Resource from Peggy Clores’ OLM Adult Formation Team
If Baptism might be your greatest day on earth, then where does the day you made your Confirmation lie? One could argue that the day of your Confirmation is even greater. This sacrament is not appreciated as it should be.
For the catechumen receiving the sacraments of Baptism and then Confirmation at the Easter Vigil, it is clearly the greatest day and the most important day.
What have Popes said about Confirmation?
Pope Francis calls Confirmation the “sacrament of witness” as opposed to the “sacrament of goodbye”. He encourages young people to see Confirmation as their own beginning into active participation in the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI said that Confirmation is crucial because it deepens and strengthens the graces received at Baptism.
Pope St. John Paul II urged the faithful to live out their Confirmation in their daily lives. Confirmation is a source of spiritual strength and a call to mission.
Pope St. Paul VI said that the sacrament of Confirmation completes and perfects the grace of Baptism. Most do make confirmation as a young adult apart from their baptism but more and more are making it later in life.
One of our popes had written:
“If there was ever a time when the Sacrament of Confirmation needed to be explained carefully, that time is now. All too many members of the Church neglect it altogether; and those who have received it or plan to receive it, see it as something minor in their lives. There is need then for instructions on the nature, power and dignity of this sacrament. Far from being neglected or received in some perfunctory way, Confirmation must be restored to the reverence and devotion it deserves.” This comes from Pope St. Pius V in a Roman Catechism written in 1566.
Confirmation FAQs
How important is Confirmation?
St. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, wrote about Confirmation. The sacrament is essential for completing the grace received at Baptism. It bestows a special strength of the Holy Spirit. It is empowerment. It is uniquely important and that is why this sacrament is primarily administered by our bishops.
Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Promises
Before the calling of the Holy Spirit and anointing of the candidates, we have the reaffirmation of the baptismal promises. All of those in attendance watch them state for themselves what they could not at baptism. They declare before the Church and before God who they are. You make a promise against what you are against: Satan and all of his empty promises. You make the promise that you believe in God. Translation: your life is not about you. Beyond the increasing obligations we have to our parents, families and community, there is a commitment to God. You surrender to God’s purposes and find joy in that. You believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son, our Lord. Focus on the word, Lord. Are we not beholden to someone or something? And on the surface, it might seem all positive – country, work, grades. To say that Jesus is Lord is to say that no one or nothing else is Lord.
Many of the first Christians were regarded as being revolutionary and were killed for doing that. I believe in the Holy Spirit. The spirit is the love connecting the Father and the Son. The love that God is. I will spend my life increasing my capacity to love. I can participate in divinity when I make this part of my life. I believe in the Holy Catholic Church. You’re a full member and a permanent one at that. You are now part of how Jesus will accomplish His work. You cannot opt out as Confirmation represents a lifelong commitment. It is terribly misunderstood how remarkable and beautiful that this sacrament is.
It is a character sacrament.
Chrism is placed on the forehead in the sign of the cross but you are marked in a permanent way. It is not intended to be frightening but a remarkable moment and if there is anything that is overwhelming about it, it should be God’s
love.
Why the laying on of hands?
Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Erick Requadt (The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.)
It is a visible sign of the Holy Spirit being bestowed upon the individual being confirmed. It signifies the passing on of spiritual strength and the grace of the Holy Spirit. This practice goes back to the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles laid their hands on believers to impart the Holy Spirit. The Bishop performing this act reminds us that the confirmand is a part of a broad Church community and continuity of the Church. “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Why chrism?
There is spiritual significance. It is more than just oil – it is olive oil coupled with balsam consecrated by a bishop. It comes from the Greek word, “chrisma” that meaning “anointing”. Once consecrated (consecration refers to a solemn dedication or ritual); chrism is and given that it will be used to anoint, the chrism is used to fully initiate the individual into the life of the Church, empowering the person to live out the faith actively. Using chrism underscores the sacredness of the sacrament and the profound grace it imparts.
Where does the chrism come from?
During the Chrism Mass held on Holy Thursday morning, the bishop consecrates the Sacred Chrism and blesses the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick.
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This article originally appeared on Amazing Catechists on March 12, 2025.