Confirmation

The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments, instituted by Christ Himself, which are outward signs of an inward grace acting in our souls.

The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of Initiation.

Confirmation Guidebook 2009

Congratulations to our youth who celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation on Monday, April 26^th along with 95 other candidates at St. Paul Catholic Church in New Bern.

Requirements

Confirmation candidates must be Baptized Catholics and have a Catholic sponsor over the age of 16. Candidates must complete 2 years of Catechetical instruction prior to receiving this final Sacrament of Initiation. Candidates should begin this instruction during the beginning of their freshman year in high school (9th grade) and complete during the spring of their sophomore year (10th grade). Confirmation is held anually in the spring in conjunction with the New Bern deanery. For more information, please contact Annunciation Catholic Parish's Director of Religious Education, Marlene Rink.

According to Diocesan requirements, in order to be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, a teen must be in the 10th grade and must have attended faith formation class while in the 9th grade. If new to the area, you will need to submit a letter from your previous parish stating that your teen has completed their first year of Confirmation preparation.

Historical and Theological background of the Sacrament of Confirmation

(excerpt from the Sacramental Guidelines of the Diocese of Raleigh)

The history of Confirmation is intimately connected to the history of Baptism. Those who believed the teachings of the apostles were baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The laying on of hands imparted the gift of the Holy Spirit to complete the grace of Baptism.

We learn from the writings of Tertullian and Hippolytus that by the third century the baptismal rites of initiaion included an episcopal post-baptismal laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and signing with the cross. The imposition of hands more clearly dramatized the prayer for the blessing of the Holy Spirit. The initiation culminated in the celebration of the Eucharist, for now the convert was able to participate in the full liturgical worship of the Church. Thus, until the fifth century, Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist actually formed on unified Rite of Initiation.

In the fifth century, because of the number of large dioceses and the increasing number of infant baptisms, the process of initiation began to change. Priests were allowed to administer Baptism; in the East they also completed the initiation. In the West, however, the symbolic role of the bishop in the initiation rites remained essential, and the anointing and imposition of hands was celebrated by the bishop when he made his periodic visit.

Initially the time span between the baptism by the priest and the "confirmation" by the bishop was a matter of weekes. In time, however, it often became years before the bishop would have the opportunity to confirm those baptized. Furthermore, since no one though of Confirmation as a separate sacrament, baptized adules and parents of baptized children often would not beother to request the rite. Concern for this popular neglect of the sacrament led to the preoocupation in the Middle Ages with finding the distinctive character of Confirmation. Theologians came to emphasize Confirmation as a sacrament in which the candidate would receive the Holy Spirit in a special way, be strengthened in the faith, and make a mature commitment to that faith. These theological developments have remained associated with Confirmation up to the 20th Century.

Both Baptism and Confirmation are Sacraments of Initiation. The sacramental encounter in infant baptism is a passive one. In Confirmation, the encounter is a ratification of the Baptism--the faith is "confirmed."

What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Confirmation?

During the Rite of Confirmation, we learn the traditional "Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit" as the Bishop and priests lay hands on the candidates, saying: