Confirmation

Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

HOW DOES THE BISHOP GIVE CONFIRMATION?

The bishop extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed, prays that they may receive the Holy Ghost, and anoints the forehead of each with holy chrism in the form of a cross.

What is holy chrism?

Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, consecrated by the bishop.

The oil signifies the strength we receive, and the balm that we should be free from the corruption of sin, and give forth the sweetness of virtue.

What does the bishop say in anointing the person he confirms?

In anointing the person he confirms the bishop says: I sign thee with the Sign of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

What is meant by anointing the forehead with hrism in the form of a cross?

By anointing the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross is meant, that the Christian who is confirmed must openly profess and practice his faith, never be ashamed of it, and rather die than deny it.

Openly profess that is, acknowledge that he is a Catholic when it is necessary to do so. He need not proclaim it in the streets. Practice it without regard for what other people think, say, or do. Ashamed of a religion so glorious as the Catholic religion? Would we not be proud to belong to a society of which kings and princes were members? Well, a few centuries ago nearly all the kings, princes, and great men of the earth were Catholics. All the saints were Catholics. All the Popes were Catholics. At present over three hundred million people in the world are Catholics. This Church was founded when Christ Our Lord was on earth, and is nearly two thousand years old. All the other churches are only a few hundred years old.

We ought, therefore, to be proud of our religion, for which and in which so many noble persons died. We should feel proud that we are Catholics; while Protestants should feel ashamed in our presence, for they have deserted the true standard of Christ, and followed some other leader who set up a religion of his own in opposition to the true Church of Our Lord. They will not have the cross or crucifix, the standard of Christ, in their churches or houses or about their persons, and yet they claim to be Christians redeemed by the Cross.

We are called upon to defend or profess our religion when we have to do what the Church and God require us to do: for example, hear Mass on Sundays and holy days; abstain from the use of fleshmeat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, fast on fast-days, and the like, when we are among persons not Catholics.

Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek?

The bishop gives the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek to put him in mind that he must be ready to suffer anything, even death, for the sake of Christ.

To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in the state of grace?

To receive Confirmation worthily it is necessary to be in the state of grace.

What are the effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation?

The Sacrament of Confirmation confers special graces of the Holy Spirit upon the person being confirmed, just as such graces were granted to the Apostles on Pentecost. Like Baptism, therefore, it can only be performed once, and Confirmation increases and deepens all of the graces granted at Baptism.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists five effects of Confirmation:

1. it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation [as sons of God] which makes us cry, “Abba! Father!”
2. it unites us more firmly to Christ
3. it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us
4. it renders our bond with the Church more perfect
5. it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.

What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

1. Fear of the Lord.- to fill us with a dread of sin.
2. Piety.- to make us love God as a Father, and obey Him because we love Him.
3. Knowledge.- to enable us to discover the will of God in all things.
4. Fortitude.- to strengthen us to do the will of God in all things.
5. Counsel.- to warn us of the deceits of the devil, and of the dangers to salvation.
6. Understanding.- to enable us to know more clearly the mysteries of faith.
7. Wisdom.- to give us a relish for the things of God and to direct our whole life and all our actions to His honor and glory.

Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit?

The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity.