Guidelines for the Sacrament of Confirmation
The Sacrament
1.
“The
sharing in the divine nature which is granted t omen through the grace of Christ
has a certain likeness to the origin, development, and nourishing of natural
life. The faithful are born anew by
Baptism, strengthened by the Sacrament of Confirmation, and finally are
sustained by the food of eternal life in the Eucharist.
By means of these Sacraments of Christian Initiation, they thus receive
in increasing measure, the treasure of divine life and advance toward the
perfection of charity”1.
2.
“Following
the direction of the Second Vatican Council, the aim of the Church’s revision
of the Rite of Confirmation had been that “the intimate connection which this
sacrament has within the whole of Christian Initiation should be more lucidly
set forth.”2. As with
the Rite, so should be the thrust of the candidate’s education and preparation
for this Sacrament.
3.
Radical
changes in family life, in lifestyle, in serious assaults on faith and morals,
and in the circumstances of a Catholic’s everyday life, have sometimes served
to suggest that the Sacrament of Confirmation be identified with spiritual
maturity and a sense of responsibility which should be a sign of that maturity.
And it is indeed true, that the sacramental grace of confirmation gives
the baptized person the strength and spiritual force to become the visible sign
of Christ’s presence in the world, confers on him the mission to witness to,
as well as to transform the world in the Spirit of Christ.
However, care must be taken not to put a false emphasis on Confirmation,
in isolation from the other two Sacraments of Initiation, as the Sacrament of
Christian maturity and commitment. This
approach can promote a confusion and misunderstanding about the Church’s
official teaching that full Christian Initiation (by which one receives the
sacramental and grace filled potential to live fully as a Christian) is an
integral reality in three connected stages (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist)
which cannot be separated as to relationship, even if they are separated
chronologically.
4.
The
postponement of Confirmation until several years after First Communion, as is
customary in many sections of the United States, obscures somewhat, the relation
of the Sacraments of Initiation, in which Confirmation compliments Baptism and
leads to the fullness of the Eucharistic Banquet.
It is all the more important in those circumstances, then, that
Confirmation be celebrated within Mass, so that the complete sequence of
Christian Initiation may be shown: Baptism,
(through the renewal of promises), Confirmation, Eucharist.
5.
With
regard specifically to the age of the recipients of the Sacrament of
Confirmation, the revised Rite fort his Sacrament does not change the discipline
of the Latin or Western Church, which states, “The sacrament of confirmation
is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion unless the
conference of bishops determines another age or there is danger of death or in
the judgment of the minister a grave cause urges otherwise.”3
The NCCB completed a study on the appropriate age for Confirmation in
this country, has voted to allow individual Ordinaries to continue the custom
prevailing in their dioceses. This
has the approval of the Holy See. Obviously,
students who are older need to make other arrangements for preparation of
Confirmation.
Policy
1.
In the
present legislation of the Church, it is especially a Pastor’s obligation to
see that his parishioners receive Confirmation at the opportune time after
proper instruction4. Preparation
for Confirmation is to be regarded as a parish-oriented and parish-directed
program, including catechesis, parent-sponsor education and involvement.
2.
Confirmation
programs should first of all help the candidate develop a more mature
understanding of Catholic Doctrine. In
this regard, he should be instructed in the Catholic faith as expressed in the
Creed, Moral Teaching, Sacramental Life and Prayer of the Church.
The student should also become actively involved in the life of the
community, participating, sharing and contributing as a prospective adult
member. Finally, the candidate
should exhibit a sense of responsibility and spiritual maturity by carrying out
a specific number of service projects during the time of his preparation.
The service project must show evidence of a real service to people.
In designing the service project the communal and social benefits need to
be of primary importance.
3.
A matter
calling for special pastoral attention and sensitivity in the preparation
program is the diversity of religious education backgrounds to be found among
candidates, all the way from a full parochial school education to little or no
formal instruction in the parochial school or Religious Education Program.
The particular needs of some for very fundamental doctrinal instruction
might dictate special provision for them. At
the same time, while it may be assumed that students in the Catholic High School
and those who are home schooled are receiving a good background of basic
religious knowledge, it must be emphasized that preparation for Confirmation
involves more than just knowledge of faith and morals.
Consequently, students attending our Catholic High School and those who
are home schooled are to be involved in the parish Confirmation program on a
regular basis, during the year immediate to the reception of the
Sacrament.
4.
Keeping
in mind what is prescribed above in #5 about the age for Confirmation, it is
recommended that preparation for the Sacrament should be extended over a two
year period, and should be offered to high school age students in both the ninth
and tenth grades, with the Sacrament being conferred usually in the tenth grade.
Recognizing at the same time, however, that due respect and latitude must
be given to the variety of pastoral situations and needs found in different
parts of the Diocese as diverse as Reno (and this had particular reference to
the more rural areas), general exceptions to the prescription on age for
Confirmation may be granted by the Bishop when requested by a Pastor for cause
(e.g., permission for eight graders to be confirmed).
The request should be made before instituting the preparation program.
Whether the program be cyclic (combining ninth and tenth grade students
each year) or designed to handle each grade separately, is a pastoral decision
depending on various factors including resource.
5.
The
preparation program should provide for a specific number of private interviews
with candidates regarding their spiritual growth during the course of study and
service, and days of prayer, or mini-retreats, should be conducted as specified
times (e.g., Advent, Lent, Pentecost).
6.
The
custom of having Confirmandi write a formal letter to the Bishop requesting the
Sacrament is suggested.
7.
Of
special importance in the preparation program is the question of parental
involvement. An information program
for the parents themselves should emphasize the changes that have come about, as
well as the reasons for them, since the time when most of them were prepared for
and received the Sacrament. They
should be given an overview of the program which the students are following,
with an emphasis on their role in helping their sons and daughters achieve the
full potential of the program. Sponsors,
too, should have an information program and not have their involvement limited
to rehearsal (as bare minimum to be advised by mail of an overview of the
program, and the importance and responsibility of being a sponsor).
A good teaching method for parents and sponsors is to invite them to help
in the planning and observance of days of prayer, or mini-retreats.
But while parental involvement in the preparation
program should be greatly urged by pastors, the fact that one or both parents of
an otherwise qualified candidate cannot, or even refuse to participate in the
program, is not a valid or just reason to dismiss the candidate from the
program, to deny or even defer the reception of the Sacrament.
Sponsors
8.
The Rite
directs as the ordinary practice that there be individual sponsors for those
being confirmed5, a direction that is reemphasized in the Code of
Canon Law6, and the practice of single sponsors for a whole class of
candidates is an abuse.
9.
Pastors
must ascertain the spiritual qualifications of sponsors.
The sponsor for any candidate may be male or female, and is to be a
sufficiently mature, practicing Catholic, who has been confirmed and has not
been prohibited by law from exercising the role of sponsor.
The baptismal sponsor is not only allowed, but is, in fact, desired
as the Confirmation sponsor, so as to emphasize the relationship between Baptism
and Confirmation7. A
parent may not act as a sponsor for his or her child8, but may act as
proxy for the absent sponsor.
10.
Experience with individual sponsors shows that occasionally
some are absent. It would be wise,
then, to have sponsors standing in readiness as the Sacrament is being
conferred.
1Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution on the
Sacrament of Confirmation.
2Sacrosanctum Concilim, #71
3Code of Canon Law. Canon Law Society of America, Washington, D.C. 20064.
Canon #891.
4 Code of Canon Law. Canon Law Society of America, Washington, D.C. 20064.
Canon #890.
5Rite of Confirmation, #5
6 Code of Canon Law. Canon Law Society of America, Washington, D.C. 20064.
Canon #892.
7Canon #893,2.