Grace Thompson
Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation in the Catholic Church, completing the process begun with baptism and Holy Eucharist. It is a spiritual journey, deepening the individual's relationship with God and the Church, and marking a maturity of faith. The ceremony involves the bishop anointing the forehead of the recipient with oil, sealing them with the Holy Spirit, and empowering them to carry on the mission of Christ. The recipient chooses their own sponsor, who will help them to uphold their baptismal promises, and may also choose a new name, usually that of a saint or Biblical figure.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Confirmation | A sacrament of initiation |
| A sacrament of Christian maturity | |
| Completes baptism | |
| Seals the Holy Spirit in the soul | |
| Strengthens the soul | |
| Confirms the apostles on Pentecost | |
| Provides courage to practice faith | |
| Provides spiritual seal | |
| Strengthens union between individual and God | |
| Confirms priestly role | |
| Requires prior baptism | |
| Requires knowledge of Catholic doctrine | |
| Requires confirmation name | |
| Requires sponsor |
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What You'll Learn
Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation
The sacrament of Confirmation is customarily conferred on persons old enough to understand its significance, with the ordinary minister being a bishop. However, the diocesan bishop may grant specified priests the authority to administer the sacrament in certain circumstances. The ceremony may take place during Mass or outside of it, with the bishop wearing red vestments to symbolise the red tongues of fire seen over the apostles at Pentecost.
During the sacrament of Confirmation, the individual being confirmed comes forward with a sponsor, who lays a hand on their shoulder. The sponsor is typically a godparent from their baptism or another suitable individual chosen by the candidate. The confirmation name, which is typically a Christian name, is then spoken, and the bishop anoints the person's forehead with Chrism Oil, saying, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Confirmation is believed to bring an increase and deepening of baptismal grace, strengthening the union between the individual and God. It is seen as a spiritual duty to fight against evil and darkness, accepting responsibility for one's faith and destiny. Through Confirmation, Catholics are "more perfectly bound to the Church" and are empowered to carry on the mission of Christ.
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It completes baptism through sealing in the Holy Spirit
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and First Communion. It is a sacrament of initiation that completes baptism through sealing in the Holy Spirit.
In Catholic theology, it is the sacrament of baptism that confers membership, while "reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace". The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace. It roots the recipient more deeply in the divine filiation which makes them cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15). It gives the recipient a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.
During the Confirmation ceremony, the bishop says, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are supernatural graces given to the soul. Confirmation is not just for children, and there is never an age that is too old to be confirmed. Even if someone was not confirmed as a child, they can study for Confirmation as an adult and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation from their diocese's bishop (or a priest in his place).
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Confirmation is required for full membership in the church
Confirmation is a requirement for full membership of the Catholic Church. It is one of the seven sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and First Communion. Confirmation completes the process of initiation into the Christian community, and it matures the soul for the work ahead.
In Catholic theology, it is the sacrament of baptism that confers membership, while "reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace". The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace: it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15).
Confirmation is also referred to as the "sacrament of Christian maturity". However, this does not mean that only adults can be confirmed. In fact, the present (1983) Code of Canon Law specifies that the sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful at about 7-18, unless a different age has been decided on, or there is a danger of death or another grave reason. Even if someone was not confirmed as a child, they can still receive the Sacrament of Confirmation as an adult.
During the ceremony, the bishop wears red vestments to symbolize the red tongues of fire seen hovering over the apostles at Pentecost. The bishop anoints the recipient with oil on the forehead, says their name aloud, and then says, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit."
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It is a sin to neglect Confirmation
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and First Communion. It is a sacrament of initiation that completes baptism through the sealing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is first introduced to a Catholic on the day of their baptism, and Confirmation is meant to deepen this relationship.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that Confirmation is a "special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost". Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace, rooting us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15). It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are supernatural graces given to the soul. Confirmation is, therefore, a critical step in the spiritual growth of Catholics, and neglecting it would be a sin.
The Baltimore Catechism explains that "It is a sin to neglect Confirmation, especially in these evil days when faith and morals are exposed to so many and such violent temptations." Persons of age simply need to know the chief doctrines of the Catholic Church. Confirmation is an opportunity to enrich our souls and perfect the work begun at Baptism. It is a sin to neglect this opportunity to deepen one's relationship with God and strengthen one's faith.
Additionally, Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. As mentioned earlier, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of the grace received in Baptism. By neglecting Confirmation, one misses out on the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the strengthening of their union with God. Therefore, it is important for Catholics to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation to fulfil their initiation into the Catholic Church and to continue their spiritual growth.
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Confirmation is also known as chrismation
Confirmation, one of the seven sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, is also known as Chrismation in Eastern Christianity. The term is used by the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic and Assyrian Churches. The Italian word "cresima" is also used in place of "confermazione" to refer to the sacrament. In Portuguese, a word similar to 'chrismation' is used to refer to the Western rite Catholic Church's confirmation.
The sacrament is believed to have been instituted by Christ and is meant to confer sanctifying grace and strengthen the union between the individual and God. It is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace, rooting the individual more deeply in the divine filiation, which makes them cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15). It gives the individual a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ.
In Eastern Christianity, the sacrament is conferred immediately after baptism, which is usually on infants. The practice of anointing with chrism (consecrated oil) was established by the Apostles as a substitute for the laying on of hands when bestowing the sacrament. As the number of converts grew, it became impractical for the Apostles to lay hands on each newly baptised individual. Thus, they laid their hands on a vessel of oil, bestowing the Holy Spirit upon it, which was then distributed to all presbyters (priests) for their use during baptism.
In the Catholic Church, confirmation is customarily conferred only on persons old enough to understand it, and the ordinary minister of confirmation is a bishop. However, the diocesan bishop may grant specified priests the authority to administer the sacrament if necessary. Confirmation is a means to perfect the work begun at Baptism, sealing the Gifts of the Holy Ghost in the individual's soul.
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Frequently asked questions
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments and one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and First Communion.
Confirmed Catholics are given a special mission by God to share in Christ’s role as a prophet and to proclaim the word.
Confirmation completes the process of initiation into the Christian community and matures the soul for the work ahead. It is also necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.
During the Sacrament of Confirmation, the bishop wears red vestments to symbolize the red tongues of fire seen hovering over the apostles at Pentecost. Each individual comes forward with a sponsor, and the bishop puts chrism oil on their forehead and says, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Confirmation is customarily conferred on persons old enough to understand it. The Latin Church specifies that the sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful at about 7-18 years, but this may vary.
