Baptism separate from Confirmation?

[matthew_byk]

My friend’s 16 year old son has a condition that handicaps him severely mentally as well as physically. My friend just recently joined the Church, and wants her son to be baptized. She doesn’t think he is ready to be confirmed, because he does not understand the faith. She is willing to do special training with him to prepare him for confirmation, but that will take some time. Her son’s condition is terminal, with no known life expectancy, so she wants to get him baptized as soon as possible.

The problem is that the DRE at her parish said that they do baptism and confirmation together, not separately. The DRE doesn’t want to budge on this. AFAIK, there is no canonical or rubrical reason why the boy can’t be baptized without confirmation. She’s concerned that if she approaches her pastor,he will be in line with the DRE. She doesn’t know what to do.Any advice?

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[kristanl]

Well since most parishes confirm at 15-16 years of age. After that, and during that age is the time when one would need to go through RCIA. If he was 14, I think he would have an option to be confirmed before his age group would be. But since the majority of his age group has been or will be confirmed this year, then they dont want to not confirm him, and him never do it I guess.
However, I think she should approach the pastor and explain the special needs of the child. How she longs and desires baptism for him etc. I would also suggest in asking if this is possible for this Easter. (Or Easter season). If not, he will have to wait until Sept. (in most cases) to begin RCIA and will be baptized, recieve first holy communion, have confession, and be confirmed, during Easter Vigil mass.

 

[SMHW]

This is one of those cases where the pastor needs to access whether or not the boy is “an adult”. In other words, has he reached the age of reason which would mean he’s at least the mental equivalent of a typical seven year old.

It’s not clear from the first post just how immediate the danger to this boy’s life might be from his condition. If there is serious likelihood that this boy will die soon then baptism should not be delayed.

 

[Bob4BVM]

This illustrates a too-common problem with many lay people who work in/for the church, think they have the power to make such calls.

Your pastor is THE one responsible for you parish’s faith journey, he is the priest there, and he can and should make any special decisions such as this, depending on the special needs of his flock when they come up like this.

Talk to your priest, explain the boy’s needs.
It is not the DRE’s call to overide what the priest sees as best for the individual.

I have seen the same sort of thing in my parish too, where lay people think they have more authority than the priest sometimes.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My friend’s 16 year old son has a condition that handicaps him severely mentally as well as physically. My friend just recently joined the Church, and wants her son to be baptized. She doesn’t think he is ready to be confirmed, because he does not understand the faith. She is willing to do special training with him to prepare him for confirmation, but that will take some time. Her son’s condition is terminal, with no known life expectancy, so she wants to get him baptized as soon as possible.

The problem is that the DRE at her parish said that they do baptism and confirmation together, not separately. The DRE doesn’t want to budge on this. AFAIK, there is no canonical or rubrical reason why the boy can’t be baptized without confirmation. She’s concerned that if she approaches her pastor,he will be in line with the DRE. She doesn’t know what to do.Any advice?

Thanks,
Matthew

The DRE is incorrect. In this case the person would be Baptized under the Rite of Baptism for Infants. Confirmation DOES NOT immediately follow Baptism as it does with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. He would however be Confirmed ASAP if he was ever in danger of death.

The DRE is absolutely wrong. Speak with the pastor or the Diocese if necessary.

 

[Alan55]

Fact is, in the early church everyone, including children, was baptized, confirmed and received first communion at the same time. That is still the practice in some eastern rite Catholic churches for infants. It was only after there were few adult converts to Christianity that confirmation and first communion were split off from baptism and administered to older children who had reached the age of reason (8-9 years old or older) or adolescence, or had demonstrated their grasp of basic church doctrine,.

Confirmation is not a rite of passage to adulthood and need not be withheld from a developmentally disabled child. The fact that the child is not able to understand church doctrine should not be the determinative factor. The diocese may have rules that apply to determine the minimum age of confirmation, but there is no theological reason not to confirm.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Well since most parishes confirm at 15-16 years of age. After that, and during that age is the time when one would need to go through RCIA. If he was 14, I think he would have an option to be confirmed before his age group would be. But since the majority of his age group has been or will be confirmed this year, then they dont want to not confirm him, and him never do it I guess.
However, I think she should approach the pastor and explain the special needs of the child. How she longs and desires baptism for him etc. I would also suggest in asking if this is possible for this Easter. (Or Easter season). If not, he will have to wait until Sept. (in most cases) to begin RCIA and will be baptized, recieve first holy communion, have confession, and be confirmed, during Easter Vigil mass.

