Confirmation

Refer to our Sunday Experience pages to find different prayers to pray as a family sometime during the week as well as setting up a prayer space and other activities as a family.

For the Learn do the following:

1. Watch Video at the top of the page. (if you want more resources, or are interested in learning more about the topic click on the Extra tab).
2. Click on the appropriate grade for your child.
3. Read the "relates to..." section at the beginning.  This is helpful to understand what to convey to your child is important about this lesson.  It will        help make the lesson both an intellectual and a lived lesson.
4. Read through and familiarize yourself with the sample script. 
5. Teach your child the lesson, either using your own words or the sample script.
6. Either discuss the questions with your child (best option), or have your child write out answers to the questions.
7. Have your child do the activities and/or do the activities with them.  
8. If working with a parish return the appropriate material in the way they have requested.


All Content for "The Way", Learn, is original content and copyright of the Diocese of Kalamazoo and may not be copied, reproduced, or used without prior written consent of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.   © 2020 Diocese of Kalamazoo

Relates to Jesus:  Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to remain with us after He ascends to His Father. The Holy Spirit is ever-present and we encounter Him explicitly in the Church.
Relates to my Faith:  The Holy Spirit has a special place among the faithful, working in the lives of souls in a state of grace and inspiring others to turn from their selfish lives and to lead similar lives themselves.

Sample Script:
Our life as a Christian begins with the sacrament of Baptism, when we become a member of our big Church family and are born into new life with Christ. But there will be some challenges that come our way when we try to live like Jesus did--sometimes it will be hard to choose to do the right thing, or maybe a friend of ours might not understand and we will want to explain to them why we want to live like Jesus. For these difficult tasks, we receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Just like exercise makes our muscles strong, Confirmation builds our spiritual muscles so that we can tackle challenges! 

Our biggest challenge that we must work hard to tackle is sin. Sin can be very difficult to tackle because it can be very easy to do! We never want to hurt our relationship with God, but sometimes we may want to do something that God or our parents don’t want us to do. Both God and our parents love us very much, and to show them we love them too we must try our best not to sin. When we are tempted, we can wrestle against our temptations to sin and win! And Confirmation gives us a special strength that is much bigger than ourselves. When we receive the sacrament of Confirmation we receive in a special way the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit comes to our aid to make us very strong, and he lives inside of us! He is there to help us, and we can always pray to ask for help when we need extra strength. 

Since we receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, the symbols of the sacrament and the Holy Spirit are very similar! A symbol is not the same as a drum cymbal, rather a symbol is like a sign that points to something real. A red stop sign is a symbol that points to a real law, and shows a car driver that they must STOP! The most popular symbols of Confirmation are fire, like when the apostles had tongues of fire over them when they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) wind, and a dove, like when the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove. It’s important to know that the Holy Spirit is not a bird, but that a bird reminds us of the Holy Spirit. All of these symbols point to the fact that we receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation! 

Questions: 

If Baptism is the beginning of our life as Christians, which sacrament strengthens us after Baptism? 
What is our biggest challenge that we need the sacrament of Confirmation to help us with?
Who do we receive who lives in us when we receive Confirmation? 
What are symbols of the Holy Spirit and Confirmation? 
Why are the symbols of the Holy Spirit and Confirmation similar?

Activities:

Draw the most popular symbols of Confirmation. 

Talk with Mom and Dad about something you will want to tackle with the strength of the Holy Spirit! Don’t forget that you can begin asking for his help now!

Relates to Jesus:  Jesus' love and mercy for humanity affords us the knowledge that we are never left alone. Confirmation, like all of the Sacraments, is Jesus' presence intentionally with us to assist in keeping us in His love and mercy.

Relates to my Faith:  Confirmation gives the recipient the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which further the witness of the baptized and allow them to operate more deeply in the life of the Church.

Sample Script:
Think of your favorite hero, in one of their greatest battles. Whether it’s literally a battle of superhero vs. supervillain, or maybe your hero must overcome some great obstacle or curse, or stand up for the good--they each face difficult challenges. Our challenges may look a little different from theirs, but we have challenges to face as well. Baptism is just the beginning of our life as Christians, and we need a sacrament that will strengthen us in our battle against sin when times are tough. That is why we have the sacrament of Confirmation. 

