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PREFACE
The following study of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the result of
much research into the Church's continued teaching on the Sacrament over
the past 2000 years, as well as my experience as a Confirmation
Coordinator for the past 3 years at St. Cyprian Parish in the Diocese of
Los Angeles. It is in no way an exhaustive explanation nor is it a
complex theological thesis. It is simply a summary of the many hundreds
of hours of research and study in my own journey to discover the meaning
of the Sacrament of Confirmation. It is written in laymen terms for the
understanding of lay people.
I think it is true to say, that the Sacrament of Confirmation is
probably the least understood and most under-rated sacrament of them
all. And for this reason, I will begin this study by first looking at
the Biblical framework of the family of God, then with this as
background, review the Church's teaching on the meaning of Confirmation,
the strict obligation that comes with Confirmation, and the
indescribable gift that God bestows on the one confirmed.
From there I will attempt to deal with current misconceptions about
the Sacrament of Confirmation; what it IS and, what it IS NOT; the
current confusion over the age of confirmation; and finally, some
practical suggestions for the restructuring of many of the religious
education programs in our country.
INTRODUCTION
The magnitude of this sacrament can be grasped somewhat when one
looks at what the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship stated in its
1971 "Rite of Confirmation":
"One of the highest responsibilities of the people of God is to
prepare the baptized for Confirmation"(DOL 2512).
What is it about the Sacrament of Confirmation that puts such a high
degree of responsibility on the people of God to prepare the baptized
for this sacrament? This question and others will be answered as we go
on.
The Sacrament of Confirmation has been known by many different names
over the centuries:
A. Mystical Chrism. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 350 A.D.)
B.
Sanctification by Chrism. (Pope St. Leo the Great, 440-461)
C. Laying on
of the Hand. (Innocent III, 1198-1216)
D. The Anointing of the Forehead
with Chrism.(Innocent IV, 1243-1254)
E. The Holy Chrism of Confirmation.
(Council of Trent, 1545-1563)
F. Rite of Confirmation. (Vatican Council
II, 1962-1965)
G. Rite of Chrismation. (Eastern Rite Churches)
H.
Sacrament of Christian Maturity. (Modern Times)
But regardless of by what name the sacrament has been called, the
official teaching of the Church has never changed in terms of what the
sacrament confers upon the baptized. Now, there are many aspects to
Confirmation, all of which result from this sacrament. But the primary
aspect from which all the others originate is the fact that Confirmation
makes us "Soldiers of Christ" and "strictly obligates us
to spread and defend the faith by both word and deed"(See
attached quotes for historical proof of statement.).
In order to better understand what Confirmation really is, we must
first understand who, and what, the family of God is. And this
understanding cannot be in 20th century (modern day), social structural
terms. We must understand the family of God in the terms that God chose
to use when He identified Himself as our Father and we became His
children. So to begin this, we must refer to the written Word of God,
Sacred Scripture, and see just how God fathered His chosen family,
Israel, and learn from the example they set for us.
Old Testament Background
If we were out in space looking down on the world of the Old and New
Testaments, we would have a bird's eye view of how God structured His
family. One of the first things we would notice is that God's chosen
nation, Israel, has a king (or ruler). (Deut 17:14-17/1Sam 8:1-9) Israel
did not have a president or any other official elected by the people, as
do we in this country. A king assumes the throne he inherits from his
father. This is known as dynastic succession. Initially, God established
His kingdom under the kingship of David; and, we refer to it now as the
Davidic Dynasty. The next thing we notice is that Israel is not only a
nation but a kingdom, a kingdom of priests, prophets and kings. A
kingdom is different from our society because it is a monarchical form
of government, meaning that the solemn rule of authority rests in one
person: A king or a queen.
The next point that must be made is that every king who reigned over
Israel, beginning with King Solomon, had his mother seated next to him
on the throne (1Kings 2:19 - 2Kings 15-13). She was known as the Queen
Mother, and was considered the mother to all of Israel, to all those in
the kingdom as long as her son was on the throne. A kingdom is also
hierarchical in structure with various offices established, and men were
appointed by the king to fill these offices. They were not voted in by
the people as we do in this country (2Sam 8:15/1Kings 4/Isaiah
22:19-22).
Another aspect of a kingdom is that it has warriors, or soldiers that
defend and spread the kingdom (1Sam 17/2Sam 8/2Sam 18). A kingdom is
helpless without soldiers to protect the king, the queen mother, and the
members of that kingdom from being attacked. The soldiers of a kingdom
play a crucial role in the survival of the kingdom. In our country, we
only read about these soldiers in our history books and know them as
"knights in shining armor." We recall some of these knights:
Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Joan of Arc, and many others. The term
"knight" also has another meaning as well as that of soldier,
and that is "one who is devoted to the service of a lady as her
attendant or champion" (Websters Collegiate Dictionary).
Now you might be wondering how all of this has anything to do with
Confirmation. Well, we will have to look at all the facts first. Then we
will tie them all together.
The concept of a kingdom and knighthood may be a bit difficult for us
20th century Americans to identify with and really understand because,
as Americans, we are not accustomed to this kind of rule. As a matter of
fact, over two hundred years ago this country rebelled against a king,
King George of England, and the American Revolution in 1776 resulted. We
established a government known as a Republic, which has an elected
president as its leader. The president's son does not inherit the
presidency.
Given all this as a historical backdrop, let's move ahead now and try
to understand our role and obligation in the Family of God as sons and
daughters of the supreme King, the King of Kings, the Creator of Heaven
and Earth, and most importantly, sons and daughters of Our Father who is
in Heaven.
New Testament Background
We've looked at the Old Testament and have seen the background to
understanding what a kingdom is. Now let's turn to the New Testament and
see how Jesus uses this knowledge of how God's family is set up and how
He applies it to Himself, and to you and me.
JESUS AS KING, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AS THE NEW ISRAEL, THE KINGDOM AND
FAMILY OF GOD
In the New Testament, we read how Jesus was ultimately crucified for
claiming to be a king. When Jesus was being questioned by Pilate, He
made it clear that He was a king and that He had a kingdom. But He also
clearly stated that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:33-38).
So Jesus is a king, and He has a kingdom. But remember what we said
earlier, that a king received his throne from his father. So, if Jesus
received His throne from His father, then His father must also have been
a king. Look at 1Samuel 8:4-7. You will notice that God was the King
over Israel, and when the people of Israel rebelled against Him, He
allowed them to have an earthly king to govern them. This is made clear
when God tells Samuel, "It is not you they reject, they are
rejecting me as their king." But it would be God who appoints the
king, only He keeps the people of Israel as His own (1Sam 9:16-17). So
Jesus being the Son of God, the King of Israel, truly was the heir to
the throne and was definitely a king. He reinforces His kingship when He
states that "all things have been handed over to Me by my
Father" (Matt 11:27).
1st. Summary Conclusion: Jesus is a true King over the Kingdom of
God, His Father.
Now the second thing we must look at in our attempt to understand the
idea of the Kingdom of God is the term "kingdom." We saw in
the Old Testament that the nation of Israel was God's kingdom. But in
the New Testament, Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world
(John 18:33-38). Jesus' kingdom is of heaven and He came to establish
His kingdom here on earth and expand God's kingdom to all the nations of
the earth, not just the nation of Israel (Rev 7:9). Jesus began His
public ministry by proclaiming that "the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand" (Matt 4:17). Later, we see that the people entered this
kingdom by means of baptism with "water and the spirit" (John
3:3-6). Notice also what St. Basil the Great said in this regard. Basil
the Great, 329-379 A.D. Treatise on the Holy Spirit
"Through the Spirit, we became citizens of heaven, we are
admitted to the company of the angels, we enter into eternal happiness,
and abide in God."
