Confirmation age in your diocese?

[dixieagle]

Our archbishop has just announced that, beginning next year, the sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in the 11th grade. Currently, different parishes celebrate the sacrament at different ages - from 7th and 8th grade (most) to senior year in high school.

The archbishop’s thinking seems to be that by pushing the sacrament to later in high school, we will be able to keep teens engaged with their parishes longer. My feeling is that he’s being overly optimistic, based on what I see from many parents today. They are more or less willing to see that their children receive instruction (if they are not in Catholic schools, of which we have a number) through 8th grade/Confirmation, but then the kids are pretty much on their own.

I’m afraid that the 11th grade Confirmation will have the exact opposite effect than what is intended; I simply don’t see a lot of parents willing to take on the responsibility of seeing that their children attend CCD and sacramental preparation once they reach high school. (Our girls are long past this, and were actually chrismated in DH’s Eastern (Ruthenian) Catholic church as babies.)

I’m wondering at what age Confirmation is celebrated in your diocese, and what effect, if any, this has on keeping kids close to the Church during high school.

 

[H_Opey]

Usually it is celebrated here in the 9th grade.

I disagree with moving the age up in order to keep the children in the CCD program during high school.

My bases for objection is that these children need these gifts (Holy Spirit) sooner, not later. I am for moving it to before First Holy Communion.

I do not know what the ratio is for those that have received Confirmation earlier vs those later continuing in their education, but I will say this. The responsibility lies with the parents to make sure their children, either at home or in the parish, are receiving the education about their faith.

I think it is sad that some wait so long when these children clearly need these gifts.
A good book to read is Called to Knighthood by Thomas Sullivan.

I would challenge the idea and voice my opinion if I had children in the program.
I would also point out, that how it is in the US, they need to be confirmed between the ages of 7-16 with each Bishop deciding for his diocese. But what you are saying, seems to be outside of the range - I would ask about that.

 

[rotlex]

In our diocese, it is 8th grade as well. What’s funny is, to me, this is too late. I was confirmed much earlier, 4th grade if I recall. (Two years after my First Holy Communion).

Waiting until 11th grade seems a bit much too me, but, who knows, maybe it would be apt to keep some kids closer to the Church for a longer period of time. The problem\reality in my area would be though, that by high school, there are so many other activities they are involved in, trying to fit in CCD is tough! Yeah, I know it SHOULD be the most important thing going, but then again, there is the reality of youth.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

In this diocese it is 8th grade, but my children were confirmed earlier. I agree that it should be earlier because it seems that the gifts of the Spirit would so greatly benefit children as they move into their teen years. Perhaps moving First Holy Communion back and Confirmation forward so they meet in the middle at about 4th grade! I guess when I’m Bishop (NOT!), I can make that the rule for my diocese.

 

[puzzleannie]

I’m wondering at what age Confirmation is celebrated in your diocese, and what effect, if any, this has on keeping kids close to the Church during high school.

in Texas it is all over the map, from as young as 4th grade in parishes with restored order of initiation sacraments (in Dallas for one) to 12th grade. it is 10th grade here, this was endorsed again by the Syndod in 2006 so unless our new bishop wants a change, I don’t see it happening, too bad.

IMO every year the celebration of Confirmation is pushed back, half the potential candidates are disenfranchised and will probably never receive it, unless they attempt to marry in the Church, which to my mind is a scandal and amounts to de facto denial of the sacrament. There is nothing in the theology of the sacrament (and concerns about keeping kids in CCD or Youth Group have absolutely nothing to do with that theology) to justify removing it from baptism or as shortly afteward as the bishop can arrange.

When we were in Youngstown, Bishop Tobin moved it from 11th to 8th grade and gave a beautifully reasoned explanation. Because children of that age are entering the years when more and more they need the gifts of the Holy Spirit to face challenges of modern teenage life it makes no sense to deny them the Sacrament until later.

the same year, my brother’s diocese, where he also helps with confirmation, moved it from 8th to 11th grade. go figure.

delaying the sacrament does nothing to keep kids active in parish programs. The same kids who come for confirmation in HS do so because their parents have been bringing them to CCD or Catholic school all along, or at least to Mass and youth activities. The ones we will lose if confirmation is in the middle school years are those who never come back after 1st communion in any case. If we really believe the sacraments do what they promise we have hope that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will act positively to keep many more children and families involved in the Faith.

withholding the sacrament as “bait” for CCD or school attendance comes too near a canon law abuse for my scruples. all this being said, he is your bishop, I am not, it is his call, and he is the one best informed (and guided by the Holy Spirit) in making decisions for his diocese.

I have 3 children making Confirmation this year–one in 5th grade, one in 8th, one in 11th. go figure.

8 yrs ago I had 120 first communicants and this year only 60 confirmation candidates–which means half are missing. Where? parents, can you tell me?

 

[Seatuck]

Our Bishop leaves it up to the individual parishes. So it ranges from the age of reason on up through 11th grade.

 

[faithfilledmom]

Confirmation prep is a 2 year process in our diocese. Usually youths start in 9th grade and are Confirmed in 10th grade. Our youth director said a youth should be 14 years old to enter the program. I have several friends from Maine who said their children received First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation ALL in 2nd grade. I understand Confirmation to be accepting your own role in your faith. I don’t think a 7 year old should or is capable of that. My older siblings were Confirmed in 4th grade. My sister and I were Confirmed in 8th grade in the same diocese several years later.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Here it’s typically high school age – 9th and 10th grades for the two year course.

I’d like to see Confirmation combined with First Communion for second graders. Provide the sacraments in the order they’re intended and don’t hold the sacrament hostage in order to keep high school students going to CCD.

