| Introduction On May 15, 2005 Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted
promulgated the new Policy and Guidelines concerning the restoration of
the order of the Sacraments of Initiation in the Diocese of Phoenix. The
chief concluding reason for Bishop Olmsted's initiative for this change
was the full sense of the theological term "mystagogy". Mystagogy, in
the full sense
of aiding our young people's understanding of what they have received
through the Sacraments of Initiation, throughout every stage of life
which includes the stages from infancy and continues throughout grade
school, high school, young adulthood to mature adulthood to live as a
disciple of Christ, a life dedicated to the missionary and apostolic
service of Christ. As the General Directory for Catechesis notes,
initiatory catechesis encompasses more than mere instruction in the
faith, "it is an apprenticeship of the entire Christian life" (GDC #67).
This new policy has effectively changed the age for Confirmation
preparation and reception from 16 years of age (sophomore or junior in
high school), to the ages of students in the third grade. As a result,
the preparation and reception of the Sacraments of Initiation throughout
the Diocese of Phoenix will be: Baptism: in Infancy, Reconciliation:
Second Grade, Confirmation and First Eucharist: Third Grade.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
The following questions and answers are intended to anticipate and
address the questions that may arise from Directors of Catechetical
Ministry, Catechetical Leaders, Directors of Youth Ministry, Catechists,
Core Team Members, Parents and their children who participate in
sacrament preparation. As a catechist or teacher, you may find this
useful for the parents of children in your parish.
1. What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is the second of the three sacraments of Christian
initiation. Confirmation is the completion of Baptism and the sacrament
by which the baptized faithful are anointed with chrism by the laying on
of hands. The grace received is the fullness of the Holy Spirit and his
gifts. We also describe this fullness as the completion, strengthening,
or perfection of the Holy Spirit received in Baptism.
2. What are the Sacraments of Initiation?
The sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are
interrelated and all three are required for full Christian initiation.
The Christian is born anew by Baptism, strengthened by Confirmation, and
receives in the Eucharist the food of eternal life.
3. Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation?
The ordinary minister of Confirmation is the bishop. The bishop may
designate other priests to confirm as well. In addition, pastors who
baptize an adult or child of catechetical age are the ministers of
Confirmation as required by the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
4. Who can receive the Sacrament of Confirmation?
According to our diocesan policy, the normal age for confirmation are
those baptized children in third grade (usually around the age of eight
years old). A candidate for confirmation must be at the age of
discretion, seven years of age or above and must meet the following
requirements:
Be baptized and not previously confirmed
Must be Catholic (children baptized in another church must make
a Profession of Faith)
Must be properly instructed
Must be capable of renewing their Baptismal promises
Must have previously been prepared for and received the
Sacrament of Reconciliation (ordinarily occurs in Second Grade)
Candidates will be prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation and
First Eucharist. Both Sacraments will be celebrated together.
5. Why is the Diocese of Phoenix changing the age of Confirmation?
By placing Confirmation at this age, the Diocese of Phoenix will be
following the natural sequence of the Sacraments of Christian
Initiation: Baptism, Then Confirmation, and then reception of First
Eucharist. Pope Paul VI stated the following:
The sharing in the divine nature given to men through the
grace of Christ bears a certain likeness to the origin, development,
and nourishing of natural life. The faithful are born anew by
Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and received
in the Eucharist the food of eternal life. By means of these
sacraments of Christian initiation, they thus receive in increasing
measure the treasures of the divine life and advance toward the
perfection of charity (CCC 1212).
It should also be noted that this is the sequence followed by RCIA (Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults) which requires that children and
adults in the catechumenate receive all three sacraments together, even
if the children are younger than the age at which the Catholic children
of the parish are routinely confirmed and by the Eastern Catholic
Churches for infants and adults alike (CCC 1232).
In addition, by placing Confirmation prior to the reception of First
Eucharist it makes it easier to view the Eucharist as the "summit" of
Christian initiation (CCC 1233).
Therefore, all baptized persons who have reached the age of reason
should be appropriately prepared and receive the Sacrament of
Confirmation before the reception of the Holy Eucharist.
