Ethan Walker
The age for receiving the Catholic sacrament of Confirmation has varied over time and by location. In the Western tradition, Catholics receive the sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation later than in the Eastern churches, where they are administered to infants. In the Western tradition, until the 20th century, young people aged anywhere from 11 to 12 or well into their teen years were confirmed. The Code of Canon Law published in 1983 stipulates confirmation at the age of discretion, which is traditionally understood to be seven years old. However, individual bishops can decree a different age range for their dioceses, which has led to variation across the United States, with some dioceses confirming teenagers and others confirming children as young as seven. In 2024, the Archdiocese of Boston changed the age for Confirmation from around 16 to around 13, bringing it closer to the consensus of middle school age.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age of confirmation in the Catholic Church | It varies. In the Eastern Churches, infants receive confirmation. In the Western tradition, confirmation comes later. |
| Age of confirmation until the 20th century | Anywhere from 11 to 12 or well into the teen years. |
| Canon 891 of the Code of Canon Law | States confirmation should be done at the "age of discretion" unless decided otherwise by the conference of bishops. |
| United States Conference of Catholic Bishops decree | Effective July 1, 2002, confirmation should be conferred between the age of discretion and 16 years, with the local bishop deciding the limit. |
| Individual diocese decision | The age for confirmation within their diocese can be within the range of seven to sixteen years. |
| The Church's default age for confirmation | For those baptized as infants, it is 7 years, considered the "age of discretion" or "age of reason." |
| Age of confirmation in the mid-20th century | Seen as an occasion for professing personal commitment to the faith as someone approached adulthood. |
| Second Vatican Council | Setting of a later age, e.g., mid-teens in the United States, early teens in Ireland and Britain. |
| Confirmation age in Archdiocese of Boston | Changed in January 2024 from around 16 years to around 13 years. |
| Historical average age for confirmation | Historical records indicate the average age was 12-14 as far back as the 1800s. |
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What You'll Learn
Confirmation age varies across cultures
Historically, in the Western tradition, confirmation occurred anywhere from ages 11 to 12 or into the teen years. In the early 20th century, there was a shift towards earlier confirmation, with some individuals confirmed at age 9 or 10. In 2000, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops decreed that confirmation in the US should be conferred between "the age of discretion" (considered to be around seven) and 16 years of age, with the specific age decided by the local bishop. This means that confirmation ages can vary across different dioceses in the US.
In some cultures, confirmation may occur even later, with individuals receiving confirmation at 16, 18, or in their early 20s. The variation in confirmation age is reflected in discussions on online forums, where individuals share their personal experiences of being confirmed at different ages, ranging from early teens to later adolescence.
The Code of Canon Law, published in 1983, gives bishops the discretion to determine confirmation ages for their dioceses, taking into account cultural and individual factors. This flexibility allows for confirmation to be administered at an age deemed appropriate for the faithful to comprehend the significance of the sacrament.
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Confirmation age in the US
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and First Communion. The age at which confirmation is given varies across different traditions and dioceses.
In the Catholic Church, the age of confirmation has shifted over time. Until the 20th century, young people aged anywhere from 11 to 12 or well into their teen years were confirmed. In the mid-20th century, confirmation began to be seen as an occasion for professing personal commitment to the faith on the part of someone approaching adulthood, with confirmation ages ranging from the mid-teens in the United States to early teens in Ireland and Britain.
According to Canon 891 of the Code of Canon Law, published in 1983, confirmation should be conferred "at the age of discretion" but adds that "unless the conference of bishops determines another age or there is danger of death". The age of discretion or the age of reason is traditionally understood to be seven years old.
In the United States, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in accordance with Canon 891, decreed that confirmation in Latin rite dioceses would be conferred between the age of discretion (around seven years old) and about 16 years of age, with the exact age determined by the local bishop. This decree came into effect on July 1, 2002.
However, the implementation of this decree has varied across different dioceses in the United States. For example, in the Archdiocese of Boston, the age for confirmation was changed from around 16 years (10th grade) to around 13 years (8th grade) in January 2024. This change was made to decrease the gaps between the Sacraments of Initiation, strengthen the role of families in faith formation, and make confirmation accessible to more young people during a critical time in their adolescence.
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Confirmation age in Boston
Confirmation is a major source of grace and a necessity for one's future life in the Catholic Church. The age at which confirmation is conferred has varied across history and geography. In the Eastern Churches, the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and chrismation (confirmation) are all administered to infants. In the Western tradition, confirmation has traditionally been received later.
In the Archdiocese of Boston, the ordinary age of confirmation has been between grades 7 and 11 from at least as far back as the 1950s. Some historical records indicate the average age for confirmation to be 12-14 as far back as the 1800s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the age of confirmation moved to grades 9-11.