I work with adult confirmation in my parish and I think it’s sad to see how many people weren’t confirmed. “We moved and in the old place you had to be in high school but in the new place you had to be in 8th grade, so I missed it.” Or “After my First Communion my parents kind of dropped out of church so I never went to Confirmation classes.” I’m just happy that they understand how important the sacrament is and want to receive it as adults.

 

[mswood]

Currently in my diocese students in Catholic schools are confirmed in 8th grage and those just attending parish religion classes are confirmed in 10th grade. This however may be changing as they are thinking about moving confirmation closer to first holy communion (or combining it with first holy communion).

 

[H_Opey]

This is not a complete understanding of what Confirmation is or what the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for. When we receive Holy Communion each week in a state of grace, that is our firm resolve and further acceptance of our own role in our faith.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit do prepare us for battle, but it is more of a spiritual battle than social work. It is good to practice doing good - visiting the sick, etc but those gifts are needed sooner for our children to help them become as Holy as possible.

Least we forget the children during the crusade who at a tender age marched off to their certain death.

Age of the soul does not always match age of the body.

 

[TheDoctor]

6th grade here.

I too agree it is wishful thinking that by pushing it to 11th grade you will keep more of them involved longer.

Using that logic, why not just delay it unitl they get married or enter the seminary?

 

[H_Opey]

Let me put it this way, those who are not confirmed do not possess what is needed for spiritual maturity - the gifts of the Holy Spirit to do battle.

Confirmation means strengthening. And you need that strength sooner than later.

They also need a parish setting to carry out and develop after they receive this, not send them on their way to college.

Also do not forget, even an infant who is in danger of dying, is usually confirmed.

 

[daeve]

Here it’s 8th grade. My own was in 3rd grade. We received First Communion in first grade, and the confirmation in either 2nd or 3rd. There were so many parishes in the 1950s that we had to skip a year so the Archbishop and Bishops could get to all them. I taught CCD in Brooklyn in 1986 abnd 1987. First Communion was in 2nd or 3rd grade after 2 years of instruction, and Confirmation in 8th grade. Most of the students and their families didn’t attend Mass, which really confused me. The nun in charge told me that the parents want the kids to receive First Communion and Confirmation so they can get married in the Church, but other than that, the main purpose for many seemed to be the big party they have.

 

[PatriceA]

8th grade here. It seems to me the area that they should be addressing is the youth ministry programs that the parish/diocese provides AFTER confirmation. Some parishes provide very little if anything to keep the kids interested, so of course your going to lose them. There is sooo much more they could be doing for the youth.

 

[SMHW]

Here is it in high school after completion of a two year program. (Usually 10th grade.) Back when I was confirmed in the early 1970s confirmation was in junior high. It was eighth grade if the bishop could get to your parish every year and either seventh or eighth if he could only make it every other year.

 

[Phemie]

Here it’s 8th grade. My own was in 3rd grade. We received First Communion in first grade, and the confirmation in either 2nd or 3rd. There were so many parishes in the 1950s that we had to skip a year so the Archbishop and Bishops could get to all them.

That’s exactly how it was when I was confirmed in 1960 at the age of 7.

My diocese presently allows Confirmation from grade 6 and up. Before our previous diocese was suppressed and merged with a diocese that confirmed in grade 10, our Confirmation & First Communion were together around age 7. In the newly formed diocese we came out the losers IMNSHO.

 

[dixieagle]

In our diocese, it is 8th grade as well. What’s funny is, to me, this is too late. I was confirmed much earlier, 4th grade if I recall. (Two years after my First Holy Communion).

Waiting until 11th grade seems a bit much too me, but, who knows, maybe it would be apt to keep some kids closer to the Church for a longer period of time. The problem\reality in my area would be though, that by high school, there are so many other activities they are involved in, trying to fit in CCD is tough! Yeah, I know it SHOULD be the most important thing going, but then again, there is the reality of youth.

(Bolded text mine.) This is exactly what occurred to me. It’s sad, but, I suspect, true. Keeping them active through 8th grade/Confirmation is tough enough, it seems.

It’s a moot point for us, as our girls are in their 20s, but it just seems an unwise move to me.

 

[Corki]

Texas too. Our diocese has a minimum of 10th grade. Since our parish does every other year, our kids are 10th and 11th when they get confirmed. Actually some are in 9th grade in regular school. We have a weird thing in the schools where some students are “reclassified” after 9th grade. The following year they are reclassified 9th graders in school but are considered 10th graders in CCE.

Our Anglican Use parish used to Confirm at an earlier age but our new Cardinal Archbishop put a stop to that.

A little north of us, in the Tyler diocese they have restored order Sacraments. Confirmation and First Communion are in 3rd grade, usually at the same Mass. The Bishop of Tyler has a beautiful letter on the diocisan website about why he implemented restored order and moved Confirmation age down. It’s an excellent read.

 

[puzzleannie]

A little north of us, in the Tyler diocese they have restored order Sacraments. Confirmation and First Communion are in 3rd grade, usually at the same Mass. The Bishop of Tyler has a beautiful letter on the diocisan website about why he implemented restored order and moved Confirmation age down. It’s an excellent read.

it is indeed and I was trying to find it to post a link, if you do it would be a service. Bishop Tobin’s letter is old but if I can find and post, I will. I think Bishop Chaput of Denver and a Bishop in SD also have recently published on this issue favoring a younger age.

 

[H_Opey]

Here is Bishop Corrada’s letter
dioceseoftyler.org/documents/Confirmation_document_2.pdf