Anyone over the Age of Reason (mental/physica)l age of about 7 or 8 is required to use the RCIA.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Fact is, in the early church everyone, including children, was baptized, confirmed and received first communion at the same time. That is still the practice in some eastern rite Catholic churches for infants. It was only after there were few adult converts to Christianity that confirmation and first communion were split off from baptism and administered to older children who had reached the age of reason (8-9 years old or older) or adolescence, or had demonstrated their grasp of basic church doctrine,.

Confirmation is not a rite of passage to adulthood and need not be withheld from a developmentally disabled child. The fact that the child is not able to understand church doctrine should not be the determinative factor. The diocese may have rules that apply to determine the minimum age of confirmation, but there is no theological reason not to confirm.

But unlike the early Church today the Bishop does not attend most Baptisms.

 

[matthew_byk]

Thank you all for your help. You’ve confirmed what I thought, i.e that the pastoral call should be to allow the baptism alone. This kid will need a specialized program to get through RCIA; a typical program will just be beyond him.

As far as the terminal part of his condition, the oldest person with this condition my friend knows of was 23 when he died. She says it is a very rare condition; only 100 people in the U.S. have it.

As I said, she’s nervous to bring this up with her pastor because she’s afraid he’ll say no. I advised her that if that’s the problem, she should go to a different parish.

Thanks again,
Matthew

 

[5Loaves]

Also, check with the Diocese to see whether they have SPRED, SPecial Religious Education Department, and contact the Director of SPRED. This is usually Diocese wide program of preparation for the Holy Sacraments and ongoing catechesis, as compared with a parish based formation. Other resources are the National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry, National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities , Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities.

 

[5Loaves]

If not, he will have to wait until Sept. (in most cases) to begin RCIA and will be baptized, recieve first holy communion, have confession, and be confirmed, during Easter Vigil mass.

It’s not necessary that it be at the Easter Vigil.
Can. 856 Although baptism can be celebrated on any day, it is nevertheless recommended that it be celebrated ordinarily on Sunday or, if possible, at the Easter Vigil.
Can. 857 §1. Apart from a case of necessity, the proper place of baptism is a church or oratory. §2. As a rule an adult is to be baptized in his or her parish church and an infant in the parish church of the parents unless a just cause suggests otherwise.

The Bishop is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation. The bishop can designate priests to confirm in his absence which is what typically happens for the Easter Vigil.

 

[Phemie]

My friend’s 16 year old son has a condition that handicaps him severely mentally as well as physically. My friend just recently joined the Church, and wants her son to be baptized. She doesn’t think he is ready to be confirmed, because he does not understand the faith.

If I were your friend I would allow my son to be confirmed and receive the graces that are conferred by that sacrament. “Understanding the faith” is not an absolute requirement for reception of Confirmation since infants who receive emergency baptisms are also to be confirmed if possible.

Her son’s condition make this situation rather nebulous: Is he an infant due to his condition or does he qualify as an adult (age 7+) but no harm will be incurred by allowing him to be baptized and confirmed together. She can simply keep teaching him as much as he is able to understand after his confirmation.

 

[5Loaves]

If I were your friend I would allow my son to be confirmed and receive the graces that are conferred by that sacrament. “Understanding the faith” is not an absolute requirement for reception of Confirmation since infants who receive emergency baptisms are also to be confirmed if possible.

And in Eastern Catholic Churches babies routinely receive all three of these Sacred Mysteries/Sacraments, Baptism, Chrismation/Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist at the same time.