The sacrament of Confirmation strengthens the graces that we receive in Baptism, so that when we need to be really courageous to do the right thing without worrying about what others think of us, we have what we need! Big tasks call for big muscles, and in this case big spiritual muscles! Our biggest challenge that we must work hard to tackle is sin. Sin can be very difficult to tackle because it can be very easy to do! We never want to hurt our relationship with God, but sometimes we may want to do something that God or our parents don’t want us to do. Both God and our parents love us very much, and to show them we love them too we must try our best not to sin. When we are tempted, we can wrestle against our temptations to sin and win! Confirmation gives us a special strength that is much bigger than ourselves. When we receive the sacrament of Confirmation we receive in a special way the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit comes to our aid to make us very strong, and he lives inside of us! He is there to help us, and we can always pray to ask for help when we need extra strength. 

For an example of how the Holy Spirit can work in us, we can look at Pentecost! After Jesus rose from the dead, he continued to travel with the apostles for 40 days and then ascended into heaven to be with the Father. Though Jesus gave the apostles a mission, they could not do it on their own. They were afraid of what others would say about them or do to them, so Jesus had promised his apostles, “you will receive my power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When the time came, it is recorded in Scripture that “suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them” (Acts 2:2-3). Both fire and wind are symbols of the Holy Spirit, they can show us that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles! After this, the apostles left the room from where they hid and began to tell everyone about Jesus and that heaven was open for all! They were no longer afraid of what anyone thought, they only wanted people to know how much God loved them! The Holy Spirit strengthens us like this when we receive the sacrament of Confirmation, and we can rely on the Holy Spirit to help us when we face our own challenges. 

Questions: 

Which sacrament strengthens us when we face challenges? 
Who do we receive when we receive the sacrament of Confirmation? 
What are two symbols of the Holy Spirit? 
What story from Scripture can show us how the Holy Spirit works in us? 
Who can we pray to when we face our own challenges?
 

Activities: 

Read in your own Bible the story of Pentecost, from Acts 2:1 through Acts 2:12. In the apostles case, what did the Holy Spirit enable them to do? 

Draw yourself in a situation where you can ask the Holy Spirit to come to your aid!

Relates to Jesus: Jesus is the best example of courage, following the will of God fully in His life by praying and teaching, even ultimately sacrificing His life for the lives of us all.

Relates to my Faith:  Doing what God and the Church asks of you and me is not always easy but it is the path that leads to ultimate happiness and fullness in life. The grace of courage should be prayed for and practiced so that we can grow and live our lives as God wants us to. 

Sample Script:
Who is the most courageous person you can think of? Why are they the most courageous person you can think of? What do you think of when you think of courage? Usually we think of someone noble, someone who stands up for what is right despite adversity, or someone unafraid despite what they are facing. All of us want to be courageous, but we know how hard it can be. It is extremely hard to do something different from our friends, to care about someone that most people don’t like, or to stand up in front of others. Thankfully, we have a sacrament available to us that can help us to be more courageous when we strive to follow Christ, and that is the sacrament of Confirmation! 

Baptism is the beginning of our Christian life, and in Baptism we receive graces to become adopted sons and daughters of God. When we receive the sacrament of Confirmation, those graces are strengthened! Our familial bond between us and God grows deeper, and we are better equip to tackle the challenges that come our way! Think of someone who lifts weights, and the muscles they gain through their exercise. Confirmation is like a strengthening of our spiritual muscles so that we can be strong enough to do something different from our friends if it’s the right thing to do, or to be more patient with our siblings, or resist the temptation to sin. This strength comes from the Holy Spirit himself! In Confirmation we receive the Holy Spirit in a special way, in that he is poured into us and remains with us! Jesus promised that he would give the Holy Spirit to us when he told his apostles, “you will receive my power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

When we receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, we also receive gifts from him to help us better imitate Jesus, to live and act like he did! There are 7 Gifts from the Holy Spirit, and they are Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, and Awe of the Lord. Each of these are given to us, almost as if adding to our tool belt what we need in order to complete a mission. These gifts, and the Holy Spirit himself give us the courage we need in order to live as Christians! This is something to look forward to, and we can always ask the Holy Spirit for help when we need him. 

Questions: 

What sacrament strengthens the graces we received in Baptism and helps us to live like Jesus courageously?
Who do we receive when we receive the sacrament of Confirmation? 
In what special way do we receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation?
What is something you would like the courage to do? Begin asking the Holy Spirit for that courage! He assists us always! 
How many gifts of the Holy Spirit are there?

Activities: 

Make flash cards to memorize the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Call the most courageous person you know, and thank them for being a great role model for you!  

Relates to Jesus:  Jesus confirms the role of the Holy Spirit by sending Him to be with Mary and the Apostles in the Church. The Holy Spirit is with us today, just as Jesus is, alive in the Sacraments to keep us in His love.

