Hey everyone!!!

Well this is a question for those of you who were baptized on the east coast of the United States.....I recently came back from my x-mas vacation in Massachuettes....As it turns out, I read somewhere that when you are baptized out there, you are automatically confirmed into the Catholic Church...Meaning you get two sacraments done at the same time....It really sounds odd to me that you can get two sacraments done at the same time,but if it is turn then I guess I learned something today.......I have asked my priest as well as looked up information on Catholism and Caticism and was unsuccessful in finding the answer.... On the east coast, are the sacraments of baptism and conformation sometimes done at the sametime? Thanks

-- Jacob (flake777@hotmail.com), February 01, 2003

Answers

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

In the Roman Rite one would normally not be confirmed at the same time of baptistm, however babies who are in danger of death are confirmed when they are baptised. In the Eastern Rite it is normal for confirmation and baptism to be conferred together. With the Roman rite confirmation is conferred at the time where a person is deemed to be responsible, this may be at several different ages depending on local customs, for example it could be at age 8, 12 or 18. It is becoming more common now for children to be initiated into the Church in the same order that adults would be, that is Baptism followed by Penance (not a sacrament of initiation, but I thought I would mention it) , Confirmation and lastly the Eucharist.

I hope this helps God bless Sara

-- (sara@yahoo.com), February 01, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

In addition to the correct information given above by Sara, unbaptized adults who are entering the Catholic Church often receive Baptism and Confirmation on the same occasion. This is true in both the Latin Rite and the Eastern Rites.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 01, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

Actually, it may be the case. In spain for example, the sacrament of baptism and confirmation are given to babies, which follows the tradition of the eastern Churches that give all three sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, eucharist) at once. So, it may be the case that in your area this was once done. Why I don't know, but I'm sure that you would have it mentioned on a baptisimal certificate.

-- C.Ryan (gospa@saintly.com), February 02, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

Isn't it a little bit unusual ? I mean I thought the point of confirmation was to confirm one's faith after a period of time. Newly baptized ones would be considered as spiritual babies I would think, whether child or adult. Doesn't the seed need to be given time to grow ?

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), February 02, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

hello Olly, yes, ideally that's how it would work. Once you've had some experience it is time to become an adult, and even join the army of God, which is what the Holy Spirit does in the sacrament of confirmation, equips you with gifts and weaponry to forge on in the Lord's strength. And to grow in knowledge of Him, help build up the kingdom, and fight against the wiles of the enemy, the devil and his minions. {who, by the way, is like a "roaring lion just waiting for someone to devour"}.

However, unfortunately we don't always develop according to the 'right' ideals. That is why God can do this wonderful thing, being out of time and space, He can deposit certain graces within an individual- whether they are presently ready to receive them, or not- and they may be equipped with all good things, even being unaware. And later, when that person is ready to give themselves, wholeheartedly, to the Lord, they have all they need, they just need to 'tap into it'.

I see this quite often, there are many adults who didn't quite know what happened to them as young 14 year old confirmande, and thus being quite uneffective Christians. Then, as adults, give their lives to the Lord- and the graces given from the Sacrament of Confirmation become active and powerful. Theresa

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), February 02, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

Nevertheless, Oliver makes a very good point - it is preferable to wait till the person has reached the age where he can decide for himself whether or not he wants to follow Christ in the Catholic Church.

To be fair to the Orthodox, though, here's the explanation and reasoning behind giving this sacrament to babies (from a Byzantine church's website):

"Chrismation [confirmation] is conferred to the youth, because the Eastern Catholics emphasize the spiritual graces that an individual receives (versus the empowerment by the Holy Spirit to become Soldiers of Christ). They do not feel there is any benefit to withholding the graces of the Holy Spirit until the child is older."

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 03, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

Once a person reaches adulthood, he/she WILL decide whether or not to follow Jesus in His Church. That is inevitable. There is no way parents could prevent that from happening, nor should they. However, unless the parents have provided the child with the benefit of knowledge and experience of the faith, on what basis will that young adult be able to make such eternally crucial decisions? A child raised in such a way would be a chronological adult, but a spiritual infant.

Once a child reaches adulthood, he/she will also make personal decisions on medical, financial, political, and social issues. How tragic it would be to reach adulthood without the slightest clue regarding critical areas of human life, because your parents didn't make any decisions for you - but waited until you could decide for yourself! Of course, no parents take such an absurd approach where medical, financial, and social matters are concerned. Only where eternal life is concerned.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 03, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

I fail to even see the benefit of confirmation personally. One could easily take the sacrament in a religious way, and yet not have a burning spirit for God, and yet one who has a true heart for the Lord may never have been "confirmed" and yet live a life of godliness.

I guess I like to bring up the example of the Good Samaritan a lot. Though this one was a supposed "enemy" , the religious man and the rich man did not have a loving heart for the beaten ma at the side of the road. Do you really think that man needs to perform outward rituals to gain God's heart ?

God wants someone to love him. Anyone can perform rituals. This is where the problem lies. A lot of people are Christian by label but do not have a heart for the Lord. They might even do all the things like go to confession, partake of the Eucharist to keep up appearances, whereas someone else who lives a godly life, I believe is doing the will of the Father, not the former person.

Any thoughts ?

Btw, full respect to everyone here. I am not trying to insult anyone's faith, but rather just bringing up some points that occurred to me.

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), February 06, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

The sacraments are not means of "gaining God's heart", whatever that means. In fact, they are not something we do at all - that erroneous idea describes the Protestant view toward the few sacraments they retain. In fact, the seven sacraments given to the Christian Church by Christ Himself are, without exception, something God does to us - not something we do for God. It is true that one could go through the mere ritual of a sacrament without a proper interior disposition, and thereby forfeit the extraordinary graces which God offers through the sacrament. But it is also true that the specific graces available through the sacraments cannot be received any other way.

The Apostles had "a true heart for the Lord", but they were unable to go forth and "live a life of godliness" until after they were confirmed - which happened TO them on Pentecost. We can perform humanitarian acts, like the good Samaritan did, without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Pagans often do so. But we cannot grow into spiritual fullness without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the unique outpouring of graces which God provides only through the sacraments.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 06, 2003.

Response to Sacrament of Conformation

I completly agree with our friend Paul here,the holy Ghost DID come down and the apostles were confirmed on Pentecost.Now my point is why would anyone NOT want to follow in the footsteps of the apostles and take part in what Christ wanted for us!!!

-- "Birdy" (birdyfaith@cat.net), May 02, 2003.