 

[puzzleannie]

My friend’s 16 year old son has a condition that handicaps him severely mentally as well as physically. My friend just recently joined the Church, and wants her son to be baptized. She doesn’t think he is ready to be confirmed, because he does not understand the faith. She is willing to do special training with him to prepare him for confirmation, but that will take some time. Her son’s condition is terminal, with no known life expectancy, so she wants to get him baptized as soon as possible.

The problem is that the DRE at her parish said that they do baptism and confirmation together, not separately. The DRE doesn’t want to budge on this. AFAIK, there is no canonical or rubrical reason why the boy can’t be baptized without confirmation. She’s concerned that if she approaches her pastor,he will be in line with the DRE. She doesn’t know what to do.Any advice?

Thanks,
Matthew

get the DRE out of the loop and go directly to the pastor, parents must do this, child should be baptized and confirmed at the same time, if his condition is such that he is not expected to live long, it should be done immediately. No preparation is necessary as for the purposes of the sacraments of initiation he is an infant due to his developmental condition.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thank you all for your help. You’ve confirmed what I thought, i.e that the pastoral call should be to allow the baptism alone. This kid will need a specialized program to get through RCIA; a typical program will just be beyond him.

As far as the terminal part of his condition, the oldest person with this condition my friend knows of was 23 when he died. She says it is a very rare condition; only 100 people in the U.S. have it.

As I said, she’s nervous to bring this up with her pastor because she’s afraid he’ll say no. I advised her that if that’s the problem, she should go to a different parish.

Thanks again,
Matthew

First BIG issue this child would NOT go through RCIA! They would be Baptized using the Rite of Infant Baptism.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

If I were your friend I would allow my son to be confirmed and receive the graces that are conferred by that sacrament. “Understanding the faith” is not an absolute requirement for reception of Confirmation since infants who receive emergency baptisms are also to be confirmed if possible.

Her son’s condition make this situation rather nebulous: Is he an infant due to his condition or does he qualify as an adult (age 7+) but no harm will be incurred by allowing him to be baptized and confirmed together. She can simply keep teaching him as much as he is able to understand after his confirmation.

Confirmation is not usually given at the time of Emergency Baptism, since Confirmation is not necessary for salvation and an infant just Baptized is in a state of perfect Sanctifying Grace until they reach the “Age of Reason”.

 

[Phemie]

Confirmation is not usually given at the time of Emergency Baptism, since Confirmation is not necessary for salvation and an infant just Baptized is in a state of perfect Sanctifying Grace until they reach the “Age of Reason”.

My Rite of Baptism for Children says in the Introduction:

1. In danger of death… if there is time and he has the sacred chrism, the parish priest (pastor) or another priest enjoying the same faculty should not fail to confer confirmation after baptism. In this case he omits the postbaptismal anointing with chrism.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My Rite of Baptism for Children says in the Introduction:

In most cases the person Baptizing in a emergency is not a priest, and if he is in most cases I’m aware of they do not Confirm after Emergency Baptism. I’m not arguing that the Eastern practice or the intro to the Rite are incorrect.

 

[Phemie]

In most cases the person Baptizing in a emergency is not a priest, and if he is in most cases I’m aware of they do not Confirm after Emergency Baptism. I’m not arguing that the Eastern practice or the intro to the Rite are incorrect.

I’m aware that it can only be done by a priest but in our parish all the emergency baptisms, but one, that have been celebrated in the 12 years I’ve been here have been celebrated by a priest. Just wondering why they don’t confirm when the rite calls for it.

 

[Corki]

Confirmation is not usually given at the time of Emergency Baptism, since Confirmation is not necessary for salvation and an infant just Baptized is in a state of perfect Sanctifying Grace until they reach the “Age of Reason”.

It may not be the usual but the Catechism says it should be done.

1306 Every baptized person not yet confirmed can and should receive the sacrament of Confirmation.123 Since Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist form a unity, it follows that "the faithful are obliged to receive this sacrament at the appropriate time,"124 for without Confirmation and Eucharist, Baptism is certainly valid and efficacious, but Christian initiation remains incomplete.

1307 For centuries, Latin custom has indicated “the age of discretion” as the reference point for receiving Confirmation. But in danger of death children should be confirmed even if they have not yet attained the age of discretion.