Our Questions

    I don’t get it: if the Holy Spirit comes in Baptism, why do I need to go through Confirmation too?  Is your church manipulating the Holy Spirit in this sacrament?

What to read

  In UNITED STATES CATECHISM  Chapter 16  Confirmation: Consecrated for Mission

    In your Bible:   

    Acts 2:1-12

    John 20:22

    Joel 3:1

    Acts 10:38

Glossary

    Chrism = perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop signifying the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the Eastern Churches it is called “myron”.

    Initiation = the three sacraments of baptism, confirmation and eucharist bring the catechumen into the fullness of the Christ-life.

    Character = the indelible spiritual mark or seal of the Spirit.  Read John 6:27

Catholic Practice

Catholic students begin classes with a prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful  and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,

and you will renew the face of the earth.

O God,by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful .

In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right

and to always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Going Deeper

Getting personal about religion: heart to heart talks with your sponsor or small group.

1. How conscious are that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?  Some people speak of their bodies in terms of “temple maintenance,” meaning care of the spiritual, physical, and moral aspects of their bodies.  How are doing on “temple maintenance”?

2. In what areas in your work-a-day life do you see the need to practice courageously Christ’s teachings as a soon-to-be confirmed person?

Checking My Understanding

do the self-correcting on-line quiz Quiz 16

Branching Out

Additional Reading

KC Catholic Information (Hart) Holy Spirit

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH  #1285-1321

Catholic Updates

Confirmation A Deepening of Our Christian Identity

Videos

    Stolen Summer (2002) Pete, an eight-year-old Catholic boy growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the mid-1970s, attends Catholic school, where as classes let out for the summer, he's admonished by a nun to follow the path of the Lord, and not that of the Devil.

    Letters to God (2010) A young boy fighting cancer writes letters to God, touching lives in his neighborhood and community and inspiring hope among everyone he comes in contact.

Music

    Be Not Afraid

    Here Am I Lord

Supplementary

Necessity of Confirmation

This Sacrament completes the baptismal grace.  We are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit so that as witnesses of Christ we are enabled to spread and defend the faith.

The Holy Spirit in Prophecy

The prophets announced that the Spirit of the Lord would rest on the Messiah to come (Is 11:2; Is 61:1).

The New Testament shows the fulfillment of these prophecies:

: descent of the Spirit at Jesus’ baptism

: conceived by the intervention of the Holy Spirit

: mission was in compliance with the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit in the Church (1288-1289)

Christ promised the outpouring of the Spirit.  The promised was fulfilled on Easter and more strikingly on Pentecost.  Those who believed in the preaching of the apostles & were baptized received in the gift of the Holy Spirit..  In fulfillment of Christ’s will, the apostles laid on hands to impart to the newly baptized the gift of the Spirit.  (Heb 6:2)  The laying on of hands perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church.

An additional sign helped signify the gift of the Spirit – an anointing with perfumed oil called chrism.  The very name Christian means “anointed”.  Eastern churches call the sacrament Chrismation.  Confirmation suggests the ratification of baptism and the strengthening of baptismal grace.

History of Confirmation (1290)

St. Cyprian talked about a “double sacrament” since it comprised one single celebration with baptism.  In the West it was felt that the completion of baptism should be reserved to the bishop so the sacrament was separated from its roots.

Signs of Confirmation

The sign of anointing signifies a spiritual sealing.  Oil can be cleansing, limbering, healing, and brings radiance and beauty.  Anointing with chrism is a sign of consecration.  The confirmands are sealed with the Holy Spirit  much as Jesus was sealed with his Father’s seal. 

Celebration of Confirmation

By extending his hands over the whole group, the bishop signifies the descent of the gift of the Spirit.  The essential rite is the anointing with chrism on the forehead which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.   The bishop consecrates chrism for his whole diocese.

When celebrated separately from baptism it begins with the renewal of baptismal promises.  And adult who is baptized is immediately confirmed.

The effects of Confirmation (1302-1305)

1. Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

2. Increase of baptismal grace

3. It imprints an indelible spiritual mark

4. The power to profess faith in Christ publicly

Who can Receive the Sacrament?

Every baptized unconfirmed person should complete Christian initiation by being confirmed.  Western tradition says that the candidate should be above the age of discretion, but in danger of death children should be confirmed.

Although called the Sacrament of Maturity, it shouldn’t be confused with physical adulthood.  Baptismal grace is God’s free and unmerited gift and so does not need confirmation to ratify that grace to become effective.

The candidate must be in the state of grace.  One should prepare by receiving the sacrament of Penance.  The candidate seeks the help of a sponsor, appropriately the who was the baptismal godparent.

The Minister of Confirmation

The original minister is the bishop, and with the fullness of priesthood he shows the unity of the church in time and space.  In danger of death any priest can confirm.  A pastor is deputed to confirm when an adult is baptized.