
Resources for Teens and Parents
Registration for the 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR is now open! Please read the information below if you are interested in registering your teen in our program.
Dear Parents/Guardians-
Thank you for your interest in our High School two year Confirmation Preparation Program at St Francis de Sales Parish. We desire to journey with each person to deepen their relationship with God through knowledge and understanding as well as experiences and encounters. Throughout our two years together, teens will not only deepen their understanding of our faith, but they will also grow in community and prepare to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.
We will introduce topics and content through videos and presentations by speakers and we will focus on inviting teens to participate in honest and open discussion. Some of our discussions include: Why am I here? What makes me happy? What’s your story God? How do I know God is real? Who is Jesus? This year we will be using Chosen as our curriculum from Ascension Press.
Our two year program consists of the following:
Monthly Sessions- We will meet approximately once a month on Sunday for a large group class and small group discussion. Small group gatherings are important for the teens to be able to connect, learn and share their insights and ideas. Sessions will begin in September and we will gather from 3:00pm-5:00pm. A calendar with dates will be provided soon.
Attending Mass- The Mass is an important gift of our Church and offers us all a unique opportunity to invite Jesus into our life. The more you grow in your faith, the more important the Mass can become to your faith life. Everyone should attend Mass with their family every Sunday, however, teens are expected to attend the 5pm Sunday with their small group on meeting dates.
Youth Ministry (Life Night) Participation- Students enrolled in the Confirmation program are automatically enrolled in our Youth Ministry program and are highly encouraged to attend our gatherings. This is another way to grow in community and meet other teens. Our Youth Ministry Life Teen program is open to all High School students. These gatherings are different from Confirmation classes and offer a combination of social and topic nights that encourage community building and growth in our faith. We meet from 6:00pm-8:00pm on Sunday. A calendar for the year will be shared soon.
Who can register for Confirmation Preparation?
Typically, teens register as freshmen. If your teen is not a freshman and would like to enroll in the program, please register them as a Year 1 student. Diana Arizmendi will contact you with more information about the program. Please note: only High School students can register for our Confirmation program.
Students who were enrolled in classes during the 2024-2025 formation year, must enroll again for the 2025-2026 formation year. They should register as Year 2 students.
Tuition
We do ask that tuition is paid before classes begin. If you cannot make the whole payment upfront, please use the partial payment section of the payment form above. If you would like to set up a payment plan, please contact Cathy Chiarelli at CChiarelli@stfrancislz.org. All payment plans must be paid in full by March 2026.
Tuition Fee: $175.00 per teen
How to Pay
Credit Card: Online via our payment portal (there is a processing fee attached to this). You can access our payment portal through this link: 2025-2026 Tuition Payment
Check: Please bring to the ministry center or mail it to our Ministry Center at 135 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich, IL 60047 c/o YM Confirmation Program.
Cash: Can be brought to the ministry center in an envelope with your student's name on it.
Please contact Diana Arizmendi or Cathy Chiarelli regarding financial assistance.
Volunteers Needed
We are in need of adult small group leaders. Please contact Diana Arizmendi at darizmendi@stfrancislz.org if you have a heart for teens, are willing to create a safe place for open discussion and are willing to share some stories from your own faith life. All volunteers will need to complete a safe environment training, including a background check. There will be a training offered before classes begin in the Fall.
Castle Retreat
2nd Year Confirmation students are expected to attend one of our two Castle retreats this year. We will have two retreats this year: December 19-21 2025 and February 20-22, 2026. Both retreats will be held at St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Kansasville, WI. Parents will receive registration information for Castle once teen is registered for Year 2 formation.
Parent Information Meeting
We will be having parent information meetings in the Fall.
Please save the date for:
Year 1 Parent Meeting: September 3, 2025 at 6:30pm
Year 2 Parent Meeting: September 4, 2025 at 6:30pm
Meetings wil be held in the Ministry Center.