By DON FIER
The effects and actions produced by worthy reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation, as has unfolded before our eyes over the past two months of this series, are magnificent to behold in Christian souls who cooperate with the plentiful graces, virtues, and gifts that it confers.
Archbishop Luis M. Martinez expresses its efficacy beautifully in his work on the Holy Spirit entitled The Sanctifier: “There is an admirable and very rich cortege that accompanies grace, namely, the infused virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Having these, we have everything necessary to live the Christian life on this earth and to be eternally happy in heaven” (p. 234).
When these abiding habits mature, are perfected, and are put into practice, they produce spiritual operations or fruits: “acts of virtue, acts of love, communications with God” (ibid., p. 235).
The seven gifts and twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit, as we saw last week, are not to be confused with each another. Metaphorically speaking, they differ as fruit from the plant or tree on which it grows, or as a stream of water from its source; in other words, they differ as the effect from its cause. The charity, patience, chastity, etc., which St. Paul speaks of in his Letter to the Galatians (see Gal. 5:22-23) are not virtues or gifts in themselves, but supernatural acts or works that flow from the infused virtues and gifts operating within us.
Moreover, they are acts that are performed with ease and pleasure, for as St. Thomas Aquinas says, “Fruits are virtuous deeds in which one delights” (Summa Theologiae I-II [STh], Q. 70, art. 2). They are a foretaste of Heaven.
Having completed its treatment of the manifold effects of Confirmation, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) now concludes its catechesis on the sacrament by examining the teaching of the Church regarding its minister and recipients.
First, in answer to the question, “Who can receive the sacrament?” the Catechism answers: “Every baptized person not yet confirmed can and should receive the sacrament of Confirmation” (CCC, n. 1306; cf. 1983 Code of Canon Law [CIC], canon 889 § 1). Furthermore, the Code reinforces its importance by stating that “the faithful are obliged to receive this sacrament at the proper time” (CIC, canon 890).
Confirmation, as is the case for the other sacraments, can only be received by one who has already been baptized. Furthermore, like Baptism and Holy Orders, it is a sacrament that can be received once and only once — an indelible seal is imprinted upon the soul which remains forever. Along with the Eucharist, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and in most cases Anointing of the Sick (exceptions exist which will be identified when this sacrament is discussed), Confirmation is a sacrament of the living (i.e., the state of grace is required for it to be fruitfully received).
What happens if a person receives Confirmation in the state of grave sin? Providing that proper matter, form, and intention are present, the sacrament is validly but illicitly received. In other words, the person is really confirmed, but does not obtain the graces associated with the sacrament until the state of sanctifying grace is recovered. Moreover, a person who knowingly receives Confirmation in the state of mortal sin commits the additional grave sin of sacrilege.
However, in His great love and mercy, God provides a remedy. If the person subsequently makes a good Confession, repents, and receives absolution, sanctifying grace is restored to his soul and the sacramental grace of Confirmation that was received validly but unworthily is unblocked.
The importance of Confirmation is emphasized in various ways in Church teaching. First of all, while admitting that “Baptism is certainly valid and efficacious [without Confirmation and the Eucharist],” the Catechism goes on to state that “Christian initiation remains incomplete” (CCC, n. 1306).
Citing the Angelic Doctor, Fr. Paul Haffner points out that “while Baptism is necessary in the sense that there is no salvation without it, Confirmation is necessary for the perfection of salvation. Those who omit the sacrament of Confirmation out of contempt put their salvation at risk (cf. STh III, Q. 72, art. 1)” (The Sacramental Mystery [TSM], p. 85).
Second, even though “the age of discretion” has been the Latin Church’s reference point as the appropriate age for reception of Confirmation, she highlights the salvific importance of the sacrament by specifying that “in danger of death children should be confirmed even if they have not yet attained the age of discretion” (cf. CIC, canons 890; 883, 3; CCC, n. 1307).
Third, although not a strict requirement, the Church recommends that a man and woman entering into the Sacrament of Matrimony be confirmed (cf. CIC, canon 1065 § 1) and requires Confirmation for lawful conferral of the Sacrament of Holy Orders (cf. CIC, canon 1033). Its salvific importance in the eyes of the Church is further underscored in that she permits any priest to confirm a baptized Christian who is in danger of death and has not received the sacrament (cf. CCC, n. 1314).
