Confirmation—a journey toward maturity

Around this time of year, a question frequently asked of bishops by priests is, “How many more confirmations do you have to do?” People bishops meet at that time of the year will often tell them that they will see us in a few weeks at the confirmation of their child or grandchild.

Confirmation is an impressive event in the lives of young people, their families and their parishes. The presence of the bishop as celebrant, the decorations of the church, special attention of the choir and ministers to the solemnity of the liturgy, the gathering of family and friends, the realization that the many months of preparation are coming to an end, and the festive spirit all tell us that something is different, something important is transpiring. These wonderful preparations and events are expressions or companions to the greater reality of the core of the sacrament of confirmation, the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As all encounters with God are a realization of his goodness and bounty, so in confirmation we are once again reassured of the Lord’s providence and care.

The sacrament is celebrated with gesture, sign and word. Baptismal promises are renewed as the foundation of the life of grace. The Holy Spirit and his gifts are called down upon the confirmand. The special scented oil of chrism is used to anoint the chosen Christian. The powerful words “be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit” are proclaimed at the anointing. A sponsor accompanies the candidate to the anointing. All of these sensible signs are meant to impress the young confirmand of the powerful presence of God and his irrevocable gifts in his or her life.

What a wonderful gift for our young people. What an impressive gift for their years of growth to have the God of love as their companion in the journey.

There is discussion from time to time in the church about the proper age for our people to receive confirmation. I believe that the practice in the Archdiocese of Chicago of confirming young people in the final years of elementary school or the beginning of secondary school makes a great deal of sense. It is a time of great change in their lives, as they leave childhood and begin the process of assuming adult roles. In a few short years they will be assessing what they wish to do with their lives, how they will prepare for the future, what their educational needs will be and how this preparation will be provided for them. In a few years they will begin to focus on who the person is with whom they will spend the rest of their lives in family life. If they are prayerful, and especially if their families are prayerful, they may well hear God beckon them to the vocation of priesthood or religious life.

The answers to these questions and requests takes knowledge, wisdom, right judgment, courage and respect for the Lord. These are the gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows on our young people in their journey of growth. The rite of confirmation asks us to pray that the Holy Spirit “…be their Helper and Guide.”

In preparation for the reception of the sacrament of confirmation, parishes rightly expend a great deal of energy. The pastor, catechist, the pastoral staff and the family have the task of transferring the primary responsibility for the spiritual development of the young persons from the adult community to the young students themselves. Usually there is a year or a year and a half of catechesis and formation. The parish sometimes has the confirmands serve as junior catechists or “companions” to younger children in formation. During the period of preparation students may well be required to write papers on confirmation, the church, choosing a saint’s name, the selection of a sponsor, or the acceptance of adult responsibilities in the church. During that time students will often be required to spend some time in volunteering in the parish or community social service programs. This experience is an attempt to expose the young confirmand to the adult responsibility in the church of caring for one another. Gradually the student comes to realize that his or her continued spiritual growth is now being focused as a responsibility the youth must embrace, relying on our help in the process. That embrace can be accepted readily with the Holy Spirit as helper and guide.

This embrace is clearly affirmed in the church’s teaching as stated in “Lumen Gentium,” “…for by the sacrament of confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the church and 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.”

Family members play an important role in the development of the young student and the confirmand’s openness to the grace of the Holy Spirit in confirmation. Parish staffs strive to enlist the active presence of the family in the lives of the students as the preparations continue. This can often be a fortuitous time of evangelizing and catechizing for the family. Some families accept the growth of their candidates as a blessing. The pride in this blessing can move them to be “…enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit…” themselves.

You can join with pastors, parish staff, and catechists in the joy of supporting the development of our young people. Parishes are almost always open to accept parishioners willing to become catechists. Some parish programs seek adults who will journey with the youths as tutors or “companions.” Perhaps you could also be part of the service projects that are afforded the students. Your role in and with the parish confirmation program can help the parish engage the student and family in a journey toward maturity in the life of the church, a journey of encountering the God of love and gifts.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop Edwin M. Conway

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