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WHEN A YOUNGER CHILD REQUESTS CONFIRMATION

By Brandon Harvey

Author’s note: This article is meant to provide guidance in situations when there is a legitimate request to receive Confirmation younger than the parish norm.

 

Introduction

Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion comprise the Sacraments of Initiation. “The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation” (CCC 1322). Yet, most parishes operate with First Holy Communion received around second grade and Confirmation sometime during the teenage years. There is often a custom in place, and families are aware that by a certain grade Confirmation classes begin. Yet, what should we do when a younger child requests to receive Confirmation? Can we automatically send them away until they are nearer the age as everyone else? No, we cannot.

 

The Age of Confirmation

First, we need to be clear that Confirmation is not a mature affirmation of the faith (CLICK HERE for details). That is not a Catholic idea but something more common to the Lutheran and Methodist theologies. You will not find it in the Catechism or Church Documents.

When I was in my twenties, my wife and I would travel to join a Melkite Catholic Mission for Sunday Divine Liturgy (Mass). It was Catholic but a beautiful and mysterious side of the Church that was new to us. These Catholics, Eastern Rite Catholics, assembled early for one particular Sunday as the Patriarch was visiting and celebrating a Baptism. To my surprise, it was not merely Baptism but all three Sacraments of Initiation that were given to this infant. Giving Confirmation to this infant was not only their tradition since ancient times but also approved by the Church; it was Catholic (CCC 1318, Eastern Canon Law 695).

I never transferred canonical status to be an Eastern Catholic; I am still a Roman Rite Catholic. In our Code of Canon Law, it stipulates that a child in danger of death is to be Baptized and Confirmed (Canon Law 891). There are even several dioceses within the United States that administer Confirmation around second grade in order for the sacraments to be received in their ideal order. This means that Confirmation, to be truly Catholic, cannot be falsely associated with a rite of passage into maturity/young adulthood.

Outside the situations of being an Eastern Catholic, in danger of death, or belonging to one of these dioceses that confirms younger children, what is the minimum age and basic requirements for being Confirmed? The Code of Canon Law, linked above, offers the following:

  1. They must be Baptized.
  2. Be at least at the age of reason: 7 years old.
  3. Properly disposed and instructed on Confirmation.
  4. Able “to renew the baptismal promises.”

We may be tricked into asking ourselves, “How can a seven-year-old truly understand the meaning of Confirmation?” When we are tempted to ask such a question, we should ask another: “Is Confirmation more complicated than the Church’s teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the faith?”

 

What about the diocesan age for Confirmation?

To be fair, the Code of Canon Law does stipulate some ability for a bishop(s) to determine an age for the reception of Confirmation (Can. 891). I am no expert in Canon Law (not at all!) so I will not comment on the exact nature of that ability.

Local churches can seek clarification from Rome on issues of uncertainty; this is called the submission of a Dubium (CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE). The Vatican will often respond in a very short and to the point response. A response was offered in 1999 to a Dubium seeking clarification on what to do when a younger child requests Confirmation prior to the normative practice of a diocese. This response was not short, as was normative, but rather Rome saw “it necessary to respond in some detail” (CLICK HERE to read it). Here is a lengthy quote from the clarification:

In regard to Your Excellency’s second point, while it is clear that the Diocesan Policy is within the right inherent in the law in light of the complementary legislation for the Conference of Bishops to which you belong for can. 891, it is also clear that any such complementary legislation must always be interpreted in accord with the general norm of law. As has been stated before, the Code of Canon Law legislates that Sacred Ministers may not deny the Sacraments to those who opportunely ask for them, are properly disposed and are not prohibited by law from receiving them (cf. can. 843 §1). Since it has been demonstrated that the girl possesses these requisite qualities, any other considerations, even those contained in the Diocesan Policy, need to be understood in subordination to the general norms governing the reception of the Sacraments.

The Congregation considers it useful to point out that it is the role of the parents as the primary educators of their children and then of the Sacred Pastors to see that candidates for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation are properly instructed to receive the Sacrament and come to it at the opportune time (cf. can. 890). Consequently, when a member of the faithful wishes to receive this Sacrament, even though not satisfying one or more elements of the local legislation (e.g., being younger than the designated age for administration of the Sacrament), those elements must give way to the fundamental right of the faithful to receive the Sacraments. Indeed, the longer the conferral of the Sacrament is delayed after the age of reason, the greater will be the number of candidates who are prepared for its reception but are deprived of its grace for a considerable period of time.

