NEW HORIZONS CONFIRMATION: THE  SACRAMENT OF  THE HOLY  SPIRIT

On Tuesday, October 5 our parish will have our  second class on the sacraments.  The second class will cover the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Therefore this article covers the  meaning of Confirmation.  This  is the second article in my series  about each of the seven sacraments.   In the early  church the only minister of baptism  and Eucharist  was  the bishop.    In these early centuries initiation  into the  Church took place through the reception of baptism  and Eucharist.  

The rite of Confirmation did not yet exist. Beginning in the  third century in  various eastern churches such  as  Jerusalem, Constantinople, and Alexandria, and in the western  churches of Rome and  Carthage there  were  various actions  performed by the  presiding bishop after baptism.  

Among these  actions was anointing with perfumed oil.  In the  first centuries there was no consensus  as to when  the Holy Spirit  was received in  Baptism. In the early 4th  Century Christianity became the official religion of  the Roman  Empire.  This growth in the number of those who desired to be baptized  led the Church to empower priests to both  baptize  and celebrate Eucharist.  

The ministry of  priests met  this new need especially in  rural areas of the Empire.  In the  5th  Century, Baptism was beginning to change from  a sacrament  for adults to a sacrament for infants.  This further increased the need for priests to baptize.  While priests were able to baptize the final anointing of the rite of baptism  was reserved for the bishop.      

This final rite was first called consignation and was an anointing with chrism in the sign of the cross.  This is the beginning  of what has become the sacrament of  Confirmation.  In  the west, the separated rite  for  the completion of Christian initiation was designated by a  variety of terms: signing, consignation, anointing, perfection, consummation, and blessing.  Usually the rite itself was a consignation  or anointing  with chrism in the sign of the cross.  

The name  “confirmation” was first used by the French councils of  Riez and Orange in 439 and 441, which gave priests permission  to anoint the children they baptized with  consecrated chrism,  and instructed bishops to  visit the rural areas of their dioceses  regularly in  order to  confirm baptisms celebrated by priests.    

 Most parents did not take their children to the bishop to be confirmed.  Bishop Faustus of Riez in 460 attempted to convince  individuals to take their children to  the bishop by giving a Pentecost sermon in which he said that Confirmation made those who  received it more fully Christians.  

Around the year 600 for the most part Christian initiation was carried out by local priests who baptized, anointed, and gave communion to children each year during the Easter Vigil. Between the 9th  and  13th  centuries episcopal confirmation was extended through  most of  the countries of Europe and became the accepted practice.

 In 1274 the  Second Council of Lyons named  Confirmation among the seven  sacraments of the Catholic Church. In the 13th  Century Aquinas said  the effect of  Confirmation was a power of  spiritual  growth.  Graces of confirmation  were strength in  spiritual combat and boldness in professing the faith. Confirmation has had the  same meaning from the 13th  Century until the Second  Vatican Council.  The Second  Vatican Council  placed a new focus on the role  of Confirmation in Christian initiation.  

Confirmation was now seen as the bridge between baptism and Eucharist.    In a series of audiences that the  Pope gave on the sacraments he said about Confirmation that it brings an increase  and deepening of baptismal grace.  This deepening of baptismal grace includes the strength  to spread and defend the faith.  The Pope also spoke about how  those who are confirmed received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Finally the Pope  spoke about how Christ makes himself active in the lives of  the  confirmed.  The Pope invited all  of the confirmed to give thanks for this sacrament.  May we follow the Pope’s invitation.