6. When our children are confirmed prior to First Eucharist, how
are they to make an adult commitment to the Church?
All sacraments are a gift from our Heavenly Father, who desires to
give us His very life, which we call grace. Sacraments are not earned or
merited. For this reason, Confirmation should not be perceived as the
sacrament of adult commitment to the Church. In fact, the Church even
requires priests to confirm infants and children younger than the age of
reason when they are in danger of death so that they may receive the
fullness of the Holy Spirit. An authentic mature commitment to Christ
and the Church is expressed in full participation in the Eucharist and
apostolic life of the Church. It is not achieved at a single moment but
throughout the life-long deepening of our relationship with Christ. This
begins in childhood and continues until death.
7. What is the historical and theological vision for Christian
Initiation?
In the early Church the sacraments of initiation were three: Baptism,
Confirmation & Eucharist. They were celebrated together in a single
rite, with a bishop as presider. This was the practice of the Roman Rite
up until the 5th or 6th century when bishops could no longer be present
at all baptisms, leading to a time of separation between baptism and
confirmation. At first the time of separation was short, but as time
went on, the delay for the bishop to arrive grew. Still the Church
celebrated the sacraments in the order of Baptism, Confirmation &
Eucharist until this century.
In 1910 Pope Pius X recognized that children were not being allowed
First Communion until the age of twelve to fourteen. He felt that such a
denial was contrary to the vision of Jesus who always drew children to
himself. Pius X ordered that children be allowed to come to the table of
the Eucharist as soon as they could distinguish the Eucharist from
ordinary bread. The age was then lowered to around seven. Confirmation
then came after First Eucharist. The reforms of Vatican Council II
called the Church to restore the original order of sacraments. This is
not without challenge and difficulties. Such a change presumes a deep
commitment on the part of the family to nurture the life of the young.
Such a commitment means that parents have a need to understand the
reasons for change & the ways in which they can help their children.
The main reason for restoring the order of the sacraments (i.e.
putting Confirmation before First Communion) is to emphasize that
Eucharist (Communion) is THE sacrament, which celebrates our FULL
membership in the Body of Christ. It is the sacrament of ongoing growth
and the sacrament of unity. The Church tells us that it "culminates" the
initiation process. When it comes last in order, it calls us to renew
that baptismal covenant each time we come to the Table of the Eucharist.
8. What is the Restored Order of the Sacraments?
An increasing number of dioceses and parishes in the United States
are adopting a Restored Order policy for the celebration of the
sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. This means, quite simply, that
it becomes standard policy for Catholics who were baptized in infancy to
receive Confirmation before First Eucharist, not after.
Practically speaking, this means that the two sacraments are received at
the First Eucharist Mass, with Confirmation being celebrated after the
homily.
9. Why do they call it Restored Order?
During the first five hundred years or so of the history of the Roman
Catholic Church (and still today in the Christian churches of the East),
it was always the case that the sacraments of Christian initiation were
celebrated in an invariable sequence: Baptism, Confirmation, and
Eucharist. And it was almost always the case that all three sacraments
were celebrated together at the same time, even with infants.
The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) requires
that children and adults in the catechumenate receive all three
sacraments together, even if the children are younger than the age at
which the Catholic children of the parish are routinely confirmed.
Putting the celebration of Confirmation between Baptism and Eucharist
better expresses its role as the completion of Baptism. As a matter of
fact, the sacrament that is the culmination of a person's Christian
initiation is the Eucharist, not Confirmation.
Theologically, it is the gift of the Holy Spirit given in all its
fullness at Confirmation that best prepares one to receive Eucharist,
and thus to be most fully joined to the Body of Christ. As a result,
this change reflects an emphasis on the belief that everything leads to
the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of our faith.
Following the lead of official documents that were issued by the
Church after the Second Vatican Council, more and more places are
restoring this original order to the celebration of the sacraments of
Christian initiation.
10. What is the Church's stance in linking Confirmation and First
Eucharist?