Confirmation is sometimes referred to as “the sacrament of Christian maturity.” However, with regard to the age at which one should be confirmed, the Catechism cautions that “we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth” (CCC, n. 1308). St. Thomas affirms that “the age of the body does not affect the soul. Consequently even in childhood man can attain to the perfection of spiritual age.” He goes on to state that “many children, by reason of the strength of the Holy Ghost which they had received, fought bravely for Christ even to the shedding of their blood” (STh III, Q. 72, art. 8, ad 2).
It has been a common pastoral practice in many dioceses of the Western Church to delay Confirmation until the teenage years. A principal motivation is that this provides a way to keep young people involved in their faith throughout the adolescent years and active with ongoing catechesis.
However, as stated by Archbishop Samuel Aquila in an article entitled “Confirmation as a Sacrament of Initiation” (originally given as the 2011 Hillenbrand Distinguished Lecture), many United States bishops “have in recent years restored the administration of the sacraments of initiation to their ancient order of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion.”
Archbishop Aquila noted that “spiritual maturity cannot be identified with biological maturity and children do have the spiritual maturity necessary to receive Confirmation, just as they have the spiritual maturity to receive the Eucharist at the age of reason. If they are mature enough to receive the Eucharist, the crown of the sacraments, are they not mature enough to receive a sacrament that is ordered to it?”
Moreover, as stated by Fr. Haffner, “it seems appropriate that Confirmation be administered before the onslaught of the teenage years so that the young person may have the grace to face the challenges which these years bring” (TSM, p. 83).
The Catechism goes on to emphasize the importance of proper preparation, that “catechesis for Confirmation should strive to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church as well as the parish community” (CCC, n. 1309).
It highlights the necessity of being in the state of grace for worthy reception by teaching that “one should receive the sacrament of Penance in order to be cleansed for the gift of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, n. 1310). To stress the unity of Baptism and Confirmation, the Church recommends that “it is desirable to choose as sponsor the one who undertook the same function in baptism” (CIC, canon 893 § 2).
Reserved To Bishops
In addressing the minister of Confirmation, the Catechism first states that “the original minister of Confirmation is the bishop” (cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 26; CCC, n. 1312). Biblical evidence often cited to demonstrate this comes from an event in the Acts of the Apostles: In the early Church, a group in Samaria who were baptized by the deacon Philip were later confirmed by Saints Peter and John (see Acts 8:12-17).
St. Thomas avows the fittingness of bishops (as successors to the apostles and possessors of the fullness of Sacrament of Holy Orders) as the ordinary minister of Confirmation by stating that the “sacrament of Confirmation is, as it were, the final completion of the sacrament of Baptism. . . . By the sacrament of Confirmation, like a house already built, [man] is consecrated as a temple of the Holy Ghost. . . . Therefore, the conferring of this sacrament is reserved to bishops, who possess supreme power in the Church” (STh III, Q. 72, art. 11).
As was discussed earlier in this series (see volume 149, n. 4; January 28, 2016), since the fourth century the Eastern Church has adopted the general practice that the parish priest administers Confirmation (and the Eucharist) at the time of Baptism during infancy. Apostolic unity continues to be expressed in that the sacred chrism that is used must be consecrated by the patriarch or the bishop.
“In the Latin Rite, the ordinary minister of Confirmation is the bishop” (cf. CIC, canon 882; CCC, n. 1313). However, as specified in canon law, the bishop may grant the faculty to administer Confirmation to priests in special circumstances (see CIC, canon 884 § 2).
Many of us witnessed such a circumstance recently as catechumens were brought into the Church during the Holy Saturday liturgy and received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist from the parish pastor.
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(Don Fier serves on the board of directors for The Catholic Servant, a Minneapolis-based monthly publication. He and his wife are the parents of seven children. Fier is a 2009 graduate of Ave Maria University’s Institute for Pastoral Theology. He is doing research for writing a definitive biography of Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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