Relates to my Faith: The indwelling of the Holy Spirit residing inside of us makes us temples of the Holy Spirit, and this should remind us to care for ourselves and others with dignity and respect.

Sample Script:
Throughout the Old Testament many references are made to the “spirit of the Lord”.  The famous prophet Isaiah said the spirit of the Lord would come to rest on the Messiah! “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse..The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:1-2). 

When Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, we see the Holy Spirit resting upon Jesus, a sign to everyone that he is the Messiah! John the Baptist exclaimed, “I saw the spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him” (John 1:33). The spirit that the prophet Isaiah was talking about was the Holy Spirit! Thus Jesus received an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But it didn’t end there. On the feast of Pentecost, after Jesus has already ascended into heaven, the apostles also received an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, when “there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them” (Acts 2:2-3). Fire is a popular symbol of the Holy Spirit, and therefore also a symbol of Confirmation.

Confirmation completes Baptism--it is a strengthening of the graces that God has already given us in Baptism. This strength comes from the Holy Spirit himself! In Confirmation we receive the Holy Spirit in a special way, in that he is poured into us and remains with us! Jesus promised that he would give the Holy Spirit to us when he told his apostles, “you will receive my power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus gave us the fullness of the Holy Spirit that he himself had. 

When we receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, we also receive the same Gifts that Isaiah listed in his prophecy about Jesus! There are seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, piety, counsel, and awe of the Lord. These provide us with what we need to imitate Jesus, our main goal as Christians! 

Questions: 

What were the gifts that Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would have?
What are the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit that we receive in the sacrament of Confirmation?
What promise did Jesus make to his apostles and to us? 
Confirmation completes what other sacrament? How so?
What is the typical symbol for the Holy Spirit?

Activities: 

Draw a timeline with the different events throughout Scripture from Isaiah to you, tracing the Holy Spirit. 

Draw a picture of how you think the Holy Spirit came to the apostles.

Relates to Jesus:  Jesus loves us and wants to be a part of every single moment of our life. The Sacraments are intentional encounters that make the Trinity's presence evident in our life.

Relates to my Faith:  Being fully initiated in the Church opens our souls up to the divine life of grace that aides us in being holy sons and daughters geared towards living lives of holiness.

Sample Script:
If you remember, Baptism is the beginning of our life as Christians. We plunge into new life with Christ and our human nature is healed from the wound of sin. Yet even in this newness of life on earth we encounter challenges, times when we need to defend the faith, times when we must choose to do the right thing when our friends might not, or when we need to reach out to a lonely person that everyone else shuns. Though we may know the right thing to do, actually doing it can be scary when we think our friends or others will judge us for it. But carrying though is the noble thing, the courageous thing to do! And we have available to us exactly what we need to take courage in these difficult tasks; that is the sacrament of Confirmation. 

Confirmation completes Baptism--it is a strengthening of the graces that God has already given us in Baptism. Where this strength comes from is the Holy Spirit himself! In Confirmation we receive the Holy Spirit in a special way, in that he is poured into us and remains with us! Jesus promised that he would give the Holy Spirit to us when he told his apostles, “you will receive my power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 

Jesus gave us the fullness of the Holy Spirit that he himself received in Baptism. The prophet Isaiah prophesied, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:1-2). This prophecy is fulfilled when John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, and exclaims, “I saw the spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him” (John 1:33). The same Gifts that Isaiah mentions, namely wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, awe of the Lord, and piety are received in the sacrament of Confirmation as well. These are the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and they are given to us by God exactly so that we can face those challenges we come across as Christians trying to imitate Jesus. We need the strengthening of Confirmation in order to meet these challenges and to bring us even more deeply into our familial relationship with God. 

Questions: 

What sacrament do we receive that helps us meet the challenges we face when striving to imitate Jesus? 
What does Confirmation complete? How so? 
What are the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Which one do you think you need to be most strengthened in? 
Who first received the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Activities:

Think of a time when it was difficult to be courageous when you knew the right thing to do. Why was it so difficult to do the right thing? Talk with your family about this time, and hear their advice for the next time you may encounter a similar situation!  

Discuss with your family what the apostles must have been thinking when the Holy Spirit came to them the first time.

Relates to Jesus: Jesus used specific matter or materials and form or words in His teachings and works. The Sacraments follow the same line of thinking; you need specific matter and form to bring about the reality of a specific Sacrament.

Relates to my Faith: The Bishop, when confirming, uses holy oil and speaks the words of "be sealed with the Holy Spirit" to administer Confirmation and thus allow the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to come explicitly to the confirmed.

