ST. MARY OF THE PINES

The Sacrament of Confirmation, along with Baptism and Eucharist, is one of the three sacraments of initiation. At Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens the baptized Christian and endows her or him with gifts to enable us to carry out our mission to be Christ in the world and to continue building God’s kingdom. To be fully a member of the Catholic Church, one needs to be baptized, confirmed and receive First Communion (Eucharist).

Although Confirmation is sometimes called the “sacrament of Christian maturity,” we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth. God imparts grace on us to make us bolder, despite our age or intellect.

The essential rite of the sacrament is conferred through anointing with chrism on the forehead and the words: “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The sign of peace follows the anointing. Often the sacrament is conferred upon teenagers, although some receive it closer to their baptismal age. A bishop usually confers the sacrament. Those receiving the sacrament often take a “confirmation name,” although there is no requirement to do so. A “sponsor” promises to guide the young person in faith much like the “godparent” they had at Baptism.

The debate within the church about this sacrament is reflected in the variety of ages suggested for its celebration. In some places, the church confirms infants when they are baptized. In other cultures, confirmation may come at the same time as first communion. The practice in much of this country is to confirm during the high school years, letting confirmation come as the mark of a more mature decision for membership in the church where the young person is invited to choose to follow Christ teachings as a Catholic.