So now we have another brick in the building of our understand of the
family of God and how the Sacrament of Confirmation fits into this
picture.
2nd Summary Conclusion: The Kingdom of Heaven established by Jesus is
a kingdom composed of those who believe and are baptized with water and
Spirit... i.e. Baptism and Confirmation.
Let us now direct our attention to the queen mother seated at the
right hand of the King of Israel. We have already determined that Jesus
is a King. So we must now focus on His mother, Mary, and see if she is
in fact the queen mother over the Kingdom of Heaven, like the queen
mother over the Kingdom of Israel. In John's Gospel, we see that when
Jesus is on the cross, His mother and the disciple whom Jesus loved were
there with Him. Jesus then said to His mother, "Woman, behold your
son," and to the disciple He said, "behold your mother"
(John 19:25-27). We have to ask a question here. Who was the disciple
that Jesus loved and gave His mother to? The answer is that, Jesus loves
all His disciples. The ones who followed Him then, and the ones who
would follow Him in the future. So these words of Jesus have a symbolic
meaning as well as a literal one. Jesus is giving His mother to all
those who follow Him, to all those who are part of His Kingdom where He
reigns as king and His mother as Queen Mother. We can see this better if
we look again at the Book of Revelation and John's vision on the Lord's
Day. John sees a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet
and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev 12:1). Notice this woman is
wearing a crown like a queen. Then she gives birth to a son, a male
child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Then her child
was caught up to God and His throne (Rev 12:5). After this, John sees a
war break out in heaven and the dragon is thrown to earth and pursues
the woman but to no avail. Then, because the dragon could not get to the
woman, he went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring.
Now who is the woman? Who gave birth to a male child who would rule
all nations and was taken up to God and His throne? The answer is Mary.
But the real understanding of Mary as the queen mother over this
kingdom, and we as her children, is at the end of Chapter 12. "Then
the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against
the rest of her offspring, those who keep God's commandments and bear
witness to Jesus" (Rev 12:17). So Jesus' mother is, in fact, the
Queen Mother over His kingdom.
3rd Summary Conclusion: Jesus' mother, Mary, is Queen Mother over His
Kingdom, and Mother to all those "who keep God's commandments and
bear witness to Jesus" (Rev 12:17).
Let's look now at the hierarchy of the kingdom. We have already
determined that Jesus is the king of the kingdom. But as we saw in the
Old Testament, there were other offices instituted by the king so that
in his absence, someone in the kingdom or palace would have his
authority. It is important that we look at Isaiah 22:15-22 before we go
any further, because we will see this imagery when we look at the
hierarchy that Jesus established in the Kingdom of God.
In Isaiah, we see that there is a wicked steward, or master, of the
palace named Shebna, who is a disgrace to his master's house. God is
saying that He will throw Shebna out of his office and replace him with
Eliakim, who is the servant of God. God also says that He will place the
keys to the kingdom of David on the shoulders of Eliakim, so that when
he opens, no one will shut, and when he shuts, no one will open. Keeping
this Old Testament passage in mind, and looking at Matthew 16:17-19, we
see Jesus instituting this identical office upon one of His disciples as
He prepares to depart. When speaking to His disciples, Jesus asks,
"Who do people say that I am?" After a series of answers,
Peter speaks up and says that, Jesus, is the Messiah, the Son of the
living God. Jesus then changes Peter's name from Simon to Peter, which
means rock, and says, "Upon this rock I will build my Church and
the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give to you the
keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven" (Matt 16:17-19). Here, Jesus instituted the office of
Steward of the Kingdom with the keys of His Kingdom being placed in that
office. This parallels the Old Testament passage from Isaiah perfectly.
Then, after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to the disciples
and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive
are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (John
20:20). So Jesus gave authority to the apostles as well as Peter, but it
would be Peter alone who would hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
This wasn't something the apostles missed. They understood what Jesus
was doing. This is evident from the account of when the apostles saw the
need to choose a replacement for Judas who betrayed Jesus and later hung
himself. Peter stands up among the disciples and quotes from the Old
Testament Book of Psalms, "Let his encampment become desolate, and
may no one dwell in it. And may another take his office." They then
proceed to draw lots to fill the office held by Judas as one of the
apostles (Acts 1:15- 26).
4th Summary Conclusion: Jesus instituted hierarchical offices and
gave the keys to His Kingdom to Peter. The authority of King Jesus would
rest on the office of Peter in the absence of the King. Jesus also
instituted offices that the other apostles would hold as well. These
offices would be those of the first Pope, entrusted to Peter, and the
first body of bishops, entrusted to the remaining apostles. Jesus has
now begun the establishment of His kingdom here on earth, and that
Kingdom is the Catholic Church.
Now we will look at the soldiers of the kingdom. Everything up to
this point has been background information, laying the groundwork to
understanding the Sacrament of Confirmation and just what it means for
you and I to have received this awesome Sacrament.
Every member of the Kingdom of God is called to be a Soldier of
Christ. We saw in the Old Testament how the nation of Israel was also a
kingdom, and the kingdom had warriors, or soldiers, who would defend the
kingdom. They would not only defend the kingdom they would also spread
it. It is at this point that we must now look at the constant teaching
of the Church of what the Sacrament of Confirmation is all about.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
Does the Church really believe that She is a kingdom as described
above? And, is there a real need for soldiers who are to engage in
battle by defending and spreading the Kingdom of God here on earth that
She alone claims to be? To answer this, let us examine two quotes.
Hugh of St. Victor On the Sacraments of the Christian Faith 1140 A.D.
For the Incarnate Word is our king, Who came into this world to
war with the devil; and all the saints who were before His coming are
soldiers as it were, going before their king, and those who have come
after and will come, even to the end of the world, are soldiers
following their king. And the king Himself is in the midst of His army
and proceeds protected and surrounded on all sides by His columns. And
although in a multitude as vast as this, the kind of arms differ in the
sacraments and observance of the peoples preceding and following, yet
all are really serving the one king and following the one banner; all
are pursuing the one enemy and are being crowned by the one
victory.
General Catechetical Directory 1974
Since the life of Christians, which on earth is warfare, is liable to
temptations and sins, the way of the Sacrament of Penance is open for
them, so that they may obtain pardon from the merciful God and reconcile
themselves with the Church". (General Catechetical Directory, 11
April 1971)
By this, we see that Christians are called to warfare, but it is a
spiritual warfare, a warfare in which we can be wounded by sin, and this
sin could eventually lead to our spiritual death as well (Mortal sin.)
We also see that the Sacrament of Penance is also the spiritual Red
Cross and medic on the scene of the battle to heal our wounds and
revitalize us when we are mortally wounded.
The next question that a good soldier needs to ask is, "Who is
the enemy that I will be going into battle against?" The answer to
this question, which should already be obvious, will come from St. Cyril
of Jerusalem.