Sample Script:
When the sacraments are given, certain elements are important to each of them; they take place in a church, there’s a certain order of events and the same things are used when the sacrament is received. For example, in the sacrament of Confirmation each candidate will approach the bishop or priest with their sponsor right behind them, and the bishop will anoint the person’s forehead with oil while he says, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” This happens at every Confirmation. If we don’t understand the meaning of these, it can seem like nothing more than a silly ritual. What’s the point of the oil and the laying on of hands by the bishop in the sacrament of Confirmation?  How is the sacrament actually conferred or given? 

When we investigate the rite of the sacraments, which are the liturgical traditions we celebrate in the church such as the rite of Confirmation I already described, each sacrament has ‘form’ and ‘matter’: the ‘form’ is the words that are said which are most important, and for the sacrament of Confirmation they are, “ Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit”. Those are the words the bishop or priest says in the rite. The ‘matter’ is what is used to confer the sacrament--in Baptism it is water, in Confirmation the holy oil. The form and matter are external, physical things, but they confer the spiritual reality, which is the sacrament received. It is by the physical anointing and the words that the invisible reality, the graces and new state of our soul, is conferred.  

Confirmation completes Baptism--it is a strengthening of the graces that God has already given us in Baptism. Where this strength comes from is the Holy Spirit himself! In Confirmation we receive the Holy Spirit in a special way, in that he is poured into us and remains with us! Jesus promised that he would give the Holy Spirit to us when he told his apostles, “you will receive my power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit in us allows us to tackle challenges that come when we strive to imitate Jesus; some may not understand why we forgive others or pray, or others may ask difficult questions, or we may endure hard suffering and need God’s help to trust him amidst it. For these the Holy Spirit strengthens us with seven Gifts; wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude or courage, piety, counsel, and awe of the Lord. We need these Gifts that we receive in the sacrament of Confirmation in order to stay strong in the faith we were given at Baptism!

Questions: 

What happens when the sacrament of Confirmation is given? What are the words that the bishop/priest says? 
What does each sacrament have?
What is the form for the sacrament of Confirmation, and what is the matter? 
What does Confirmation complete? Who do we receive in the sacrament of Confirmation?
What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit? 

Activities: 

If there are any Gifts of the Holy Spirit you don’t understand the meaning of, research their meaning. Then think about which Gift you think you need the most in order to better imitate Jesus. 

Read Acts 2:1-41.  Imagine you were in the room with the apostles.  Would you have chosen to be baptised that day?

Relates to Jesus:  Jesus exhorts us in Scripture time and again to love our neighbor and to care for the poor. He gives us the Beatitudes and the Works of Mercy so that we can be loving to our neighbor and show them the face of Jesus.

Relates to my Faith:  Holiness is following after the example of Jesus. We need the grace of the Holy Spirit as given through Confirmation to keep us as sons and daughters who love God and love neighbor and know the Father's voice so that when we sin and leave the path, we will be able to find our way back home to Him.

Sample Script:
We learned that when we receive the sacrament of Baptism, we receive sanctifying grace which we can act on. It allows us to better imitate Jesus by our actions throughout our whole life. When striving to imitate him, we are going to encounter some challenges. How Jesus treated others with love and respect when he lived was a shock to many, and though society changes with the times, the way that Jesus lived is still difficult for some to understand. People may ask you why you are Catholic or judge you even when you treat others well, or perhaps you will have to choose whether or not you will go along with your friends when they want to do something that you know isn’t right. These things take a lot of courage, and God knows that. He gave us the sacrament of Confirmation just so that we have what we need to face these challenges. 

Confirmation literally confirms our Baptism; it strengthens the graces we received in Baptism. In Confirmation we also receive an indelible mark, similar to the mark we receive in Baptism, yet by this second mark Jesus seals us with the Spirit, “clothing you with power from on high” (CCC 1304). This is what that power gives you: It roots you more deeply as an adopted son or daughter of Christ, meaning that familial bond between you and God is deeper. It unites you more firmly to Christ and increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in you (which are wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude/courage, piety, counsel, and awe of God), and gives you strength from the Holy Spirit himself to defend the faith, and share it with others.

With this sacrament, the Church also gives us important ways of exercising the Gifts that we receive from the Holy Spirit called the spiritual works of mercy, and the corporal works of mercy. The spiritual works of mercy involve giving non-tangible gifts to others, and they are: 

Teaching the ignorant
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the sorrowful
Admonish the sinner
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive all injuries
Pray for the living and the dead

The corporal works of mercy, which involve giving physical necessities to others, are:  

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the Sick
Visit the Imprisoned
Bury the dead

While these are gifts we can give to others, we need these ways of giving to help ourselves become holy. They teach us to love better and understand Jesus’ love for people. Though these may seem intimidating and are certainly challenging, we have all the tools to accomplish these works by Confirmation with the power that Jesus clothes us with. 

Questions: 

Which sacrament is specifically meant to help us face the challenges we encounter when we strive to imitate Jesus? 
What does the sacrament of Confirmation strengthen?
What are all of the things we receive in Confirmation, including who we receive? 
What are the corporal and spiritual works of mercy? Why do we need to take these actions? 
Why do you think the corporal works of mercy are jsuts as important as the spiritual ones?

Activities: 
1. Ask your parents and godparents to tell you about their confirmation and have them describe to you how they live out the graces received from this Sacrament.

2. Reflect on the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. Choose two of these (one Spiritual and one Corporal) that are challenging to you and make a real effort to do these Works of Mercy.

Relates to Jesus: Jesus promised the sending of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who goes before us, walks with us, and strengthens us in living our life of faith.

Relates to my Faith: The Catholic Church is the temple of the Holy Spirit and we become these same temples through our baptism and even more so through our confirmation.

Sample Script:
Once we are given new life in Christ through Baptism, having become adopted sons and daughters of God through sanctifying grace and beginning our life as a Christian, we come to face some challenges. Has a friend of yours ever asked why you are Catholic? Has it ever been difficult to pray or talk about your faith with other people, or understand why you believe certain things? These are just a few challenges that we will face, and God knows that we face those challenges. We have a sacrament of strength available to us that we need in order to live as Christians and to face those challenges, the sacrament of Confirmation! 

When we investigate the rite of the sacraments (when they are given to us in the church), each has ‘form’ and ‘matter’: the form is the words that are said which are most important, and for the sacrament of Confirmation they are, “ Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit”. Those are the words the bishop or priest says in the rite. The matter is what is used to confer the sacrament--in Baptism it is water, in Confirmation the holy oil. The form and matter are external, physical things, but they confer the spiritual reality, which is the sacrament received. Together these make the rite of Confirmation, when the anointing with chrism on the forehead which is done by the laying on of the hand, and the words are said, the person receives the sacrament. 

When we receive Confirmation we receive an indelible mark. It is like the mark you received in Baptism, yet by this second mark Jesus seals us with the Spirit, “clothing you with power from on high” (CCC 1304). Have you ever thought about that? Confirmation literally confirms baptism and strengthens the graces you received in Baptism. This is what that power gives you: It roots you more deeply as an adopted son or daughter of Christ, meaning that familial bond between you and God is deeper. It unites you more firmly to Christ and increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in you (which are wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude/courage, piety, counsel, and awe of God), and gives you strength from the Holy Spirit himself to defend the faith, and share it with others. Knowing this power that either is or will be in you soon, let it inspire you to think of how you will choose to live a little differently than you do now!   

Questions: 

For what purpose do we receive the sacrament of Confirmation? 
How is the sacrament of Confirmation conferred? 
What are the effects of Confirmation? In other words, what power does it give to us? 
What are the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit? 
What is the "matter used in Baptism? What is used in Confirmation?
 

Activities: 

The Church gives us the spiritual and corporal works of mercy to exercise the power of the Holy Spirit in us. What are two that you can accomplish in the next week either alone or with your family? Plan it and do it.

Corporal works of mercy:
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the Sick
Visit the Imprisoned
Bury the dead
Spiritual works of mercy: 
Instruct the ignorant
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the sorrowful
Admonish the sinner
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive all injuries
Pray for the living and the dead

Confirmation – Extra Page
Scripture References: John 3:5; 14:16-17, 26; Acts 2; 8:14-17; 9:17; 19:6; Heb 6:1-2

Catechism of the Catholic Church References: CCC nos.: 1285 – 1321

Videos:
Video about Confirmation Diocese of Superior, WI (catholicdos.org)
Reflections on Confirmation--Bishop Barron
Chris Stefanik: What Happens at Confirmation
Sophia Sketchpad: Confirmation
 

Extra Narrative (for deeper study)