In article #1275, The Catechism of the Catholic Church
articulates the inseparable nature of the Sacraments of Initiation as
follows: "Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments
together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which
is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple
with Christ's Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ."
11. Why is our parish celebrating Confirmation and First Eucharist
at the same event?
In the early Church, Christian initiation was celebrated together as
a single event. The person was immersed into the waters of Baptism,
anointed with chrism, and shared in the Eucharistic meal. Over time, and
for many reasons, the celebration of these sacramental rituals became
separated from one another. In the renewal of the sacraments mandated by
the Second Vatican Council, the Church was invited to restore the
celebrations of the sacraments of Christian initiation to their original
orderBaptism,
Confirmation, Eucharist. This restored order helps us recognize that
sharing in the Eucharist completes our initiation into the Church.
12. What about age? Doesn't the Church require a certain age for
Confirmation?
Both the Rite of Confirmation and Canon Law (Canon #891) set
the age of discretion (age 7) as the age for Confirmation. Effective
July 2002, the U.S. Conference of Bishops designated the age for
Confirmation to be between the age of discretion and age 16. Within that
range, local bishops may determine their own diocesan policy.
13. Isn't Confirmation a sacrament of maturity that should come
after First Eucharist?
Not really. Confirmation is actually the completion of Baptism (by
the full gift of the Holy Spirit). The perfection of baptismal grace
found in the Sacrament of Confirmation is not dependent upon age or
knowledge of the confirmand. The grace that is conferred is a free gift
and 'does not need ratification to become effective (Cf. CCC 1308). The
common practice of high school reception of Confirmation has given the
impression that somehow the sacrament is merited by virtue of age or
training. In truth, the Sacrament of Confirmation is an effective
vehicle of grace at any age as long as it is validly conferred. Thus,
those that receive the sacrament are able to reap its benefits from the
moment of reception. The graces of this sacrament conferred at a young
age could be of great assistance to young people as they grow toward
adolescence and young adulthood.
Regardless of age, Confirmation is always a Sacrament of Initiation.
The important thing to remember is that sacraments are not about age
alone, they are about growing in faith, about sharing in God's grace. In
the Diocese of Phoenix as of May 15th, 2005 established the reception of
Confirmation and First Eucharist in the Third grade.
14. Is it wrong, then, to be confirmed after receiving Eucharist?
Of course not. The Church has many ways of celebrating the mysteries
of God's love in the sacraments. But because Rome so strongly encourages
restoring the order of celebrating the Sacraments of Christian
Initiation, don't be surprised if more and more communities restore the
original sequenceBaptism,
Confirmation and First Eucharist.
15. I am concerned that if children are now confirmed in the third
grade, they will drop out of religious education later.
Confirmation as been misunderstood and treated as graduation from
learning about the Faith. This is neither the true meaning of the
sacrament nor the intention of the Church. Growth in the understanding
and living out of our faith is the result of a life-long effort. Parents
and siblings have the first responsibility of being an example of Jesus
Christ to each other and living the Gospel each day. Children will stay
in religious education if they see their parents striving to grow in
holiness through family prayer, Scripture reading, Sunday Mass, regular
confession, and living a life of charity. Parents are to keep their
children in religious education programs just as they keep their child
in school until graduation. There will be a heavy emphasis on parent
involvement. It is the parent's responsibility to see that their
children grow in the faith. Our parishes are there to assist in this
process.
16. How can a young child know everything about the faith?
Religious education or catechesis is a life long process. Adult
should regularly study our faith, read the scriptures, participate in
the sacraments, and practice charity. Youth from Kindergarten through
High School are expected to participate in processes of faith formation.
With this in mind, Confirmation preparation is simply an explanation of
the sacrament itself in the context of an active family faith life and
parish catechesis. This is similar to what took place for First
Confession and First Eucharist.
