Are specific beliefs required for confirmation?

[JK8619]

Recently a deacon at the parish I attend stated that there is no set of beliefs that you must hold in order to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is this true? If not, what must you believe to be confirmed. Is there an official list?

JK

 

[Razanir]

There’s no quiz, but it’s generally hoped that you’re a practicing Catholic if you’re getting confirmed.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Recently a deacon at the parish I attend stated that there is no set of beliefs that you must hold in order to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is this true? If not, what must you believe to be confirmed. Is there an official list?

JK

Before being confirmed a candidate renews his baptismal vows. So yes, there is a list of required beliefs:

Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God?

Do you reject the lure of evil, so that sin my have no mastery over you?

Do you reject Satan, the author and prince of sin?

Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

Those being received into the Church through RCIA first make a profession of faith:

I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.

and then recite the Creed, which covers the same beliefs as the baptismal promises before being confirmed.

 

[MorEphrem]

If not, what must you believe to be confirmed.

Sacraments are not contingent upon the credence of the recipient. The confirmation is occurring is the individual is being sealed (confirmed) by the Holy Spirit, in the same sense that Jesus was confirmed as truly the Son of God by the Holy Spirit (& the voice of the Father) after His baptism in the Jordan (hence why Eastern chrismation occurs after Baptism). The Holy Spirit is the perfection and completion, hence the confirmation is a confirmation in the fullness of the Church.

The idea that one needs to have necessary beliefs is a bit silly, primarily because you might receive confirmation at 7 or 8, and one cannot truly speak on what they believe at such an age. Even if one receives it at the age of being a disgruntled teenager (~13) they might grow by the grace of God to ultimately recognize the true faith. Making confirmation contingent upon beliefs is simply counterproductive to that (and particularly impossible to determine in the East because we’re chrismated at Baptism, so I’m fairly certain children who are weeks old lack proper cognition to make judgments).

 

[1ke]

One must be suitably instructed, properly disposed, and able to renew their baptismal promises

If the deacon was asserting one can reject Catholic teaching, say on contraception, gay marriage, abortion, etc, or that syncretism is acceptable, then he is teaching erroneously and needs to be corrected.

 

[PJM]

=1ke;11846679]One must be suitably instructed, properly disposed, and able to renew their baptismal promises

If the deacon was asserting one can reject Catholic teaching, say on contraception, gay marriage, abortion, etc, or that syncretism is acceptable, then he is teaching erroneously and needs to be corrected.

YES! And the pastor and if necessary the Bishop too NEED to be notified as well.

Conformation creates a personal Covenant relationship with the Confirmed and Our God. SERIOUS STUFF!

Thus the one to be Confirmed ought to be sufficiently informed and enlightened to freely and knowingly enter into this Sacred Bond. One is committing to DOING all that the CC teaches and commands on behalf of Christ.

I PRAY this is a rhetorical question on your part

God Bless you,
Patrick

 

[Corki]

There’s no quiz, but it’s generally hoped that you’re a practicing Catholic if you’re getting confirmed.

In our parish, there** is** a quiz. It’s one of many ways for the teachers and pastor to determine if a teen is ready for the Sacrament and willing to renew those Baptismal promises.

If a teen is incapable of articulating the basics of the faith, he/she may need some more preparation time. (it’s a different process for adults, of course)

 

[Razanir]

In our parish, there** is** a quiz. It’s one of many ways for the teachers and pastor to determine if a teen is ready for the Sacrament and willing to renew those Baptismal promises.

If a teen is incapable of articulating the basics of the faith, he/she may need some more preparation time. (it’s a different process for adults, of course)

There is no universal quiz. Happy now?

 

[felsguy]

Recently a deacon at the parish I attend stated that there is no set of beliefs that you must hold in order to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is this true? If not, what must you believe to be confirmed. Is there an official list?

JK

When you say “confirmed in the Catholic Church”

do you mean (a) a baptized Catholic now receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation which can occur at various times during the year;

or do you mean (b) a baptized Christian being received into the full communion of the Catholic Church which often but not always occurs at the Easter Vigil and which does include receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation?

It’s not just a matter of semantics. These are two different things and so there will be two somewhat different answers.