Overview
Confirmation is one of the Church's seven sacraments that we receive in the beginning stages of our Christian life. It, therefore, falls in the cartegory of one of the three sacraments of initiation. Like all the sacraments, Jesus instituted this sacrament as a means to remain close to him and for us to participate in a greater share of God's love and being. In the second chapter of the Book of Acts (Acts 2) in the New Testament (this is the first book after the four Gospels, written by St. Luke that catalogues the growth and development of the early Church), we see that Jesus fulfills his promise in the Gospel of John at the Last Supper when he promises to send the Holy Spirit in power upon the Apostles. Acts 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit also descended upon all the disciples present in the Upper Room on that occasion and "some three thousand were converted that day" (Acts 2:41). The Scripture references above also show other instances in which Confirmation, at that time called, "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" was being administered as one of the sacramental rituals for new converts. In this ritual, the New Testament scriptures tell us how hands were laid upon those who had already been baptized by water, and the Holy Spirit was called down upon them and they were anointed with oil. Furthermore, we see in the writings of the Fathers of the Early Church, Theophilus of Antioch, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Cyprian of Carthage, Cyril of Jerusalem, as well as other writings of the early Church, that Confirmation--though referred to in different ways, but always with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil--was not only practiced, and not only an integral part of a Christian's initiation, but a necessary one.       

Definition of Confirmation
Confirmation is the sacrament by which the graces received at baptism are completed and by which we are made stronger and more perfect Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Eastern Catholic Rite Churches, this sacrament is called, Chrismation, which emphasizes the anointing of the Christian.

The definition above tells us why this sacrament is important and what it does for us. Without Confirmation, the seeds of Baptism, and all the graces that come with it, remain incomplete and highly vulnerable to loss through sin and neglect. They are like a seed which never is given the heat, light, warmth, and nutrition to make it grow. Confirmation gives us the grace--in potential (for all grace must be utilized and acted upon to be strengthened)--to live out our Christian lives in every way that God desires us to, through the strength and power of the Holy Spirit living in us. {St. Paul calls our bodies, "the Temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 6:19), and therefore we must keep them pure and free from sin}. 

The Chief Effects of Confirmation
The first way in which we are strengthened by this sacrament is by being given a greater share in the Divine life, which is sanctifying grace, especially in the power of the Spirit of God. Also, we are given the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord). The three theological virtues which we received at Baptism (Faith, Hope, and Charity) are strengthened within us. We are also marked or sealed with a unique character imprinted upon our souls, visible to the spiritual world, marking us as confirmed Christians. Additionally, we are given a greater bond as adopted sons and daughters of God and are made stronger Christians with greater potential to become more perfect by cooperating with God's grace. We have greater strength to resist sin (if we indeed continue to fight against those temptations), and God gives us a greater measure to live out our responsibilites and duties according to the three-fold office of each Baptized Christian, called "the Apostolate" of "Priest, Prophet and King" (also called our Sanctifying, Teaching, and Governing) offices. More on the offices of the Apostolate below. The better we are disposed to receive confirmation, the greater share in all these graces we will be given.

The Matter and Form of Confirmation
The matter or material element of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the laying on of hands by the Bishop (or priest) and the calling down of the Holy Spirit upon the confirmand (i.e., the person being confirmed), and the anointing of the confirmand with sacred chrism (a mixture of olive oil and balsa wood perfume). The form or ritual words of the sacrament is the dialogue between the Bishop (or priest) and the confirmand as he anoints the confirmand with the sacred chrism as follows:

Bishop (or priest): Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit

Confirmand responds: Amen.

Bishop (or priest): Peace be with you.

Confirmand responds: And with your spirit.

Simple as that!

The Ordinary Minister of Confirmation

The ordinary minister of confirmation is the Bishop, or in the case of Easter Vigil or other times the bishop may delegate, the Bishop may give his priests authority to administer confirmation. A deacon or layperson does not have the power of the ordained priesthood necessary to administer Confirmation. The powers to offer Mass and hear confessions are unique to the sacramental (i.e. the ministerial) priesthood only. The power to consecrate other bishops and to ordain priests and deacons is unique to the office of the Bishop only by virtue of the spritual character he receives at his consecration as Bishop. A priest is not only not authorized to ordain another priest, he has no power to.

The Three-Fold Office of The Apostolate
By virtue of our baptism, each neophyte (i.e., "newly born" Christian, cf. Jn 3:5) is made a "Priest, Prophet, and King". As stated above, Confirmation gives us a greater measure of duties and responsibilites in fulfilling these offices. So, we should explain them here. In General, we are to live out each office the Apostolate in accordance with our state of life (i.e., our current circumstances), for example, the Pope has his responsibilities, a bishop how, a priest his, a deacon his, a father his, a mother hers, an adult child theirs, a minor child theirs, and a small child theirs, a single person theirs, a married person theirs, etc. 