17. What is the role of the parents in the preparation?
Pope John Paul II constantly called for us to help families become a
domestic Church, a place where faith is taught and lived both in word
and in deed. Ever since Vatican II, the Church has considered the
parents to be the primary religious educators of their children. It is
also our hope that as parents work with their children, they, too, will
seek to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation if they are not,
themselves, confirmed. The grace of this Sacrament, and the gifts of the
Holy Spirit, can be very helpful to us as adults living in the society
we do. In celebrating the Rite of Baptism of Infants, parents publicly
commit to forming their children in the life of faith. Parents are
addressed:
Parents, you have asked to have your child baptized. In doing
so you are accepting the responsibility of training them in the
practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him/her up to
keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and
neighbor (RB #39).
Implementing this new policy the diocese will support parishes with
resources for parents so that a family may prepare together for the
celebration of their child's Confirmation and First Eucharist.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church also teaches clearly the role of
parents in handing on the gift of our Catholic faith:
Parents have the first responsibility for the education of
their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by
creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity and
disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for
education in the virtues. This requires a apprenticeship in
self-denial, sound judgment and self-mastery
the preconditions of all true freedom (CCC 2223).
Through the grace of the sacrament of marriage, parents receive
the privilege and responsibility of evangelizing their children.
Parents should initiate their children at the early age into the
mysteries of the faith of which they are the "first heralds" for
their children (CCC 2225).
Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the
child's earliest years. This already happens when family members
help one another grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in
keeping with the Gospel. Family catechesis precedes, accompanies and
enriches other forms of instruction in the faith (emphasis added).
Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to
discover their vocation as children of God. The parish is the
Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life of
Christian families; it is a privileged place for the catechesis of
children and parents. (CCC 2226).
18. How will my child be preparing for Confirmation?
In the restored order, Confirmation preparation is integrated into
the preparation for Eucharist. This means that the close connection
between Baptism and Confirmation is emphasized, while recognizing the
important of Eucharist as the culmination of Christian initiation.
19. Will my child be learning about the Holy Spirit?
Naturally, as your child continues to participate in religious
education, he/she will continue to learn more and more about the Holy
Spirit's action in our lives. Your child's Eucharist preparation book
also teaches about the power of the Spirit and the special gifts of the
Spirit. Just as your child was first empowered by the Spirit in Baptism,
your child will continue to grow in the Spirit through the grace of
Confirmation.
20. How will I know if my child is ready for Confirmation?
Readiness for Confirmation cannot be separated from readiness for
Eucharist, and sacramental readiness is never about learning, but about
faith. As your child prepares for Confirmation and Eucharist, here are
three things to keep in mind:
Sacraments are always a beginning. As your child matures in
faith, he/she will grow in his/her understanding of Confirmation and
experience of the Eucharist.
The Eucharist is the culmination of the three Sacraments of
Initiation. Your child is now welcomed as a fully participating
member of the Church.
At any age, completion of the Sacraments of InitiationBaptism,
Confirmation, and Eucharistin
no way signals graduation. Rather it is the beginning of a lifetime
of being nourished at the table of the Lord.
21. What about adults (i.e. parents and / or relatives) who have
not been Confirmed?
Many parents have not completed their Sacraments of Initiation.
Parishes offering a family model could offer parents time for spiritual
growth and renewal and an opportunity for them to complete their
sacramental initiation through the Sacrament of Confirmation. An
intergenerational approach to formation could enliven parishes with the
opportunities for parents to renew their faith. {Also refer to Diocesan
policy for Adult Confirmation}
22. What does a Family Centered / Multi-generational Sacrament of
Initiation Program look like and why is this a good approach to
preparation?
Confirmation is both a celebration of our parish family, and a
celebration of a family that is initiating a child into our faith. This
initiation process would be parish and family centered and
multi-generational in addition to regular catechetical programs. Parents
would attend all sessions with their children and work at home with the
use of a family handbook. Parents would also be encouraged or required
to attend parent meetings held throughout the year.
A family-centered, multi-generation program would speak volumes to
children about the importance of the preparation. Parent's involvement
during sessions provides them a firm foundation for the home
preparation, offers families activities, issues to discuss, and simple
rituals to adapt and model at home. This family sacramental preparation
may be the first occasion of regular contact with the Church since the
child's baptism. It thus could become as much a family "initiation" as
an individual child's.
23. What about families preparing together with children of
different ages?
