Confirmation in Traditional Latin Rite (diocesan)

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HomeschoolDad

HomeschoolDad

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Does anyone here have any experience, or knowledge, as to getting confirmed according to the traditional Latin rite by a diocesan bishop outside one’s diocese?

Here’s my situation: my son will be eligible for confirmation in the next two or three years. We homeschool and I teach him everything he knows with regard to the Catholic faith. Ideally I would like to teach him for confirmation as well, but I could live with sending him to confirmation classes if that is an absolute requirement.

To my knowledge, we do not have confirmation in the traditional Latin rite in our diocese (which only has two regular celebrations of the TLM at opposite ends of the state, both a two-hour drive from us). A neighboring diocese has a weekly TLM at a somewhat shorter distance, and the bishop administers annual confirmation at that parish in the Latin rite.
  • Would that bishop be willing to confirm my son in the Latin rite at that parish?
  • And would either taking instruction at a parish here, or teaching him myself, suffice to fulfill the preparation requirements?
I know, I know… the first question is going to be “have you asked the pastor of that parish yet?”. I have not. Again, it is two or three years down the road. I would just like to know if anyone has encountered a similar situation, and if so, how you handled it.

(Nota bene: I am not referring to SSPX confirmation, which I would not pursue until such time as the SSPX regularizes its situation with Rome.)
 
I attend the TLM when I can. It isn’t often anymore, as I have multi-generational family obligations that make it difficult for me to get too far away from home. I have what amounts to full custody of my son, and I cannot leave my elderly parents without arranging for their welfare and emergency care if needed.
 
I believe in another post you said this was the Diocese of Charlotte, right? Why not call the chancery and ask?
 
mrsdizzyd said:
I believe in another post you said this was the Diocese of Charlotte, right? Why not call the chancery and ask?
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It is the Diocese of Charlotte. Bishop Jugis is extremely generous in facilitating the TLM throughout the diocese.

The confirmation is 2 or 3 years off, and much could change in that time frame, therefore I don’t want to call the chancery or pastor right now. I just want to have my “ducks in a row” for when the time comes. Charlotte is right on the border of SC and I have to think there are at least some people from nearby SC towns (Rock Hill, Lancaster, etc.) who would desire the old rite of confirmation, yet are not under that diocese’s jurisdiction and retain ties to their home parishes. There should almost certainly be people from more remote towns in NC (Asheville, Salisbury, Greensboro, etc.) who would be in the same situation, yet within the Charlotte diocese.

The short form of the question is “do you have to be a member of the faithful from (a) that particular TLM parish or (b) a parish within that diocese to receive confirmation from the bishop?”

Again, it is some time off, and before the time comes, I will contact the pastor of that parish.

I have to think a similar scenario would have to exist in other dioceses as well, hence my general question.
 
Good to know. Our home school is not approved by anyone except the Catholic accountability organization to which we belong (mandatory in our state). We are using the Baltimore Catechism this year, and plan to use the TAN Story of the Bible series in grades 7 and 8, as well as more catechism review and something tailored specifically for confirmation, such as Preparation for Confirmation from Angelus Press (SSPX).

I’m not going to bring up the SSPX text if we go to a parish-based confirmation prep class 🤫

(If the SSPX reconciles before then, we’ll probably just go with them for confirmation. Much easier, and in all likelihood, not nearly as many hoops to jump through.)
 
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That same document said that they confirm in 8th grade. Not sure the age of your son or whether that changes anything.
 
mrsdizzyd said:
By way of Google I found this:

Diocesan Guidelines for Sacrament of Confirmation | Diocese of Charlotte

One problem I see is that they require 2 years of preparation either in a Catholic School, in the home parish, or through a home school programs approved by the home parish. In other words, they depend on the home parish to properly prepare the candidates and inform the diocese when they are ready.
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Forty-seven pages covering how to prepare for and administer the sacrament of confirmation. Whew! 😱

I’m glad to know that they require so much (or rather required, this was written 21 years ago), so that I can start figuring out how this applies to our situation. The FSSP/SSPX route is sounding better all the time (the latter depending on regularization of the SSPX by that time).

Thanks for finding this for me.
 
The answer to the short form of your question is, “No.” You do not have to be a member of the Latin Mass Parish in order to receive Confirmation there. At least, there is no universal rule. I would imagine it is up to the bishop. In the local Latin Rite diocese, many non parishioners received confirmation at the local FSSP parish every year. They do attend classes there for a few months leading up to the Confirmation, but I don’t know if that is absolutely required.
 
Like 3.4% of American school pupils, my son is completely homeschooled. Where relevant, I incorporate traditional Catholic themes into the curriculum (not just religion).
 
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