The First Mission: The Priestly or Sanctifying Mission
As Christians, we are all "priests". Not all of us are ordained through Holy Orders as priests (i.e. the sacramental or ministerial priesthood), but we are all part of what is called, the "priesthood of all the faithful". To understand this mission, we must first undertsand the function of a priest. What is the function of a priest? A priest offers sacrifices. An ordained priest offers the sacrifice of Jesus, that is, he offers himself in the person of Christ to the Father and with him, the members of his parish and those in attedance as well as anyone he wishes. As laypeople, we offer spiritual sacrifices, that is, the daily sacrifices we make for our children and things we give up daily for ourselves. Jesus said each day we are to "pick up our cross" and follow him. Each day brings it own works, joys, and sufferings (or even litle annoyances). These are what Christ calls us to offer as spiritual sacrifices joining these sacrifices to him, to lay before the Father at every Mass, which is the work of the Church where Christ is High Priest who gives it all to the Father for our salvation. This is the heart of the spiritual work of the Church. 

Parents have their own role as "priests" or "sanctifiers" of their children. They are required to bring them up in the Faith, to bring themselves and their children to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, to Confession, pray together daily as a family, practice the days of fast and abstinence and the other obligations of the Precepts of the Church in accordance with Canon Law which is binding upon all baptized Catholics. Children, for their part are required to be obedient to their parents in these same things, and should pray, read and study Scriptures, attend Mass, go to confession, receive Holy Communion in a state of grace, etc. Some of this will be different for older children, than those who have not yet received their sacraments of First Holy Communion or first reconciliation. Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and those under religious orders all have their own way in which they must live out their priestly mission (e.g., Administer the sacraments, Say Mass, hear confessions, etc). 

The Second Mission: The Prophetic or Teaching Mission
The second mission, which is the prophetic or teaching mission, for the adult lay person would be learning more about their own Catholic faith so they can be more effective teachers and models of faith to their own children being, as the Second Vatican Council called parents, "the primary ediucators of their children". All our also called to be witnesses and practitioners of their Catholic faith not only at home, but in public and in the workplace, where it may be particularly hard in this day and age to do so. Proclaiming to be Catholic, even going to Mass and receiving Holy Communion, is hypocritical and may even be blasphemous if we disagree with and do not practice Church teaching in our everyday lives and workplaces. Our decisions at work and home and with everything we do must be consistent with the teachings of the Church if we consider ourselves to be faithful Catholics. This includes everything from defending the lives of the unborn to integrity if we are workers at an election place, to avoiding gossip and destroying the names of others, to feeding the hungry and doing all the works of mercy. Jesus said, "Not all those who cry Lord, Lord will enter heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in Heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Also, Jesus gave us firm warning in Matthew 25:31-46, that unless we do the corporal works of mercy (i.e. feed the poor, give drink to those who thirst, clothe the naked, etc), we can expect to face eternal fire. If we are students in school, this mission means not acting in uncharitable ways to our classmates (e.g. bullying, exclusion, saying mean or nasty things to or about others, or spreading rumors or stories that hurt their reputation, etc),  having integrity in our work (i.e. not cheating in our school work or tests), etc. In contrast, we should be helpful to others. Say kind things about them whenever we can. Be models of goodness and faithfulness, especially when others may make fun of us for doing so, or as we are experiencing in this day and age, claim that our teachings make us "hateful". We must remember that it is Jesus Christ, not secular society and its instututions, who determines God's law of love. If we as Catholics are being called hateful because of what appears to the Church's enemies as exclusionary of the claims of what rights others have (e.g., a right to homosexuality, gender choice, abortion, etc)  it is because they either fail to understand God's law of love, how Christ defines love, and/or the Church's teachings. Christ loves all and does so with a perfect love secular humankind cannot begin to understand, but he loves us too much to allow us to fall into Hell. Since Christ, who is God, and is therefore above all creation, and who is in fact the Word who created us, has perfect knowledge of all that He created, He also understands the causes and reasons of all the wrong-headed thinking that plagues the minds of sinful humanity, including its own selfish rebelliousness against God.  