It is possible for families to work together in preparing for
Confirmation. Children who have made their First Eucharist can wait
until younger children are ready to enter the program then the entire
family can enroll together. For instance, if you have a second grader
and a fifth grader, you could wait a year to enter the Confirmation
program and bring both children in together. The fifth grader would
continue to participate in the regular fifth grade class for religious
education.
24. What impact will this have on the School?
This new policy will, of necessity, cause us to collaborate closely
between our Catholic Schools and the Religious Education programs to
develop a process that will be open to everyone, and involve families
wherever their child's primary religious education takes place. Parents
will be given the central role in preparing their children. The School
and the Religious Education programs will continue to provide supporting
catechesis for the children, but parents will be expected to participate
in classes, which will enrich their own understanding as adults and help
them with their role in preparing their children.
25. How will the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation be
celebrated after the policy is fully implemented?
Once the policy is fully implemented, Confirmation and First
Eucharist will be celebrated together in the same ceremony. Because
Confirmation is reserved in Canon Law to the Bishop, or to those he may
designate, the celebrant for First Eucharist and Confirmation will be
either the Bishop or someone he designates as celebrant. This will be
true once we have moved Confirmation to the third grade.
26. After the transitional period, how do we prepare and implement
a program for young people after third grade (i.e. fourth - twelfth
grade) those who have not received Confirmation, but may have received
First Eucharist?
It is recommended that this be addressed in the same manner we do
today for young people who come to a parish seeking the other Sacraments
of Initiation. If they have already received Baptism and Eucharist,
parishes prepare those seeking Confirmation within a three-year period
bracket program 4-6 grades, 7-9 grades, and 10-12 grades. The period of
preparation is approximately eight sessions. There are many resources
connecting Confirmation to Baptism and First Eucharist. Many resources
are available for all these age ranges.
Parishes with Intergenerational formation or Whole Community
Catechesis, could approach it using multiple resources and use the same
format they use for their parish faith formation.
Parents, who due to extraordinary circumstances cannot assume their
role in preparation of their child for the sacraments, may designate
another adult to fulfill this responsibility. (Discerned in dialogue
with pastor or designate)
27. How will this change impact ministry to teens and our youth
ministry programs?
In the long run, we believe this is a great step for youth ministry.
"Receiving" the sacrament can be used as a carrot or bottom-line
motivation for attendance. Instead of drawing teens by our own creative
efforts and quality ministry, we can easily be tempted to rely on having
a "captive" audience who is required to be present. The problem with
captives is that they may really feel and act like prisoners, as they
are forced to be present at meetings they really do not want to attend.
Also, because the sacrament tends to be the focus and destination,
few teens stay involved once confirmation is celebrated. Instead of
understanding the sacrament of confirmation as a beginning or the
strengthening for a more committed Christian lifestyle, many teens walk
away with a sense of relief that it is all over. As a result, it is
viewed more as a rite of graduation from religious education. The irony
is that confirmation celebrates an initiation into a church from which
many immediately drop out.
Parish based Youth Ministry programs are called to have the mission
of the church as its purpose. They are called to incorporate the
proclamation of the Gospel, through evangelization, growth in holiness
and fullness of faith; and by loving and serving all those in need. Our
youth ministry teams must evangelize, build teens up through formation,
and send them out to minister, thereby help these young disciples,
through the power of the Holy Spirit received in Baptism and
Confirmation, become mature apostles to their peers.
28. Does removing Confirmation from the context of a high school
program miss an opportunity for a much-needed ministry to our youth at a
time when they are looking for recognition and a sense of belonging?
The preparation for the celebration of Confirmation should not be
used simply as a means to an end, however noble. The parish is to
develop a proper youth ministry which attend to the spiritual needs of
our youth and can be based upon a deepening of the sacramental graces
received in the sacraments of Christian initiation. Parents, being the
first teachers of their children, have the responsibility to educate
their children throughout high school, in all areas including the Faith.
Parents are to keep their children in religious education programs just
as they keep their child in school until graduation.
With permission from the Diocese of Phoenix
|