In conclusion, this Congregation for Divine Worship must insist, given the concrete circumstances of the case under consideration, that the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation be extended to the girl as soon as is conveniently possible.

It is clear that we do not have the ability to turn away a legitimate request from a seven, nine or eleven year old for the reception of Confirmation simply because they are younger than the routine of our parish or diocese. There are deeper questions to be asked. For starters, what then should we do if we receive such a legitimate request?

 

Responding to the Request

Parents and children in this situation should be affirmed for their faithfulness and Holy Spirit-filled zeal. A smile and tone of affirmation is a must, even if we do not yet fully understand the situation. We then must be sure they are already Baptized and of the minimum age or higher. At some point, the pastor must get involved in the conversation. Creatively we, or the pastor, need to ask the kind of questions that help us to know of their ability to renew their baptismal promises:

  • Who is our Heavenly Father?
  • Who is Jesus?
  • Who is the Holy Spirit?
  • What is sin?
  • What are some examples of sins?
  • What does it mean to be sorry for our sins?
  • What does it mean to believe in God?
  • What does it mean to love God?
  • What is the Church?

This can be done in an interview, during class, or through another means. We must also provide the opportunity for the child to learn about Confirmation, or assist the parents in their ministry to teach the meaning of Confirmation to their child, and then later see if the child can answer these questions for the pastor or his delegate:

  • What sacrament are you requesting?
  • What is Confirmation?
  • Why do you want to be Confirmed?

Although some or all of this may be done by the pastor, the rest is for the pastor to oversee as we accompany them as their advocate throughout the process. Additionally, we can assist the child after Confirmation by giving them opportunities to continue to learn about their faith and to live it out by sharing it with others. It is important throughout the process, when speaking with the family or other parishioners, that we do not treat this child as odd but rather as Catholic and a part of our parish family.

 

The image was made available via Wikimedia commons.

Read all posts by Brandon Harvey Filed Under: Featured, Sacraments Tagged With: Brandon Harvey, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Confirmation, religious education, sacramental preparation

Preparing Students for Last Judgment

By RobynLee

In my confirmation class, I like to tell the kids stories to help them remember the truths they are learning.

When we learn about the Eucharist I tell them the story of St. Tarcisius and ask, “why would this young man die for Jesus if he was just carrying a piece of bread?”

When we talk about God the Father, I do a dramatic telling of the prodigal son to portray how much God loves each of us.

When I teach the students about final judgment I show a picture of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment. There are many exciting symbols and messages that you can point out to your students in this vibrant work of art. Last_Judgment

Then when I talk about particular judgment I tell them a story that goes like this …

There was a young man in his twenties who had to care for his younger brothers and sisters because his parents had passed away.

This young man was always concerned about money and how he would feed his siblings.

One day he met a man who told him he could easily fix all his problems. The man was a thief and was planning a bank robbery. He had all the plans worked out, but he needed a get-away driver.

The young man was torn, he knew it was wrong, but because of his brothers and sisters he decided to help.

On the day of the robbery something went very wrong. The thief got into the get-away car with no money, but blood all over his hands. He had shot and killed a security guard.

Afraid of what would happen, the young man fled the state. He boarded a train going anywhere.

The young man, so filled with anguish and guilt, hadn’t even noticed that there was an older gentleman sitting next to him on the train.

The older gentleman softly asked, “son, what is troubling you?”

Knowing that the young man would never see this gentleman again, he decided to tell him the entire story.

The older gentleman listened with compassion. He then told the young man to get off at the next stop, turn himself in and tell the authorities the entire truth, just as he had told him. He gave the young man an encouraging look and told him to have faith that the judge would have mercy on him.

Although the young man was afraid, he got off at the next stop and turned himself in.

The young man went to jail and awaited his trial.

On the day of his trial, he was brought into the courtroom to talk with the judge. When he walked into the courtroom he saw that the judge was the old man on the train!

The point of this story is to show that at the end of our life we will be judged, but we have the opportunity to befriend the judge.

I encourage you to share this story in your catechism classes. You can adjust the details based on the age group.

I tried searching the web for a source for this story, but I couldn’t find one. If you know where this story originally came from, would you let me know? Also, let me know if I am missing any details. Feel free to fill them in.

What other stories do you have in your catechetical toolbox? What stories resonate best with little ones, teens or adults?