The Third Mission: The Kingly or Governing Mission
The kingly or governing mission for a parent includes the leadership, management, and of running their home and workplace in accordance with Christ's laws. As parents, we must ensure that we seek to the best of our ability--and by asking God's help--to be reminded that our home is "the Domestic Church", as Vatican II calls the home. Organization, cleanliness, the upbringing and training of our children in the ways of God is our responsibility before God as parents. We do not want to be in a position of having to answer to God at the end of our lives with excuses which will make us look pretty dumb and ridiculous before the penetrating Light and Truth of God as to why we negelcted to raise the children he blessed us with without Him in their lives, thus making us at least, in part, responsbile if they also end up neglecting Him and ending up in eternal separation from Him. "Letting the figure it out for themselves" Is like refusing to put your children in school and saying, "I want them to figure it all out on their own."  A good parent would never do that because they would want to set their children up for success in the world. Well, if God created us for eternal life, why on earth would we not want to set our children up for success to obtain eternal life? Jesus said very clearly, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6). Failing to educate one's children in the Catholic faith because one desires their children to "figure it out for themselves" when Christ makes it perfectly clear we must come through Him through the Church he established to obtain eternal life, is one of those things that will make us look pretty ridiculous before that penetrating Light and Truth of God we mentioned above when we have to stand before Jesus, the Just Judge, at the end of our lives.

Likewise, the mission of governance occurs in our places of work and even where we recreate. When we take vacations, do we make that an excuse to take a vacation from God and therefore do not attend Mass as if our vacation excuses our obligation before Him and the Church, or do we do the responsible thing and plan for where and when we will attend Sunday Mass or a Holy Day of Obligation at the place(s) we recreate and go on vacation?

For adults, this mission also requires us to be good citizens of our nation being obedient to those laws which are in consonance, and not opposed to, Church teaching. We are never required to be obedient to laws that conflict with the laws of God or of the Church, in fact, to have the strength to oppose such laws is not only virtuous, but is that fruit of the gift of the Holy Spirit called, Fortitude. 

Lastly, in this mission, children, for their part, are called to be obedient to their parents in all things that are lawful before God (no child is required to be obedient to that which the Church would consider abuse). They should learn to be organized, be good followers, and helpers, assisting other students and friends in their needs or when they need help, and not be afraid to speak out when others mock their Catholic faith, even if it means suffering humiliation or being made fun of or bullied. To this end, they should also learn how to defend their faith and to ask the Holy Spirit's help to effectively answer insults or others' innocent questions.

The Fruit of the Spirit: The Measure of Our Fruitfulness as Christians
So, how do we know we are acting in the Holy Spirit? Well, St. Paul catalogues for us nine elements which together make up the one "fruit" of the Holy Spirit. Those elements are love, joy, peace, patient endurance, kindness, generosity, faith, mildness, and chastity. We do well to examine ourselves in light of each of these elements and to pray for a greater measure of each. St. Paul also makes clear what is not of the spirit. He states, "It is obvious what proceeds from the flesh: lewd conduct, impurity, licentiousness (doing whatever bad thing you want), idolatry (putting something above God, including your own selfish desires), sorcery (ouija boards, horoscopes, seances, occult practices, etc.), hostilities (hate that neighbor?), bickering, jealousy, outbursts of rage, selfish rivalries (making cliques to the exclusion of others), dissensions (making public statements--even in small social settings--about disagreements with the teachings of Christ or Church teachings), factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you as I have warned you before. Those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21).    

Some Concluding Considerations

In the rite of Confirmation as it existed before the changes incorporated after the Second Vatican Council, the theology of the sacrament of Confirmation emphasized that in receiving the sacrament, the confirmand was a "soldier of Christ". That theology was emphasized in the rite itself by means of a tap or light slap on the cheek that the bishop gave to the confirmand to remind the confirmand that they could expect to suffer in some way for their Catholic faith. That suffering could be as simple and mild as as being poked fun at by classmates, or as serious as being called to give one's life for the Church as well as a reminder that many had. The Church calls those who lost their lives because of their Faith, martyrs, or witnesses to the faith. The book of Revelation, symbolically speaks of 144,000 martyrs (or 12 x 12 x 10 x 10 x 10--these numbers remind us of the 12 patriarchal leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel, and the 12 Apostles who are the 12 patriarchal leaders of the Church, multiplied by ten--a number of fullness and royal lineage---times 3, a number of perfection that reminds us of the Trinity's appointing). The point is, the Church has suffered a great deal of martyrs in every age, and we must be prepared to be as firm in our witness as they were. We must pray for this grace, though it takes a special grace to actually desire it. Christ does not judge us with a different standard simply because we live in a different age. Their trials and tribulations caused the same stress and dilemmas that we face or may face in our day and age. Therefore, we must call on the graces of the Sacrament of Confirmation and be in close relationship with the Holy Spirit calling upon him to give us the Wisdom and Fortitude to weather whatever God may call us to one day suffer. Our Lady Help of Christians, pray for us!