Our theme of the session was “Why Have I Been Chosen? : Signed & Sealed in Confirmation” in which we explored the Holy Spirit’s role in preparing us spiritually for Confirmation.
 
We started the evening with the teens in the Parish Hall, reviewing the Baltimore Catechism questions that they need to learn for their Confirmation. They competed in teams using a game on the Kahoot app, using the table leaders’ iPhones to respond to the quiz questions.
  
The final part of the evening was spent in the Church, where the parents joined the teens. We had an external guest speaker, Francine Calabrese, a Secular Carmelite. She formed a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called The little Brown Scapular Apostolate to spread this devotion.
 
Francine spoke to both the 9 ^th and 10 ^th grade teens and parents about the devotion of the Brown Scapular. She discussed the origin of this Sacramental, how the devotion helps to bring one closer to God and several miracles that are associated with it. Francine specifically discussed 3 separate miracles, which are pictured in the posters at the base of the altar. Father Jhon then talked to the group about the cloistered Carmelites that reside in Madison (on Madison Ave, across the street from Friendly’s), and how the members of this order spend all of their waking time praying for us. He then blessed the Scapulars and rosaries that Francine brought with her and distributed them to everyone present.