By Maria Gursky, Face-to-Face Ministries

FacetoFace Ministries facilitated seven confirmation retreats this spring throughout the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon. Locations in 2025 included Unity, Leader, and four parishes in Saskatoon (Cathedral of the Holy Family, St Patrick Parish, St. Anne Parish, and Holy Spirit Parish) with a total of over 350 confirmands in attendance.

Building upon the foundation laid by sacramental preparation coordinators and catechists, FacetoFace Ministries provides a retreat experience that invites confirmands to say yes to the Holy Spirit at their confirmation and give Him permission to move in their lives.

Throughout the day, participants not only learned more about the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, but had opportunities to encounter Him. Retreat elements were varied, including dynamic teaching moments, fun games, memorable activities, prayer moments, and Reconciliation.

Talks throughout the day reviewed the Holy Spirit’s role throughout salvation history, the importance of Pentecost, scriptural foundations for Confirmation, and how the Holy Spirit can move in our lives when we give Him permission.

Participants completed a scavenger hunt to review the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit through the lives of the saints. Participants were then given the opportunity to choose one of the seven gifts in particular and pray for an outpouring of that gift at confirmation.

Although each confirmand will receive all seven gifts at Confirmation, it was powerful to see each of them choose one gift that they wanted more of and give God permission to move in them by lighting a candle and offering up their prayer in the church.

The final analogy of the day was making chocolate milk. Starting out like a glass of milk, we receive the Holy Spirit (chocolate syrup) at our baptism. Confirmation was described as the spoon that can stir up the Holy Spirit in our lives, confirming what was started at baptism. Participants were encouraged to give the Holy Spirit permission to move in them, to stir up in them what was started in baptism and to transform their lives.

At the end of the day, when asked three questions “Did you have fun today?, “Did you learn more about the Holy Spirit today?” and “Did you encounter God today?,” the majority of participants raised their hand to say “yes” for each question.

Praise God for the working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the confirmands!

All the youth who have received or will soon receive their confirmation are invited to attend the FacetoFace Ignite Junior summer camp for grades 6-8 this summer, to be held Aug. 12-14 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon. Visit the website at https://facetofaceministries.ca/ for more information and to register.

Please pray for all of the youth who attended the retreats and all who are celebrating their confirmation this spring throughout the diocese. Come Holy Spirit!

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