In 350 A.D., St. Cyril of Jerusalem gave a series of lectures during
Easter week to the newly initiated members of the Church. He spoke on
the liturgical ceremonies of the three sacraments which they had
received during the Easter Vigil. When speaking on Confirmation, he
stated:
Just as Christ, after His baptism and the coming upon Him
of the Holy Spirit went forth and defeated the adversary, so also with
you. After holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the full
suit of armor of the Holy Spirit, you are to withstand the power of the
adversary, and defeat him, saying, 'I am able to do all things in
Christ, Who strengthens me.'
Here, St. Cyril tells us two things. The first, is the answer to our
question. The enemy with whom we will do battle is none other than the
one whom our king Himself defeated in the desert Satan. But before any
soldier can go into battle, he must first be fully trained, fully armed,
fully strengthened, and fully protected. On this point, St. Cyril tells
us that it is through this Sacrament of Confirmation that we will put on
the full suit of armor that is the Holy Spirit Himself. Hence you become
a "knight in shining armor." And the armor that you will be
clothed with shines with the glory of God Himself, and it will be our
King who strengthens us in this sacrament.
The Church can speak for Herself in the remaining part of this
overview. But before She does, let us answer one question that was
raised earlier. Recall that the term "knight" also has another
meaning as well as that of "soldier", and that is, "One
who is devoted to the service of a lady as her attendant or
champion" (Websters Collegiate Dictionary).
What does this have to do with Confirmation? Well, the lady we are
talking about is the Church. The Bride of Christ that He will come and
unite with Himself at the end of time. Turn to the Book of Revelation,
chapter 21, verse 2, "I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, God's
dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will
be His people and God Himself will always be with them [as their
God]." The Book of Revelation goes on to say, "Come here, I
will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. He took me in spirit to a
great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down
out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God" (Rev.
21:9-11).
God is among us, His body, blood, soul, and divinity in the
tabernacle of every Catholic Church in the world. The Catholic Church is
the new Jerusalem that came down from heaven and She is the Bride of the
Lamb, Jesus Christ. And we are all called to be Her "knight in
shining armor," Her champion, and defend Her until the Lamb comes
for His bride. What an awesome task is at hand. But our King has given
us all that we need. Recall St. Cyril of Jerusalem on Confirmation:
"I am able to do all things in Christ, who strengthens me." We
can see this strengthening taking place when the Apostles received the
Holy Spirit on Pentecost. They were all together in the upper room in
fear of the Jews, and obeying Jesus' instructions to wait for the
promise of the Father before they go to Jerusalem. At Pentecost, the
Apostles received the Holy Spirit as promised and went out into the town
and converted three thousand people that day. This is the example of the
strength that is poured out on the one confirmed (John 20:19 & Acts
1- 2:47).
Let us conclude this first section on the Biblical framework of the
family of God, the meaning of Confirmation, the strict obligation that
comes with Confirmation, and the indescribable gift that God bestows on
the one confirmed, with a trip back through time and see what the
constant teaching of the Church has been as viewed through the eyes of
the Church Fathers, the Popes, the Saints and the Church Councils.
Biblical Origins and Implicit References
Now when the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not
yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name
of the Lord Jesus. They then laid their hands on them and they received
the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17 RSV)
"And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that
is Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came
on them..."(Acts 19:4-6 RSV).
But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has
commissioned us; He has put His seal upon us and given us His Spirit in
our hearts as a guarantee" (2Cor 1:21 RSV).
Tertullian 197-212 A.D.
"The flesh is washed that the soul may be made stainless. The
flesh is anointed that the soul may be consecrated. The flesh is sealed
that the soul may be fortified. The flesh is overshadowed by the
imposition of hands that the soul may be illuminated by the
Spirit." Tertullian also tells how the devil imitates the rites of
Christian initiation, sprinkles some and signs them as his soldiers on
the forehead ("De resurr. canis" n.8 Catholic Encyclopedia, 1908, pg.
218).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 347-350 A.D.
During his series of Easter week lectures to the newly initiated
members of the Church in 350 A.D., St. Cyril of Jerusalem spoke on the
liturgical ceremonies of the three sacraments which they had received
during the Easter Vigil. When speaking on Confirmation, he stated:
But beware of supposing that this is ordinary ointment. For just
as the Bread of the Eucharist after the invocation of the Holy Spirit is
simple bread no longer, but the Body of Christ, so also this holy
ointment is no longer plain ointment, nor, so to speak, common, after
the invocation. Rather, it is the gracious gift of Christ; and it is
made fit for the imparting of His Godhead by the coming of the Holy
Spirit. This ointment is symbolically applied to your forehead and to
your other senses; and while your body is anointed with the visible
ointment, your soul is sanctified by the holy and life-creating
Spirit.
Just as Christ, after His baptism and the coming upon Him of
the Holy Spirit, went forth and defeated the adversary, so also with
you. After Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the full
suit of armor of the Holy Spirit, you are to withstand the power of the
adversary, and defeat him saying, 'I am able to do all things in Christ,
who strengthens me.'
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 347-350 A.D. (continued)
"Forget not the Holy Spirit," he says to the catechumens,
"at the moment of your enlightenment; He is ready to mark your soul
with His seal.... He will give you the heavenly and divine seal which
makes the devil tremble; He will arm you for the fight; He will give you
strength" ("Seventeenth catechesis on the Holy Spirit," Catholic
Encyclopedia, 1908).
St. Ephream Syrus, Circa 373 A.D.
St. Ephream Syrus speaks of "Chrism and Baptism; oil also for a
most sweet unguent, wherewith they who already have been initiated by
Baptism are sealed, and put on the armor of the Holy Spirit"
("Serm
27," Catholic Encyclopedia, 1908, p. 218).
Pope St. Leo the Great, 440-461 A.D.
"All those who are reborn in Christ, the sign of the cross makes
kings; the Holy Spirit's anointing consecrates them priests" (Aeterna
Dei Sapientia, Encyclical Letter of Pope John XXIII on St. Leo the
Great).
Hugh of St. Victor On the Sacraments of the Christian Faith, 1140
A.D.
For the Incarnate Word is our king, who came into this world to
war with the devil; and all the saints who were before His coming are
soldiers as it were, going before their king, and those who have come
after and will come, even to the end of the world, are soldiers
following their king. And the king himself is in the midst of His army
and proceeds protected and surrounded on all sides by His columns. And
although in a multitude as vast as this the kind of arms differ in the
sacraments and observance of the peoples preceding the following, yet
all are really serving the one king and following the one banner; all
are pursuing the one enemy and are being crowned by the one
victory.
St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae, 1225-1274 A.D.
St. Thomas Aquinas explains that the confirmed give witness to the
name of Christ and perform the acts of good Christians in the defense
and spread of the faith, in virtue of the character's "special
power" inasmuch as they are entrusted with a special function and
mandate (Summ Theol., III, q.72,a.5, L'osservatore Romano, 15 Apr 92).
St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Contra Gentiles, 1258-1261 A.D.
The perfection of spiritual strength consists properly on a
man's daring to confess the faith of Christ in the presence of anyone at
all, and in a man's being not withdrawn therefrom either by confusion or
by terror, for strength drives out inordinate terror. Therefore, the
sacrament by which spiritual strength is conferred on the one born again
makes him in some sense a front-line fighter for the faith of Christ.
And because fighters under a prince carry his insignia, they who receive
the Sacrament of Confirmation are signed with the Sign of the Cross by
which He fought and conquered. This sign they receive on the forehead as
a sign that without a blush they publicly confess the faith of
Christ.