In 2023, a "Confirmation Committee" was formed in the Archdiocese of Boston to discuss the possibility of lowering the confirmation age and whether this would increase the likelihood of young people remaining in the Catholic Church for life. The committee found that lowering the age of confirmation would strengthen young people's ties to the church. In January 2024, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley approved a proposal to lower the age of confirmation within the Archdiocese of Boston from grade 10 to grade 8. This change is expected to be implemented over the next 2-3 years.
The decision to lower the confirmation age in Boston brings it closer to the consensus of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which sets the ordinary age of confirmation between the age of discretion (around age seven or eight) and about sixteen years of age, with the specific age determined by the local bishop.
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Confirmation age in the past
Confirmation age in the Catholic Church has varied over the years and also differs across regions. In the Eastern Churches, the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and chrismation (confirmation) are all administered to infants. In the Western tradition, however, Eucharist and confirmation are received later.
Historically, the age for confirmation in the Catholic Church was more flexible. Until the 20th century, confirmation ages ranged from 11 to 12 or well into the teen years. For example, St. Katharine Drexel is assumed to have received confirmation at the relatively early age of 11 in 1870.
In the mid-20th century, there was a shift towards confirming young people at an earlier age. The 1917 Code of Canon Law recommended that confirmation be delayed until about seven years of age but allowed it to be given earlier. In 1932, official permission was granted to change the traditional order of the sacraments of initiation, allowing confirmation to be administered after first Holy Communion. This practice became increasingly accepted, and confirmation began to be seen as an occasion for professing personal commitment to the faith.
In the United States, the age for confirmation has typically been in the range of grades 7 to 11. In 2000, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops decreed that confirmation should be conferred between the age of discretion (around seven years old) and 16 years of age, with the local bishop deciding the specific limits. This range allows individual bishops to determine the confirmation age for their dioceses, resulting in variations across the country.
In 2024, the Archdiocese of Boston announced a change in the confirmation age from around 16 years to approximately 13 years, bringing it closer to the consensus of middle school age. This adjustment aimed to decrease the gaps between the Sacraments of Initiation and strengthen the role of families in their teens' faith formation.
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Theological vs pastoral perspectives on confirmation age
Confirmation in the Catholic Church is one of the seven sacraments and three sacraments of initiation, the other two being Baptism and First Communion. The sacrament of confirmation is to be conferred on the faithful at about the "age of discretion", which has traditionally been understood as seven years old. However, the age for confirmation has varied throughout history and across different cultures and traditions.
Theological Perspective
Theologically, confirmation is understood as a renewing of baptismal vows, and it is seen as a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, granting spiritual gifts such as wisdom, understanding, and courage. The Catechism of the Catholic Church warns against confusing adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, emphasizing that baptismal grace is unmerited and does not need ratification.
Pastoral Perspective
Pastorally, the age of confirmation has been a matter of practical considerations and disciplinary matters rather than doctrinal ones. Bishops have been given discretion to set the age of confirmation within their dioceses, resulting in variations across different regions. In the Latin Rite, confirmation typically occurs during the teen years, while in the Eastern Rites, including Byzantine and Maronite traditions, confirmation is administered to infants or young children.
Shifting Ages for Confirmation
Historically, the age of confirmation in the Western tradition varied, with young people being confirmed anywhere from 11 to 12 or well into their teen years. The change towards earlier confirmation began after 1910, and the current Code of Canon Law (1983) specifies that confirmation should be conferred between the ages of 7 and 18, with the local bishop determining the specific limits within their diocese.
Perspectives on Confirmation Age
Some individuals argue for a later confirmation age, suggesting that most children cannot fully comprehend the seriousness of the sacrament. Others view confirmation at a younger age as theologically useful, allowing individuals to receive the spiritual gifts and graces associated with the sacrament earlier in their lives.
In summary, the theological perspective on confirmation emphasizes the spiritual significance of the sacrament, while the pastoral perspective focuses on practical considerations and the role of bishops in determining the appropriate age for confirmation within their communities. The shifting ages for confirmation throughout history reflect the interplay between these theological and pastoral considerations, with the current trend allowing for confirmation at a younger age than in previous centuries.
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Frequently asked questions
The traditional age for confirmation in the Catholic Church varies across different regions. In the Western tradition, confirmation came later than infancy, with young people aged anywhere from 11 to 12 or well into their teen years being confirmed. In the Eastern Churches, confirmation is administered to infants.
The age of confirmation today varies across different dioceses. In the United States, the Code of Canon Law allows bishops to determine the age of confirmation, typically ranging from 7 to 16 years old. In the Archdiocese of Boston, the age for confirmation was changed in 2024 from around 16 years old to around 13 years old.
The age of confirmation was changed to decrease the gaps between the Sacraments of Initiation, strengthen the role of families in faith formation, and make the sacrament more accessible to young people during a critical time in their adolescence.
