i was forced to complete the sacrament of conformation and i was not ready for it at the time. the painful thing is that i was ready two years later only to find myself deprived of the rite because i had been forced to previously. it is not my parents fault, but rather a power hungry and image conscience church and that is where i place the blame. what i want to know is if there is any way i could willingly complete the sacrament, given that i can find forgiveness first.

-- deprived (squeaker113@hotmail.com), July 13, 2003

Answers

Response to forced conformation

Ths Sacrament of Confirmation may only be received once, just as we may only be baptsied once. This sacrament completes our baptism.

How you conclude that the Church is 'rather a power hungry and image conscience church'(I presume you mean image-conscious here) because you felt unprepared, I don't quite understand. I can't see any correlation. Nor is their any benefit to the Church, why would they want to confirm someone against they/their parents will? Your parents could have said no you weren't ready. If you were older then you could have said no yourself. The Church doesn't and cannot force people to receive Sacraments against their/their parents' will.

However, that being said, it's entirely unnecessary for you to again receive the Sacrament of Confirmation as when the Bishop or Priest confirmed you, you would have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Your soul has already been sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirt, and so doesn't need 'done again'. You should also remember that our faith is a lifelone learning experience and each one of us are learning more about God, and the Sacraments which bring us closer to Him, day by day. Children here are confirmed at aged 8 before they receive First Eucharist, which completes their Christian Initiation. That doesn't mean they stop learning about the Holy Spirit when they are confirmed. They go on being catechised about Him as part of their on-going education in the faith. In many ways it's easier now for them to learn more about their faith, having being confirmed, as they've received the gifts of Wisdom, Understanding etc. and this helps them in their spiritual life.

God bless

Sara

-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), July 13, 2003.

Response to forced conformation

You think that your making your Confirmation at the usual time increased the Church's "power", or enhanced its "image"?? No-one can force you to make a sacrament. Why didn't you or your parents simply state at that time that you did not feel ready, and postpone reception of the sacrament? Was it the Church's responsibility to discern that you were not personally ready, and withhold the sacrament from you?

I would agree that preparation for Confirmation is very poor in some parishes, as are religious education programs in general, and many young people receive the sacrament without a proper understanding of what they are doing. This is unfortunate and needs to be addressed. But I see no reason for your unbridled hostility toward the Church. In any case, Confirmation, like baptism, can be received only once. The reasons for this should have been part of your instruction. On the bright side, if anyone receives a sacrament under an impediment to full reception of the graces of the sacrament, those graces are received in full once the impediment is subsequently removed. Therefore, if you received the sacrament before you were "ready" to fully appreciate and receive its graces, but you are now fully "ready", then you have now received the full spiritual effect of the sacrament.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), July 13, 2003.

Jmj

Hi, Paul. You wrote to "deprived/squeaker":
"But I see no reason for your unbridled hostility toward the Church."

I don't see her hostility as "unbridled," since she does want to "willingly complete the sacrament." Also, I can see a reason for her hostility. What I mean is that she is still a very young person who is not yet thinking like the adults that we are. I think that we can cut her a little more slack than we would cut each other.

Hello, "deprived/squeaker." May I make a suggestion to you? Please attend the Confirmation ceremony that will take place next time in your parish. Imagine that you are sitting with the "confirmandi" and listen intently to the bishop's instructions. I pray that this will do wonders for your soul and your attitude. You don't need to wait for that day to ask the Holy Spirit to let all the graces and gifts of your own Confirmation take full effect (and to help you to forgive anyone in the Church whom you feel has offended you).

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), July 13, 2003.