Catechism of the Council of Trent
The Catechism of the Council of Trent says this about Confirmation:
If ever there was a time demanding the diligence of pastors in
explaining the Sacrament of Confirmation, in these days certainly it
requires special attention, when there are found in the holy Church of
God many by whom this sacrament is altogether omitted; while very few
seek to obtain from it the fruit of divine grace which they should
derive from its participation." It goes on to say, "Their
instructions should so treat the nature, power, and dignity of this
sacrament, that the faithful may understand not only that it is not to
be neglected, but that it is to be received with the greatest piety and
devotion." It goes on to say this about the name of the sacrament,
"...this sacrament is called by the Church 'Confirmation' because,
if there is no obstacle to the efficacy of the Sacrament, baptized
persons, when anointed with the sacred chrism by the Bishop, with the
accompanying solemn words..., becomes stronger with the strength of a
new power, and thus begins to be a perfect soldier of Christ.
Pope Pius XII
"By the chrism of Confirmation, the faithful are given added
strength to protect and defend the Church, their Mother, and the faith
She has given them" (Mystici Corporis, 1943).
Vatican II
There are many aspects to Confirmation. The Second Vatican Council
said that, "By the Sacrament of Confirmation, they [the baptized
faithful] are more fully bound to the Church and the Holy Spirit endows
them with special strength, so that they are more strictly obliged to
spread and defend the faith, both by word and deed, as true witnesses of
Christ" (Lumen gentium n.11).
The laity derive the duty and the right to the apostolate from
their very union with Christ as head. Incorporated into the Mystical
Body of Christ by baptism, and strengthened by the power of the Holy
Spirit in Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord
Himself. They are consecrated to form a kingdom of priests and a holy
people, so that by all their actions they may offer spiritual sacrifices
and bear witness to Christ throughout the world. (Vatican II,
Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People 1965)
Pope Paul VI
Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, those who have been born
anew in baptism receive the ineffable (indescribable) gift, the Holy
Spirit Himself, by which 'they are endowed with special strength' and by
the character of this sacrament 'are bound more perfectly to the Church'
and 'are more strictly obliged, as true witnesses of Christ, to spread
and defend the faith by word and deed....'(Apostolic Constitution
Divinae Consortium Naturae, 1971)
In the Sacrament of Confirmation the Apostles and the Bishops,
who are their successors, hand on to the baptized the special gift of
the Holy Spirit, promised by Christ the Lord and poured out upon the
Apostles at Pentecost. Thus the initiation in the Christian life is
completed so that believers are strengthened by power from heaven, made
true witnesses of Christ in word and deed, and bound more closely to the
Church. (S.C.D.W., Decree Peculiare Spiritus Sancti
donum, 1971)
Cannon Law
Canon Law 879 states, "The Sacrament of Confirmation impresses a
character and by it the baptized, continuing on the path of Christian
initiation, are enriched by the gift of the Holy Spirit and bound more
perfectly to the Church; it strengthens them and obliges them more
firmly to be witnesses to Christ by word and deed and to spread and
defend the faith."
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II in his weekly catechesis said,
The grace
conferred by the Sacrament of Confirmation is more specifically a gift
of strength. This gift corresponds to the need for greater zeal in
facing the 'spiritual battle' of faith and charity in order to resist
temptation and give the witness of Christian word and deed to the world
with courage, fervor and perseverance. This zeal is conferred by the
Holy Spirit. (L'osservatore Romano, 8 Apr 92. Summa
Theol. III,
q.72, a.5)
The Holy Father went on to say, "Since the Middle Ages, theology
which developed in a context of generous commitment to 'spiritual
combat' for Christ has not hesitated to highlight the strength given
by Confirmation to Christians who are called 'soldiers for God'."
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1285
Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together
constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose
unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the
reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the
completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of
Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and
are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are,
as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend
the faith by word and deed."
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1302 - 1303
It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament
of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once
granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of
baptismal grace:
it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry,
"Abba! Father!";
it unites us more firmly to Christ;
it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
it 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:
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.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION (What is it all about?)
Part II
In the second part of this study on the Sacrament of confirmation, I
want to address the misconceptions many people have about the Sacrament.
What it IS, and what it IS NOT. Then I would like to move into the
question of the appropriate age of Confirmation, and finally some
practical suggestions for the restructuring of the religious education
program as it pertains to the age of Confirmation.
MISCONCEPTIONS
As I stated in the opening paragraphs of part I of this study,
"The Sacrament of Confirmation is probably the least understood and
most under-rated sacrament of them all." And it is precisely
because of this lack of understanding that many people today have so
many misconceptions about the Sacrament.
As a Confirmation Coordinator and religious educator, I read and
heard many references to the Sacrament of Confirmation as something
other than what I discovered it really was. Terms like:
1. The Sacrament of Christian Maturity
2. The Sacrament of Adulthood
in the Church
3. The Sacrament of Choice,
4. The Christian bar mitzvah
By the term "Sacrament of Christian Maturity" was meant that a
person being confirmed has reached an age where they have now become a
mature Christian in their faith and as a result of the successful
completion of the Confirmation program, are now mature enough to receive
the Sacrament of Confirmation and become full members of the Church.
The similar term, "Sacrament of Adulthood in the Church"
was meant that through Confirmation, you are now ready to assume
positions in the Church like lector, usher, and other ministry
positions. One National Catholic publication compared the Sacrament of
Confirmation to a Jewish bar mitzvah, where the one confirmed passes
into adulthood and Confirmation is the ceremony that celebrates that.
And then the ever famous word, "Choice." By the term,
"The Sacrament of Choice" was meant that the person being
confirmed, makes an adult choice to be Catholic, and
"confirms" that they choose the Catholic faith for themselves.
This view I found most common among the students and parents of these
students.
But rarely, if ever, (except in Church teaching) did I ever hear the
Sacrament called, "The Sacrament of Strengthening", which is
exactly what it is by name. The word itself, "Confirmation"
means "strengthening" as the Church has made so clear. The
gifts that we received at Baptism are strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
We are not the ones doing the confirming, God does the confirming
(strengthening) in us.
WHAT THE SACRAMENT IS, AND IS NOT
The previous list of misconceptions spells out for us what the
Sacrament of Confirmation is not. It is not the Sacrament where we
become mature Christians in our faith. Remember, we are speaking of
Spiritual maturity; Physical maturity comes with the nourishment and
growth of the body, spiritual maturity comes with the nourishment and
growth of the spirit which is accomplished through the reception of the
sacraments. As you may recall from part I of this study, St. Thomas
Aquinas said,
The perfection of spiritual strength consists properly on a
man's daring to confess the faith of Christ in the presence of anyone at
all, and in a man's being not withdrawn therefrom either by confusion or
by terror, for strength drives out inordinate terror. Therefore, the
sacrament by which spiritual strength is conferred on the one born again
makes him in some sense a front-line fighter for the faith of
Christ. (Summa contra gentiles, vol. 4)
So Confirmation is not the authenticating of Christian maturity of an
individual. Nor is it the celebration to acknowledge a person reaching
the level of a spiritually mature Christian, and therefore deserves to
receive the sacrament as some kind of recognition. Again let me state,
we are not speaking about physical maturity when dealing with the
sacrament of Confirmation, but what we are speaking about is the
strength that is provided by the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of
Confirmation, to enable the process of spiritual maturity to begin and
to grow on an ever continuing journey toward Christian maturity, until
the day when one can "confess the faith of Christ in the presence
of anyone at all, and in a man's being not withdrawn therefrom either by
confusion or by terror..." To say that the spiritual maturity of a
person is required before the strength of the sacrament is imparted, is
putting the cart before the horse. And to say that a person must be
mature enough to receive the sacrament is fostering and promoting
continued misconceptions.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is not "The Sacrament of Adulthood
in the Church." If it were, the valid "Rite of Confirmation" in the
Eastern Branch of the Catholic Church would be invalid, which it is not.