If you mean (a), then it depends on the age of the recipient. In the Eastern Churches infants receive the Sacrament of Confirmation (are chrismated) as well as First Eucharist so obviously no set of belief could be required. Those who have reached the age of discretion, (children, teens, adults), the US Catholic Catechism states, are to be “well prepared by prayer and catechesis” and the CCC describes this as “leading to a more intimate union with Christ…and a more living familiarity with the Holy Spirit” and striving “to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church…as well as the parish community.”

If you mean (b), the RCIA states that their preparation requires “a program of training, catechesis suited to their needs, contact with the community of the faithful, and participation in certain liturgical rites.” And, as was mentioned in an earlier post here, during the rite for their reception these individuals make the following profession of faith” “I believe and profess all that the holy catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.”

I have noticed that a lot of posters here on CAF who have been received in the full communion of the Church through RCIA and at the Easter Vigil will refer to the reception as their “confirmation.” I have always wondered whether this usage comes out of their particular RCIA program or whether they have just picked it up from seeing it here. But that’s really a question for another thread which someday I may get around to starting.

 

[thistle]

When you say “confirmed in the Catholic Church”

do you mean (a) a baptized Catholic now receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation which can occur at various times during the year;

**or do you mean (b) a baptized Christian being received into the full communion of the Catholic Church which often but not always occurs at the Easter Vigil and which does include receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation? **

It’s not just a matter of semantics. These are two different things and so there will be two somewhat different answers.

If you mean (a), then it depends on the age of the recipient. In the Eastern Churches infants receive the Sacrament of Confirmation (are chrismated) as well as First Eucharist so obviously no set of belief could be required. Those who have reached the age of discretion, (children, teens, adults), the US Catholic Catechism states, are to be “well prepared by prayer and catechesis” and the CCC describes this as “leading to a more intimate union with Christ…and a more living familiarity with the Holy Spirit” and striving “to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church…as well as the parish community.”

If you mean (b), the RCIA states that their preparation requires “a program of training, catechesis suited to their needs, contact with the community of the faithful, and participation in certain liturgical rites.” And, as was mentioned in an earlier post here, during the rite for their reception these individuals make the following profession of faith” “I believe and profess all that the holy catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.”

I have noticed that a lot of posters here on CAF who have been received in the full communion of the Church through RCIA and at the Easter Vigil will refer to the reception as their “confirmation.” I have always wondered whether this usage comes out of their particular RCIA program or whether they have just picked it up from seeing it here. But that’s really a question for another thread which someday I may get around to starting.

That varies from country to country. I was a baptised Methodist and I converted to the Catholic faith when I lived in Singapore. When I was formally accepted into the Church at Easter 1992 Confirmation did not take place until 6 months later. This applied to everyone in the RCIA program.

 

[PJM]

=JK8619;11846342]Recently a deacon at the parish I attend stated that there is no set of beliefs that you must hold in order to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is this true? If not, what must you believe to be confirmed. Is there an official list?

JK

Start dear friend by understanding that Confirmation creates a personal Covenant between you and God. a most serious obligation to KNOWN and the live fully the Catholic Faith.

While no specific list is used, the following is a very good guide.

Begin with the Creed we say at Mass on Sunday. Do you understand EACH petition and what it fully menas?

Then the 10 Commandments [which BTW] are Categories of sins [NOT] the only 10 sins

Do you have an idea what this means and implies? And do you know the difference between a Mortal sin and a Venial sin? 1 Jn.1:5-6; 1 Jn.5:16-17 & Jn. 20:19-23 And the effect of each?

So you know the seven Capitol sins and the offsetting Virtues?

Do you understand the hierarchy and authority of the church to demand certain beliefs be held?

Do you have a good understanding of the seven Sacraments?

Do you know how to read the bible properly?

Do you have an understanding of Grace and how it works and how one obtains grace?]

Do you know what is necessary for one’s salvation?

This dear friend is the SHORT list But would be considered minimally sufficient.

as a FYI: caps for emphasis not shouting]

**I OFFER A TOTALLY FREE OF ALL COST E-MAILED HOME STUDY COURSE THAT TEACHES ALL OF THE ABOVE AND TONS MORE. **I TAUGHT RCIA FOR 3 YEARS BEFORE RETIRING.

If anyone would like more info just contact me.

God Bless you, and thanks for asking. Pray for your deacon please.
Patrick
PJM

 

[JK8619]

Thanks to everyone. I think my question has been answered.