During my pastorates, I would require all my confirmands memorize Luther's Small Catechism. Guess what they did. Only one parent objected, but his son successively did it, Also they were publicly examined in front of our worshiping congregation on Examination Sunday. I compared learning the Catechism was like being in an Army's boot camp, preparing to enter the spiritual battle with sin, death and the devil armed with God's weapon, His Word as summarized in Luther's Small Catechism.