In the Eastern branch of the Catholic Church, Confirmation takes place
at the same time an infant is baptized, and receives Communion: all
just perfectly valid and licit. The idea that Confirmation is like a
Jewish Bar mitzvah is altogether missing the purpose and theology of the
Sacrament. A Jewish Bar mitzvah is the ceremony celebrating a physical
reality, the passing from childhood to adulthood (puberty if you will).
The physical reality takes place first, then the celebration. The
celebration does not make the young child now an adult. If it did, it
would be an actual sacrament, (an outward sign, [instituted by Christ]
that gives grace.)
The problem again with this idea that Confirmation makes us adults in
the Church is mixing a physical reality with a spiritual reality. I will
deal with this more in just a moment.
The final misconception for our discussion is that Confirmation is
"The Sacrament of Choice" where one chooses to be Catholic and
confirms their choice of Christian faiths in the Sacrament. As I stated
earlier, we do not confirm anything in the sacrament of Confirmation: it
is the Holy Spirit who confirms (strengthens) us. As for making the
choice to be Catholic, that choice was made by the parents when the
child was baptized. The parents made the decision for the child to be
born into this world, the human family, without first discussing it with
the child. They also made the decision to have the child baptized
(reborn) into God's family. Parents have this God given authority to see
to the proper rearing of their children. By the simple fact that God has
entrusted parents with the souls of these children to lead them on the
road to heaven and to present these children back to Him, clothed in
their white robes that have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb,
is a responsibility that can not be taken lightly. Even if the society
we live in does not recognize an objective truth and reality. That
objective truth I am speaking of was summed up clearly by the Second
Vatican Council:
All men are called to belong to the new people of God. This
people therefore, while still remaining one and only one, is to be
spread throughout the whole world and to all ages in order that the
design of God's will may be fulfilled: he made human nature one in the
beginning and has decreed that all His children who were scattered
should be finally gathered together as one (cf. John 11:52). It was for
this purpose that God sent His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things
(cf. Heb. 1:2), that He might be teacher, king and priest of all, the
head of the new and universal people of God's sons. This, too, is why
God sent the Spirit of His Son, the Lord and Giver of Life. The Spirit
is, for the Church and for each and every believer, the principle of
their union and unity in the teaching of the apostles and fellowship, in
the breaking of bread and prayer. (cf. Acts 2:42 Gk.) (Lumen Gentium 13)
The Catholic Church is the fullness of the family of God on earth,
and Baptism is the means by which a person is regenerated or reborn as a
child of God. For parents as well as religious educators to neglect
giving this eternal gift of life to these children by listening to a
school of thought that is found in the Protestant objection to infant
Baptism that says, "They must be old enough to make a mature
decision for themselves", is to completely negate the parental
responsibility that God entrusted to them to form and teach these
children who their Father really is and what He has intended for them.
St. Paul says, quoting from Isaiah 64:3, "But as it is written: 'What eye has not seen, and ear has not
heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared
for those who love him.'" (1 Cor. 2:9)
Also, the Sacred Congregation of Divine Worship, in its "Rite of
Confirmation" tells us,
The initiation of children into the sacramental life is
ordinarily the responsibility and concern of Christian parents. They are
to form and gradually increase a spirit of faith in the children and, at
times with the help of catechism classes, prepare them for the faithful
reception of the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. The role of
the parents is also expressed by their active participation in the
celebration of the sacraments. ("Rite of Confirmation", DOL 2513)
So to say that the Sacrament of Confirmation is making a mature
decision and choosing to be Catholic is again misplacing and clouding
the true meaning of the sacrament.
So what then IS Confirmation if it IS NOT any of the above? As you
may recall from part I of this study, Pope Paul VI summed it up this
way,
Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, those who have been born
anew in baptism receive the ineffable (indescribable) gift, the Holy
Spirit Himself, by which 'they are endowed with special strength' and by
the character of this sacrament 'are bound more perfectly to the Church'
and 'are more strictly obliged, as true witnesses of Christ, to spread
and defend the faith by word and deed....'(Apostolic Constitution
Divinae Consortium Naturae, 1971)
Now to elaborate our understanding as well as to illustrate what
exactly the Sacrament of Confirmation is, we need to once again draw
from St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Contra Gentiles. Here
St. Thomas gives us a very clear illustration of the Sacraments of
Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist and how it is that they are so
closely tied together. In speaking about the sacraments, St. Thomas says
the following.
[1] However, since the spiritual remedies of salvation have
been given to men under scensible signs, it was suitable also to
distinguish the remedies provided for the spiritual life after the
likeness of bodily life. [2] Now, in bodily life we find a twofold
order: for some propagate and order the bodily life in others; and some
are propagated and ordered in the bodily life. [3] Now, in a bodily and
natural life three things are necessary of themselves, and a fourth
incidentally. For first, by generation or birth a thing must receive
life; second, by growth it must arrive at its due size and strength;
third, both for the preservation of life acquired by generation and for
growth, nourishment is necessary. And these are of themselves
necessities for natural life, because without these bodily life cannot
be perfected; wherefore, one assigns to the vegetative soul which is the
principle of life the three natural powers: that of generation, that of
growth, and that of nourishment. But, since there can be an impediment
to natural life from which the living thing grows weak, a fourth thing
is incidentally necessary; this is the healing of the sick living thing.
[4] Thus, then, in the spiritual life, also, the first thing is
spiritual generation: by baptism; the second is spiritual growth leading
to perfect strength: by the sacrament of confirmation; the third is
spiritual nourishment: by the sacrament of the Eucharist. A fourth
remains, which is the spiritual healing; it takes place either in the
soul alone through the sacrament of penance; or from the soul flows to
the body when this is timely, through extreme unction. These, therefore,
bear on those who are propagated and preserved in the spiritual
life. (Summa Contra Gentiles vol.4)
So St. Thomas is showing us that since a human person consists of
both body and soul, there is an undeniable parallel between the physical
development of the person and the spiritual development of that same
person. Just as a person is born into this life as an infant, a child in
the human family, Baptism is the rebirth into the spiritual life as an
infant, a child in God's family.
Second he points out that, just has the physical body grows until it
reaches "its due size and strength", Confirmation is what
enables "spiritual growth leading to perfect strength." Notice
that he says "leading to perfect strength." He doesn't say
that confirmation is the declaration of strength already attained.
Confirmation is what makes it possible for the reborn, infant soul to
begin it's growth processes toward becoming a mature Christian.
Third, St. Thomas shows, just as "for the preservation of life
acquired by generation and for growth nourishment is necessary",
the Eucharist is that which provides the necessary spiritual nourishment
for the soul as well.