Read all posts by RobynLee Filed Under: Catechetics Tagged With: catechetical toolbox, Confirmation, Last Judgment, Particular Judgment, stories of the saints

Post Pentecost – Recalling the Effects of Confirmation

By Pat Gohn

There’s a timely reminder in the Catechism of the Catholic Church for this “time” in the liturgical calendar – smack dab between Pentecost and Ordinary Time. And it is this: Pentecost should remind us of our Confirmation!

CCC 1302 states:

It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

I grew up in a Catholic home and went to a parochial grade school. It was taken for granted that I would be confirmed. But, despite its importance, Confirmation being a sacrament and all, I was slow to understand its significance in my life. Hindsight, so the saying goes, is 20/20.

If I am perfectly honest, as I look back on my Confirmation at the age of 12, I can say that that I was formed in one thing: being able to stand up for the faith. Not that I completely knew what my faith taught, mind you, but I knew I was responsible to stand up for it. I didn’t question it. I was immature, and I likened my ideas about Confirmation to a kind of “patriotism”… I was a Catholic and it was my honor to live by and defend the laws of the Church, just like I was an American pledging allegiance to the flag.

Actually, my feelings about the sacrament were almost irrelevant. Yet, despite how I would “feel” about my Confirmation, the “effects” of the Sacrament are still the same… the Holy Spirit was poured out upon me. The Sacrament “took” as long as I was properly prepared for it, and the Bishop acted appropriately as to the Rite.

I just did not appreciate my Confirmation until later.

Two years following my Confirmation, the Lord led me to a youth prayer group. Actually, the Lord led my mother to lead me to a prayer group. It seems they needed a musician to help lead the worship, and I had just enough guitar ego in me to oblige. But despite my less-than-noble reasons for serving, that prayer group was where I really started to “live it” – meaning that my faith became “not for Sundays only.”
As I look back, I began a wonderful journey of faith in my teen years, thanks to the grace of God. The grace of Confirmation began to kick in. Little did I know that I was beginning to cooperate with that grace.

CCC 1303 states that our Confirmation brings about five effects, the first of which is that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit increases and deepens our baptismal grace. Confirmation “roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, “Abba! Father!””
When I was a teenager, I began to understand my identity as a baptized Catholic was that of a child of God. That’s what divine filiation is—to be made part of God’s family.

St. Paul writes in Romans 8:14-17:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Secondly, it follows that CCC 1303 states that Confirmation “unites us more firmly to Christ.” To my tender teenage heart, this was the idea of falling in love with Christ. As if I could really make a return to Christ for all he had done for me. But, truly, that unity with Christ was and is far more dependent on Christ’s gift to me, than my gift to him. And yet, he loves me all the same!

God is determined to give mere mortals the means to live for him. Therefore, we see the third effect of Confirmation being that it “increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us.” The more open we are to the Holy Spirit, the more we can respond to Christ. In other words, our moral life is sustained by the Holy Spirit’s gifts that make us docile and teachable and obedient to God’s will. (Cf. CCC 1830.)

CCC 1303 teaches that Confirmation delivers a fourth effect: it “renders our bond with the Church more perfect”. The Bishop, who administers the Rite of Confirmation, shows us that bond. Where the Bishop is, there the Church is, to paraphrase St. Ignatius of Antioch in the second century. His holy office is our apostolic witness, our tie to the foundations of our faith dating back past Ignatius to the time of Christ and his apostles. As Jesus sent his apostles, so he sends us… and we are to be sent in unity with the Body of Christ, which is the Church.

Not only that, CCC 1303 continues, Confirmation gives us “a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross. This is the Truth that we are called to stand up for and defend, and we already have been given the grace to do it. This is the special charism of Confirmation.

And what is it that we have truly received? In CCC 1303, St. Ambrose, a Doctor of the Church from the fourth century, spells out the fifth and most challenging effect of our Confirmation:

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God’s presence.

Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.

As confirmed Catholics, there is no shirking of the duties and responsibilities inherent in this calling. There may be ignoring of it, and, even a rejecting of it. But we cannot remove this Confirmation that is upon us, once it is imposed.

So much so, that that CCC 1304 reminds us:

Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the “character,” which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness.

Did that last line sound familiar? These were some of the parting words of Jesus to his disciples, just prior to his Ascension into heaven.

Luke 24:48-49:

You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.

And you remember what that Power was now, don’t you? The Holy Spirit at Pentecost!

©2009 Patricia W. Gohn

Read all posts by Pat Gohn Filed Under: General, Sacraments Tagged With: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Confirmation, Pat Gohn

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