1	Confirmation What is it? What does it do for us?
2	What is confirmation? Completes Baptism (CCC1285) Confirmation is necessary to complete the baptismal grace. "By Confirmation, the baptized are more bound to the Church, enriched by a special strength of the Spirit, and more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith" (Second Vatican Council).
3	Gifts of the Holy Spirit They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These seven gifts, part of sanctifying grace, complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them.
4	History of Confirmation Joined Or Separated? (1290) Originally, Baptism and Confirmation were given together (called the "double sacrament" by St. Cyprian). However, due to increased infant Baptisms and the growth of dioceses, the West deferred Confirmation so the bishop could be present. The East has kept the sacraments united. When the priest confirms, he must use the "myron" (chrism) consecrated by a bishop. Double Anointing (1291) In the West, St. Hippolytus (Apostolic Traditions) recorded a "double anointing" immediately after Baptism - the first by a priest and the second by the bishop. This facilitated the present practice of a double anointing (in which the priest anoints the believer after Baptism and the bishop anoints again at Confirmation). In adult Baptism, there is only one anointing, the sacrament of Confirmation.
5	History and practice Different Stress (1292) The Eastern practice stresses the unity of Christian initiation. The Western practice expresses the communion of the believer with the bishop (the guarantor of apostolic unity).
6	History A. The Early Church – The First 300 Years • In the Early Church, one Rite existed by which a person was initiated into the Church. This Rite included what we consider to be the three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation,and Eucharist. Reception occurred in that order in the ceremony. The Presider was the Bishop and the Rite included: . Profession of faith Immersion in water Anointing with oil Clothing with a white garment Laying on of hands Calling down of the Holy Spirit Reception of Eucharist Reception occurred at Easter Vigil Service. Preparation took two to three years, and this is the basis of today’s RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).
7	History C. By the 5 th Century • Infant baptism became the norm, with the reception of Eucharist following immediately. Bishop later presided over rite which included: . Laying on of hands. Anointing with oil. This resulted in the order of reception being Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. 1200’s – 4 th Lateran Council (1215 AD) • The order remained this way (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) until during the 4 th Lateran Council the age of receiving First Eucharist was moved to between 7-15 years old. This restored the reception of the sacraments of Initiation to their original order of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
8	History F. 18 th – 19 th Centuries • Confirmation was delayed until after reception of First Eucharist. This resulted in more emphasis being placed upon the need to understand the truths of the Catholic Faith before being confirmed. Thus, Confirmation was more readily understood as a sacrament in which one accepts and takes on the responsibility of living out the mission of Jesus and the Church, to spread the Good News of God’s Kingdom. The Rite of Confirmation today looks back to earliest understanding of its connection with the other two Sacraments of Initiation: . Confirmation is celebrated within the Eucharist. The candidate renews baptismal promises and receives Eucharist.
9	The Rite Usually administered by the Bishop Imposition of hands Laying On Of Hands (1288) The apostles, at Samaria, laid hands so that the newly baptized would receive the Holy Spirit as a completion of the baptismal gift. "Peter and John... prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 8:15). "Baptism and the laying on of hands" are the first elements of Christian instruction (Heb 6:2). "This imposition of hands (which perpetuates the grace of Pentecost) is rightly recognized as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation" (Pope Paul VI). Anointing with Chrism On forehead “Be sealed with the Holy Spirit” Chrism (1289) Later, perfumed oil (chrism) was added to signify the Spirit's anointing. The word "Christian" means "anointed" (deriving from the title "Christ" meaning "the Anointed One"). The word "Confirmation" suggests a ratification of Baptism. In Eastern Churches, the sacrament is called "Chrismation."
10	The minister of confirmation The Ordinary minister is the Bishop A Bishop validly confirms even outside his diocese A pastor validly confirms with the permission of the Bishop
11	The effects of Confirmation It brings an increase in the grace given at Baptism. Completes Baptism It gives an indelible spiritual mark, which is characterized by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When else does this happen? It strengthens the Christian to profess the faith in an open manner. Become a “soldier for Christ” – origin of the slap at time of confirmation
12	Confirmation in the Bible Acts 8:14-17 - the people of Samaria were baptized in Christ, but did not receive the fullness of the Spirit until they were confirmed by the elders. Heb. 6:2 - Paul gives instruction to the Hebrews about the laying on of hands, in reference to confirmation, not ordination. The early Church laid hands upon the confirmandi to administer the sacrament of confirmation.
13	Confirmation in the Bible Rev. 9:4 - the locusts could not harm those with the seal of God upon their foreheads. See also Rev. 14:1 and 22:4. John 6:27 - Jesus says the Father has set His seal on Him. As the Father sets His seal on Jesus, so Jesus sets His seal on us on the sacrament of baptism, and later, in the sacrament of confirmation.
14	Confirmation in the Tradition "They who are baptized must after Baptism be anointed with the heavenly chrism, and be partakers of the Kingdom of Christ." Council of Laodicea, Canon 48 (A.D. 343-381) . "But beware of supposing this to be plait ointment. For as the Bread of the Eucharist. after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is mere bread no longer, but the Body of Christ, so also this holy ointment is no more simple ointment, nor so to say common, after invocation, but it is Christ's gift of grace, and, by the advent of the Holy Ghost, is made fit to impart His Divine Nature. Which ointment is symbolically applied to thy forehead and thy other senses; and while thy body is anointed with the visible ointment, thy soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit." Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (On Chrism), 21:3 (A.D. 350) .
15	Confirmation in the Tradition "And then remember that you received the seal of the Spirit; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the spirit of holy fear, and preserved what you received. God the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in your heart, as you have learned in the lesson from the Apostle." Ambrose, On the Mysteries, 7:42 (A.D. 391) .