This point is also made in the recently released Catechism of the
Catholic Church:
The sacraments of Christian initiation Baptism, Confirmation,
and the Eucharist lay the foundations of every Christian life. '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 receive 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.' (Catechism of the
Catholic Church #1212)
So in the three sacraments of initiation we have, birth (Baptism),
growth and strength (Confirmation) and nourishment (Eucharist). Now what
would happen if you withhold any of these three basic "necessities
of natural life" from the physical body? Well, if you withhold
birth you have death or a lack of life. If you withhold growth and
strength, you have a baby who will never be able to even hold up his/her
head or grow any bigger than their birth weight. A baby who will never
do anything more than be helpless. If you withhold nourishment from the
body you have degeneration and eventually death.
Now apply this same sequence of events to the spiritual life. If you
withhold Baptism (birth) you have spiritual death, i.e. Original/Mortal
sin. If you withhold Confirmation (growth and strength), you have a soul
who will never be able to even hold up his/her head or grow at all
toward spiritual maturity. They will not grow or mature any further than
their Baptismal rebirth weight. A baby soul who will never be able to do
anything more than be helpless against the snares and temptations of
this world. If you withhold the Eucharist (nourishment) from the soul
you have degeneration and eventually death (i.e. Mortal sin). Of course,
I must make clear at this point that, this is not to rule out the
extraordinary means in which God can work in a persons soul, I am
speaking strictly about the ordinary means that God has provided for our
salvation, namely the sacraments.
With all of this now as background, I would like to move our
discussion into the area of a very disputed question. What age should
the Sacrament of Confirmation be administered?
THE AGE OF CONFIRMATION
This question has been ravaging the religious education world as well
as the ecclesiastical establishment in our country for many years. But I
think if Confirmation is seen in the light of this study and through the
eyes of the Church, I think the question becomes a moot point.
The first thing we need to do is to look at the age in which the
Church, in her wisdom, has set for those receiving the Sacrament of
Confirmation. To find this, we will first look at Canon Law section 891,
the "Rite of Confirmation" and finally, the "Rite of Christian Initiation
of Adults" (RCIA). Canon Law, section 891 states: "The Sacrament of Confirmation is to be conferred on the
faithful at about the age of discretion unless the conference of bishops
determines another age or there is danger of death or in the judgment of
the minister a grave cause urges otherwise (Canon 891).
But at what age is "the age of discretion"? Well if we turn
to "Rite of Confirmation" we see here the age of discretion
being defined for us. Here we read, "With regard to children in the Latin Church the administration
of Confirmation is generally delayed until about the seventh year."
So "the age of discretion" is the same as saying, "the
age of seven." But is this really the mind of the Church? Is the
Church really saying that the sacrament of Confirmation should be
administered to children?
The answer to this question is, yes. We see this being highlighted in
the "Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults," RCIA. Section 14 of the
"Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults" states the following: "The priest who baptizes an adult or a child of catechetical age
should, when the Bishop is absent, also confer confirmation...."
So children who have parents entering the Catholic Church are not
only Baptized, but also receive Confirmation and Communion. Now I don't
want to focus on what this may be telling life long Catholic parents who
live in a diocese where the sacrament of Confirmation is being withheld
from their children until their adolescent years, while the "new
kid on the block" feasts on the fullness of spiritual birth,
strengthening and nourishment, all the while the Catholic children are
being deprived of this same gift, but it does have to make us stop and
think a moment. Kind of like a Rockefeller or a Trump child living in
deprivation or poverty wouldn't you say?
But, to stay with our theological reasoning, why do you suppose that
the Church would set the norm for receiving the Sacrament of
Confirmation at this particular age? To answer this question we must
look at what it is that Confirmation strengthens us against. As you
recall from part I of this study, the General Catechetical Directory
stated the following, "Since the life of Christians, which on earth is warfare, is
liable to temptations and sins, the way of the Sacrament of Penance is
open for them, so that they may obtain pardon from the merciful God and
reconcile themselves with the Church"(General Catechetical
Directory, 11 April 1971).
This statement tells us that our life here on earth is a spiritual
warfare. And in this warfare we are liable and wounded by sin. But at
what age are we capable and liable for committing sin?. The answer is
"the age of discretion" or "the age of seven." How
appropriate it is then, that the Church in her wisdom has provided a
means to counter the seductive forces of this world on our young people
with this most glorious Sacrament of Confirmation. To provide the
spiritual strengthening needed, to counter the spiritual attacks, the
outcome of which each person is now held accountable for at this young
age of seven.
God has not left us orphaned. He has not sent us up a creek without a
paddle. In this warfare of the Christian life that we must fight, God
has made it possible for those entering this spiritual warfare through
their baptism to receive this spiritual strengthening. Without this
strength, the children at this age cannot fight off the attacks of sin
effectively. It is like the infant baby that we referred to earlier, who
has not grown nor gotten any stronger since its birth, trying to fight
off the neighborhood dog. It is a loosing battle.
But, like those in the natural realm of this world who go into
military service, they must first go through a basic training process.
We call it Boot Camp. But does this make them seasoned soldiers, mature
and perfected in combat? No, it is only the beginning for them, they
receive their uniforms, their battle gear, their weapons, and learn how
to use them in the heat of battle. And so it is with the Sacrament of
Confirmation. Confirmation is the strengthening provided by God Himself
for every Baptized person to begin their growth and strengthening
process in the spiritual warfare that this life is for Christians. Here
in this Sacrament, the newly confirmed "Soldiers of Christ"
receive the "Breastplate of Righteousness... the Gospel of Peace...
the Shield of Faith... the Helmet of Salvation...and the Sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:13-17).
Again, it is only the beginning, like a new recruit fresh onto the
battlefield. But what would happen to a soldier if he enlisted in the
military and instead of going to Boot Camp where he would receive his
physical conditioning, his uniform, weapons, his battle gear and the
like, he sent straight into the heat of the battle with no weapons, no
protective gear, and no physical training? He is just a kid off the
street. When all of a sudden he is caught-up in the midst of the most
ferocious battle of all created history that has as its prize, his/her
very soul? It would be like that infant baby and the neighborhood dog we
mentioned earlier.
But that is exactly what we are doing when we choose to postpone the
Sacrament of Confirmation, past the age where children become capable
and liable for sins they commit (the age of seven or the age of
discretion). The battle begins personally for them, whether or not they
receive the Sacrament of Confirmation (strengthening). They are
personally held accountable for how well they fight the fight in this
spiritual battle. This battle will begin just as surely as we will one
day die.
But the personal spiritual battles that these children are held
accountable upon entering "the age of discretion" or "the
age of seven", does not have to be so one sided. God has provided
the answer in the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Church in her wisdom
has advised us of the appropriate age.
To summarize the above imagery and statements in just a few simple
sentences. As a result of so many hundreds of hours of study into the
Sacrament of Confirmation which are so briefly summarized in this study,
I believe the Sacrament of Confirmation should be administered to every
Baptized Catholic, at about or before the age of reason. I think the
Church has wisely placed Confirmation at the age of seven, but I would
also not hesitate to see it administered at a younger age either.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION PROGRAM IN OUR COUNTRY
The question that arises now is, "If the age of Confirmation is
set for about the age of 7, what do we do with the present program in
place, and how do we go about meeting this change in our parishes?"
The answer does not have to be a complicated one at all. First of
all, every parish should have a religious education program for grades K
- 8 already in place.
Those parishes who have chosen to withhold Confirmation until the
teenage years of their young people should also have a program in place
for grades 9 - 10 and in some cases 11th grade.
First of all let me say, that we do not need to abolish any of the
religious education instruction for these grade levels at all, but to
setup a complete K - 12 program with very few modifications.
