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mardukm
Guest
My wife told me that she was confirmed when she was 2 years old in the Philippines.
Any comments?
Blessings,
Marduk
Any comments?
Blessings,
Marduk
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tbtcom1213
Guest
In some countries the sacraments of baptism and confirmation are done at the same time or in close proximity to infant baptism. This was always done before the Second Vatican Council.
It is common today for people to be confirmed at the age of reason (sometime after First Communion) where they can make a conscientious decision about an essential stage in their faith.
It is common today for people to be confirmed at the age of reason (sometime after First Communion) where they can make a conscientious decision about an essential stage in their faith.
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mardukm
Guest
Really? Are you sure you’re not thinking of countries that are predominantly of the Eastern or Oriental Rites (they/we have always baptized and confirmed infants simultaneously)? So you’re saying that in the LATIN Church, such a close proximity between baptism and confirmation was allowed?
Blessings
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Phemie
Guest
Yes, as I understand it’s fairly common in Mexico. Is it possible that the bishop was only able to visit infrequently and then confirmed everyone? Or was she very ill as a child?
While Canon Law today says Confirmation is at the age of reason, it also says that an emergency Baptism should be accompanied by Confirmation if possible.
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dachsiemom2
Guest
A friend of mine who has two boys in their early teens. She said they were baptised AND confirmed as infants.
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cctabb
Guest
Yes, such close proximity was and still is allowed. Look at the people who joined the church this past Easter Vigil through baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation all in the same evening.
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puzzleannie
Guest
the age of confirmation depends on the bishop. Eastern rite Catholics are usually fully initiated as infants, baptism, confirmation and first communion, preserving the original order and timing of Sacraments of Initiation. There is no theological reason to delay confirmation as is done in the West except that the bishops retained to themselves the factulty to confirm, rather than delegating it to the priests who baptize.
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Santi2
Guest
I heard the same from a Filipino lady at my Parish. However, in her case she was baptised and confirmed on the same day. I must ask her if the Bishop did both.
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mardukm
Guest
Thanks everyone for your responses.
Phemie:
dachsiemom2:
puzzleannie:
Blessings,
Marduk
Naturally, that is the case for adults. But in the case of infants, it still puzzles me - I mean as far as the Latin Rite is concerned.
That’s good information. But no, it was not an extraordinary circumstance for her.
Interesting. Was it in the U.S. or another country?
That’s doubly interesting! Some Orthodox polemics make the matter doctrinal, and since I grew up Orthodox, I always perceived the distinction in practice to be theological.
Blessings,
Marduk
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Arelcee
Guest
If I may ask, when did this occur? I received the Sacrament of Confirmation when I was 11 years old. At the time (1985?), the minimum age was 7. This is true until now. In fact in Catholic schools, students get Confirmed at around age 13-15. Although I studied in a Catholic school, my parents decided that I was mature enough to receive the sacrament earlier.
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mardukm
Guest
(but don’t let my wife know that I just gave her age away to a multitude of people she doesn’t even know)
npatrol:Blessings
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Phemie
Guest
Your secret is safe with us.(but don’t let my wife know that I just gave her age away to a multitude of people she doesn’t even know)
Blessings
My pastor also hails from the Philippines and he was confirmed at the age of 5.
I was confirmed at the age of 7 (1960). The bishop used to come to the village every second year and everyone who’d already received First Communion since his last visit would be confirmed.
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torch621
Guest
Which reminds me, I never was confirmed and I still need to be confirmed -_-
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CDNowak
Guest
As pointed out the Eastern Churches give all three Sacraments of Initiation to infants. The Catholic Church does the same for unbaptized converts at Easter Vigil (note: in both cases the order is Baptism, Confirmation/Chrismation, and then the Eucharist).
By canon law the age for Confirmation in the Latin Rite is the age of reason (presumed to be 7), the same as First Communion. There has been talk for years now of a restoration of the order of the Sacraments, which taken together with Quam Singulari, would indicate that both would be received in the same year (probably in the same Mass).
Current practice depends on the diocese, or the parish, ranging from ~11- 18 for Confirmation. This is in part because of the notion of “adult consent” that has crept into our preparation that is not supported by ancient practice or current teaching.
By canon law the age for Confirmation in the Latin Rite is the age of reason (presumed to be 7), the same as First Communion. There has been talk for years now of a restoration of the order of the Sacraments, which taken together with Quam Singulari, would indicate that both would be received in the same year (probably in the same Mass).
Current practice depends on the diocese, or the parish, ranging from ~11- 18 for Confirmation. This is in part because of the notion of “adult consent” that has crept into our preparation that is not supported by ancient practice or current teaching.
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lilpinky080
Guest
Well if it helps, my Mom was Confirmed at her first Communion, (second grade Im guessing), my brother at 13, and me at 14 ( last Tuesday!!! )
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ciero
Guest
I was told not that far back that the RC bishop of Las Vegas was trying to restore the proper order for recieving the sacraments of initiation. His plan was baptism at birth, confirmation and communion together at around 7. I’m not sure if this ever got off the ground. I know he was experimenting in a few parishes.
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Phemie
Guest
We did that from 1999-2008 in our diocese. Then we were combined with another diocese that had confirmation in grade 10 or 11. The compromise is that we now have confirmation anywhere from grade 6-10
So was I… in the U.S. (El Paso, TX) and back in 1967! Ditto my sister (in 1968!)
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puzzleannie
Guest
it is quite common in places that are or were mission territories or where otherwise a priest or bishop visited only infrequently, for everyone to be fully initiated when he did come, marriages to be validated and so forth. It is quite common for us to request a baptismal record from a parish in Mexico and find out the candidate was confirmed at the same time he was baptized, but never knew it. Even here in South Texas where people grew up on remote ranches that saw a priest rarely it is common to find this. Again, the bishop’s conference for each country sets an age range, and the local bishop decides the age that best meets the needs of the faithful in his territory. In the US currently it is anytime after the age of reason, generally age 7. Even here in Texas there is no standard between dioceses, or even within a diocese where some parishes have been given permission to experiment with “restoring the original order” for sacraments of initiation, that is, confirmation before first communion. I have children in my program who were confirmed as young as 3rd grade, and as old as 12th grade.
We are speaking for the purposes of this discussion for baptized Catholics. The priest who receives an adult (anyone over the age of reason for this purpose) into the Church MUST confirm those whom he baptizes. Also a child in danger of death should be confirmed (as well as baptized, of course) no matter what the age.
if OP is asking, what is the age for confirmation, it is whatever the local bishop says it is and in the US ranges from infancy into adulthood, depending on time and place. If he is asking what SHOULD be the age, he should revisit the many previous threads that try to answer that question.
We are speaking for the purposes of this discussion for baptized Catholics. The priest who receives an adult (anyone over the age of reason for this purpose) into the Church MUST confirm those whom he baptizes. Also a child in danger of death should be confirmed (as well as baptized, of course) no matter what the age.
if OP is asking, what is the age for confirmation, it is whatever the local bishop says it is and in the US ranges from infancy into adulthood, depending on time and place. If he is asking what SHOULD be the age, he should revisit the many previous threads that try to answer that question.
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cctabb
Guest
Actually in some places even earlier than 11. My daughter was confirmed just prior to FHC at age 7. This is the rule in our diocese, Portland, ME.
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