Before I get into the practical suggestions as to what to do, let me
first lay the foundation for these suggestions. Every person's spiritual
growth is directly linked to the continued religious instruction they
receive over the course of a lifetime. Religious instruction and
education is not something that is only needed for the preparation of a
sacrament. But is in fact necessary for the preparation for our entry
into eternal life.
If you recall earlier in this study, St. Thomas Aquinas showed us
that since a human person consists of both body and soul, there is an
undeniable parallel between the physical development of the person and
the spiritual development of that same person. Looking now at the
physical development of a person in society, let's see what we can learn
in regard to their spiritual development.
When a person is of "school age" (in our society today, it
is about the age of 5) they begin a secular education process, learning
the very basics of what they will one day need in the future to be a
productive, healthy, positive member of society. They will learn how to
read, write, workout mathematical problems, study and memorize events in
history so as to make a personal connection with that history so as to
call their own. "I am an American and proud of my country and the
freedom it stands for." So, the education process of a person in
society is not centered around any one thing or event in life. It is to
be a well rounded education of all areas needed to function positively
in society.
As a person continues to progress in life into their teenage and high
school years, they begin to advance their studies, going beyond the
basics of subjects they have been studying. At this age they also begin
to experience new social behavior, and learn how to interact with other
members of society. They begin to form their own identity as a member of
society and begin to personalize their own relationship with who and
what they are in the society they are about to enter into on an adult
level.
Upon completion of the high school years, a person then begins to
narrow their focus of education to a specific field of study. A field
that would best serve society as well as the individual person. That
person then spends the rest of their life continuing to work at getting
proficient at the field of work they have chosen. This happens through
individual study, schooling and seminars provided by the employer, hands
on experience and a continued personal drive to better ones self in
society so as to be the very best they can be in this short 60 - 80
years of life we have here on earth.
Now let's take what we have said about our physical development and
apply it to our spiritual development. Let me say right now, that the
following scenario is not necessarily how the present education program
works, but how it could work if we put the same amount of time, energy,
and importance into has we do our physical development.
When a person is of "catechetical age" (in the Catholic
Church it is about the age of 5) they begin a religious education
process, learning the very basics of what they will one day need in the
future to live a just and holy life, and to become an eternal member of
the society in Heaven we know as the saints. They will learn about the
Ten Commandments, the beatitudes, morality, love, kindness, forgiveness,
study and memorize events in salvation history so as to make a personal
connection with that history and call it their own. "I am a child
of God and proud of my Judeo/Christian heritage and all that it stands
for." Like society, the spiritual education process of a person in
society is not centered around any one thing or event in life. It is to
be a well rounded catechetical education of all areas needed to function
positively as a Christian, a child of God in this life, but it also
serves as the road-map for living happily forever in the next.
As a person continues to progress in life into their adolescent
years, they begin to advance their catechetical studies, going beyond
the basics of the Ten Commandments, and other areas of Christian
doctrine they have been studying. At this age they also begin to
experience new social behavior tailored by their spiritual formation,
and learn how to interact with other members of their Christian
Community. They begin to form their own identity as a member of that
community and begin to personalize their own relationship with God, the
Church and the universal people of God, the Communion of Saints.
Upon completion of the adolescent phase of their life, a person then
begins to narrow their focus of education to a specific field or
vocation. A field that would best serve the family of God, as well as
the individual person in answering God's call on their life. That person
then spends the rest of their life continuing to work at getting
proficient in the vocation God has called them to, whether it be the
religious life, the priesthood, marriage or the celibate life. This
continuing spiritual formation happens through individual study, prayer,
adult education classes and seminars provided by the Church as a whole,
but specifically, through each local parish.
Now before we go any further, let's take a look at the following
diagram to try and help put things in perspective. Sometimes when we see
things, it becomes clearer than just reading or hearing about them.
Death/
Eternity
Birth Judgment
Heaven
|---------------|------------------------------------------------------->
60-80 yrs
\
Purgatory /
\-------------------/
\ Hell
\-------------------------------------------------->
Notice the duration of time between "Birth" and
"Death/Judgment". Then look at the duration of time between
"Death/Judgment and "Eternity".
Now think about everything we have just talked about as well as the
current situation with our present Religious Education programs in most
parishes. Have we done an adequate job of preparing the faithful for
this life in eternity? Have we put the same effort into the spiritual
formation of the faithful that we put into their secular education?
This is the perspective I believe we should have in approaching the
issue of Religious Education. It is equally as important if not more
important than a secular education and yet in most places, it is almost
non-existent.
Moving the sacrament of Confirmation to about the age of reason or
before, should have no effect on the structure of the religious
education program. A catechetical program should be in place to teach
the faith from K - 12 and continuing on with an Adult Education program
for those who go on from the 12th grade as well as those who have
completed RCIA and are looking to continue their spiritual development
within the bounds of the family of God.
As I said earlier, most parishes should already have a K - 8 CCD or
Religious Education program already in place. Nothing here would need to
change, accept possibly, to accent the connection between Baptism and
Confirmation when the sacrament of Baptism is being taught. This is
usually taught in the first grade with most Religious Education
programs.
This would also mean that the sacrament of Confirmation would be
received prior to First Communion. This inadvertently restores the order
of the sacraments with the completion of Christian initiation being the
sacrament of the Eucharist where the now, fully initiated member of the
Church, joins our Lord in the Eucharistic Banquette, the wedding feast
of the Lamb.
However, looking ahead to the higher grades, there would need to be
an additional approach. Along with the catechetical program for these
age groups, their social development needs also must be addressed. This
I believe can be accomplished by a combination of "Youth Group" activities combined with classroom instruction specifically
focused on apologetics.
For grades 6-8, you have a "Junior Youth Group" as well as
religious instruction classes. They would meet together on a weekly
basis for social outings, activities, fund raisers, picnics and so on.
However, their classroom activities would be set up according to their
perspective grade levels. Here you would need a joint working and
planning relationship between the class instructors and the "Junior
Youth Group" leader. Not every week would be class instruction. It
would be a package program combined with the "Junior Youth Group."
For grades 9-12, you have a "Youth Group" in addition to
Religious Education classes. As a "Youth Group" they would
meet together on a weekly basis for social outings, activities, serve
and usher Masses during the month, hold lock ins, fund-raisers for
retreats, youth trips to special events (ie..World Youth Day, Youth
Rallies etc...). The class instruction for these grade levels could be
combined for grades 9-10 and grades 11-12.
The classroom instruction for these higher grade levels, must be
geared to meet the demands of our young people at this stage in their
life. What I mean by this is that during the adolescent years of our
young people, there are many struggles that they are going through. They
no longer want to believe things told to them by an older person just
because the older person says so. They now want to see the truths of
things being taught, demonstrated to them, so that they can make that
truth their own. Have you ever heard a young person say, "Prove
it!"? Well, that is exactly what we must do if we are to pass the
Catholic faith onto these young people and foster a true understand of
what it means to be a child of God.
To say, "That is just the way it is and you must believe
it" will never hold any weight in the minds or hearts of our young
people at this age. We must respond to the command given to us by St.
Peter, to "make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for
the hope that is within you..." (1 Peter3:15).
This command given to us by our first Pope, St. Peter, applies not
only to non-Catholics or non-Christians challenging the Catholic faith,
but also to the catechist to "prove it" to our young people
who are now in the stage of their lives where they are questioning
everything, even the existence of God. Offer the students a reasonable
explanation, and they will embrace the truths of the faith and make it
their own. It is at this age level that the catechetical program must be
focused on the Church's art of "Apologetics."
Giving a reasonable explanation and defense to our young people about
the Catholic faith, is imminently necessary for the successful passing
on of the faith in a world that seeks the spiritual destruction of our
youth, where sex and MTV seem to rule the minds of our young people.
Fr. William Most once wrote a book for teens titled Catholic
Apologetics Today. The following is an extensive quote from that
book explaining exactly what we a trying to deal with here.
A strange phenomenon appears in most young people sometime near
the end of high school. It starts then, and lasts varying lengths of
time sometimes for years and is of varying severity. The symptoms? The
young person finds his formerly solid religious beliefs beginning to
wobble. He is no longer sure of them; and he is hesitant to ask an older
person, for he is definitely inclined not to trust the opinions of any,
older person. So he is forced to be miserable all by himself, unless of
course he talks to others of the same age and finds them in the same
quandary, but equally without any way to get out. We said the length of
time this trouble lasts is varying; some never fully emerge from it.
That brings us to see the first of the reasons for the problem. When we
were children, we simply believed what older people told us. Really,
that is all that could be done at an early age. But then as we grow up,
we begin to want to know for ourselves, to be able to give a reason for
what we believe.
This process is not only quite normal, it can even be a good thing,
provided that it is carried all the way to its conclusion. If not, a
person may lack stability indefinitely, perhaps for the rest of his
life. This process is, then, the normal changeover from the child to the
adult pattern of beliefs. It is proper, because adults should not act
like children and should be able to give a reason for their beliefs. No
one can be quite comfortable between the shore of childhood belief and
the shore of solidly grounded adult faith. For, there one is neither
fish nor fowl. He lacks both kinds of security and so he flounders.
Eventually he may just give up trying, but yet never achieve the
solidity he reasonably wants. Worse, if some great test of faith comes,
he may not have the solid basis on which to endure. Obviously, the
rational thing for a young, even older person to do in such a quandary
is to ask for help from those who are able to give it. Sadly, this is
not so often done. First, the young persons are disinclined to think
older persons could possibly know anything; second, many older persons
never completed the rational process themselves, and are really in no
position, to help. There is a second very potent reason for this
"at-sea" condition. Young people are apt to have their somatic
resonance in a state of flux. Somatic resonance is a common term in
psychology. It is not hard to under-stand. A major psychologist of our
times, T. V. Moore, told in his last book of a case he met when he was a
practicing psychiatrist in Washington, D.C. A patient came in for help
who suffered from manic depressive psychosis. He told Dr. Moore he was
losing his faith. Moore reported that the man really was not losing his
faith; instead, the process of the disease was interfering with his
somatic resonance to faith. Here is the way it works. We are, of course,
made up of body and soul, matter and spirit. These elements are so
closely joined as to add up to one person. As a result of that union if
we have a condition on either side, body or soul, then for smooth
running (not for mere survival of the condition) we ought to have a
parallel condition on the other side. That parallel is called a
resonance. When the resonance is on the side of the body the more
common combination then it is called somatic resonance, from a Greek
word meaning "bodily." So, then, faith is obviously on the
side of the spirit. But faith needs not for mere survival, but for
normal function a resonance on the bodily side. The process (probably
bad biochemistry) of the disease in Moore's patient interfered with the
somatic resonance to faith. [The result was that faith was not rejected,
but neither could it function normally.] Hence, the poor man thought he
was losing his faith. Now, young people can have a parallel problem.
They enter a time of life when there are great bodily changes in the
glandular system, especially at the start of sexual functioning. They
have not yet had time to learn to live with these changes, to come to
terms with them. As a result, their somatic resonance to many things is
in a state of flux, so that faith lacks its normal resonance. No wonder
faith tends to wobble, to seem to have no foundation. Obviously, if a
young person could only realize what is going on inside him and see that
he is being hit by a dramatic changing process, he would be very
relieved. We do not say he would quickly find everything easy. But he
could step outside himself and see himself objectively. Then at least he
would not be so mystified by what he cannot help feeling. The two
conditions we have just explained are clearly part of the process of
growing up. As such, they have always affected people, not just in our
day. But today, young and old alike are affected by still a third
influence: the immense upheaval in the Church and the many claims that
everything has changed. It is no wonder many are uncomfortable with
their Faith.
We see here how Fr. Most not only identifies what is going on with
our young people, but also provides reinforcement for our suggestion
above: give our students a reasonable defense and explanation of the
faith, and focus the catechetical curriculum in the junior high and high
school levels on "Apologetics".
This does not have to be limited to an instructor in a classroom.
Special guest speakers could be brought in to address the youth of the
parish as well. There are many valuable speakers around the country,
that are there for just this purpose.
I would like to now make one brief comment in this "Practical
suggestions" section of this study. The purpose of combining the
Youth group with Religious Instruction is to provide the youth of our
parishes a sanctuary in this ever dangerous world we all live in. A
place where they can feel comfortable sharing their faith and struggles
together in a Catholic environment. A place where they can surround
themselves with other youths of like mind: Catholic Christians. A place
where they can put their newly acquired answers to questions about the
faith into practice.
Have you ever seen an older sibling come home from school with some
new found truth or information and begin to teach his younger brothers
or sisters what he had just learned in School? Or a younger sibling
having difficulty with math problems only to have an older sibling come
along who has the answers and explain it to them and see the light come
on?. This older/younger sibling relationship is exactly what I believe
will be the fruit of this method I described above. Young people giving
a reasonable explanation and defense for their Catholic faith to other
young people. The accent would no longer be on, "How many young
people will leave the Catholic faith?" but will be placed on,
"How many young people will embrace and cherish the Catholic
faith."
In summary let me just say this. If the sacrament of Confirmation was
placed at the age of reason or before, It would allow the Holy Spirit
and the Catechist to work together hand in hand. The Catechist providing
the knowledge and external intellectual stimulation and the Holy Spirit,
through the Sacrament of Confirmation, strengthening the seven gifts
received at Baptism; Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgment
(or Council), Courage (or Fortitude), Reverent Love (or Piety), and Holy
Fear (or Fear of the Lord), working from within the individual,
assisting that person to understand and embrace the truths the Catechist
presents in the name of Jesus Christ.
What a combination this could be, but It must be done correctly. Our
faith is a living, breathing faith. It cannot be reduced to a textbook,
or a series of memorized questions and answers. These things are
important, but our faith is far more than this. We are children of the
Eternal and Almighty God Himself, and all that God has done in Salvation
History is our heritage and our history.
We are heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven and the creator of the Heavens
and the Earth is none other than our Father! Isn't this enough to make
us scream from the roof tops to anyone who would listen? Have we done
our best to convey this to our youth of today? Lets enter back into the
partnership with the Holy Spirit in the religious education of our young
people, and stop trying to do it all ourselves.
If Confirmation was received at or before the age of reason, the Holy
Spirit would not be left to work on His own as He is today. We are
trying to teach our youth today, heavenly truths without the heavenly
strengthening to understand these truths. We need to stop placing the
cart before the horse. A child cannot walk until it's leg muscles are
first strong enough to support it's weight. Let the Holy Spirit
strengthen the individual in the sacrament of Confirmation, and then
watch the spiritual and catechetical formation bloom as they continue
their walk on the road to our heavenly homeland.
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