Confirmation vs Acceptance of Church Doctrine

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Is it necessary for a candidate to accept the precepts of the Church such as the real presense of Christ in the Eucharist and the immorality of abortion in order to receive the sacrament of Confirmation?

I am responsible for formation of 16 & 17 year old students in my parish in preparation for this sacrament. At the ceremony I testify that they are ready. Last week this subject came up in discussion at a theology course I am taking (its a Catholic masters level extension course). The class is mostly DREs. I held that I would not allow one of my students to be confirmed if they did not accept the teachings of the Church. The entire class turned against me and told me that I could not prevent anyone from receiving this sacrament. Well, my pastor has backed me in my view, but I cetainly want to obey Church policy. Therefore, I need to know whether my position or their’s is right. Please advise.

Thank you.

In Christ,
Bob
 
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trailblazer:
Is it necessary for a candidate to accept the precepts of the Church such as the real presense of Christ in the Eucharist and the immorality of abortion in order to receive the sacrament of Confirmation?
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The answer is an unequivocal “yes”. Since Confirmation shows one’s maturity in the Church, then the acceptance of the Church’s teachings should be very clear. It would be dishonest for one to receive Confirmation and not be in agreement with some or all of the Church’s teachings.
 
Irregardless of what your peers might be feeling, I would postpone Confirmation until they understand how significant belief in the doctrines of our faith are. Particularly the real presence of the Holy Eucharist. Pray, Pray and Pray some more. “We Walk by faith and not by sight!”
 
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trailblazer:
Is it necessary for a candidate to accept the precepts of the Church such as the real presense of Christ in the Eucharist and the immorality of abortion in order to receive the sacrament of Confirmation?

I am responsible for formation of 16 & 17 year old students in my parish in preparation for this sacrament. At the ceremony I testify that they are ready. Last week this subject came up in discussion at a theology course I am taking (its a Catholic masters level extension course). The class is mostly DREs. I held that I would not allow one of my students to be confirmed if they did not accept the teachings of the Church. The entire class turned against me and told me that I could not prevent anyone from receiving this sacrament. Well, my pastor has backed me in my view, but I cetainly want to obey Church policy. Therefore, I need to know whether my position or their’s is right. Please advise.

Thank you.

In Christ,
Bob
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The class is correct YOU cannot prevent anyone from receiving a Sacrament. Only the Pastor or the Bishop can, however YOU do have an obligation to make you opinion known to the Pastor and/or Bishop as a Catechist charged with their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Anyone who does not have a firm grip and understanding of the teachings of the Church is not ready to receive the Sacraments. If one does not “accept the precepts of the Church such as the real presense of Christ in the Eucharist and the immorality of abortion…” then they should not be receiving ANY Sacrament including Holy Communion and the Pastor should speak with them.

I find nothing wrong with standing up and answering the question. Are these young people ready for the Sacrament of Confirmation?
With; “They are, except for John Smith and Nancy Doe”
 
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trailblazer:
Is it necessary for a candidate to accept the precepts of the Church such as the real presense of Christ in the Eucharist and the immorality of abortion in order to receive the sacrament of Confirmation?

I am responsible for formation of 16 & 17 year old students in my parish in preparation for this sacrament. At the ceremony I testify that they are ready. Last week this subject came up in discussion at a theology course I am taking (its a Catholic masters level extension course). The class is mostly DREs. I held that I would not allow one of my students to be confirmed if they did not accept the teachings of the Church. The entire class turned against me and told me that I could not prevent anyone from receiving this sacrament. Well, my pastor has backed me in my view, but I cetainly want to obey Church policy. Therefore, I need to know whether my position or their’s is right. Please advise.
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And therein lays the problem of how “Cafeteria Catholics” are sitting in the Church pews. You are correct, your “peers” (I use the term loosely because you appear to be a Catholic while they appear to be Cafeteria Catholics) are not. If they are instructing children too, then those they teach are being ripped off.
God bless and stick to your guns.
 
no catechist or DRE can prevent a candidate from receiving the sacraments however we do have the responsibility of affirming to the pastor that the candidates under our care have been prepared, that is, have been properly catechised and provided with spiritual formation. We cannot in good conscience assert this to the pastor in the case of those candidates (adults or youth) who vocally, publicly declare opposition to foundational Catholic doctrine, once that doctrine has been properly taught and explained. That candidate should be referred to the pastor for counselling and additional instruction, and the pastor should make the decision. This also holds true with a candidate who is in a morally ambiguous life situation-DRE’s do not make decisions or assumptions about a the state of a candidate’s soul, that is reserved for the priest.

Part of the Confirmation Rite is the renewal of the baptismal promises, assenting to the Creed. The elements of the Creed should be carefully taught and the candidates reminded that they must be able to whole-heartedly assent and promise to believe in those elements in order to be Confirmed. If they have a difficulty in believing, accepting or understanding doctrine the sacrament may be delayed, never denied, until the matter is resolved and their conscience more fully formed.
 
I think I need to choose my words more carefully, because when I said “I would not allow” essentially I meant my pastor (by myself I can do nothing over his authority) as our relationship has been such that if I were to tell him that I did not believe a student ready…he would discuss it…but relies on me to be “in the know” about the students. Of course, he knows of my theological background and I have gained his trust over several years.

When I asked for his thoughts on the issue, here is his response:
Bob, First if one rejects the teachings of the church and persist in their belief they are a heretic and there for they automatically excommunicated. Which means they may not partake of any of the sacraments.
I deeply appreciate your responses. I try to follow the Church teachings in all aspects of my life, but particularly catechesis; after all, how could I reasonably ask those under my responsibility to do something I am not willing to do. Please keep your thoughts coming. Also, if anyone knows anything such as writing of a pope, cannon law,… please pass it on. This will give me some relavent information to educate my classmates on the Church’s teachings. I think it is pretty scary that they (their priests who follow their advise) would allow heretics to receive the sacraments. That is part of the problem with the Church today, inconsistancy in upholding its positions. As a result there are men and women going through catechesis who think they know its teaching, but don’t! Bless you!

Love & peace in Christ,
Bob
 
I really don’t understand why someone who doesn’t accept all of Catholicism even wants to be confirmed. When I was confirmed during junior high I tried to fight being confirmed because I had so many doubts and I was basically railroaded through the process and forced to be confirmed against my will. Despite the fact that I’ve since come back to the Church, this still really makes me bitter when I stop to think about it.
 
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trailblazer:
Bob, First if one rejects the teachings of the church and persist in their belief they are a heretic
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:bigyikes: Bob’s pastor said the “h” word!!!
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Tietjen:
And therein lays the problem of how “Cafeteria Catholics” are sitting in the Church pews.
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Ah, if only they were merely sitting in the pews! But they are involved, entrenched, and empowered – and they’re teaching the next generation of Catholics! 😦
 
Bob, sounds like you’ve got a good pastor. We need more like him in the Church.

Since you’ve got his 100% support, if I were you, I’d tell my classmates to go pound sand. With charity, of course.
 
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jennstall:
I When I was confirmed during junior high I tried to fight being confirmed because I had so many doubts and I was basically railroaded through the process and forced to be confirmed against my will. QUOTE]
no one can be confirmed against their will, that is a violation of canon law. we are speaking of course of those who are adults for the purposes of Christian initiation (age of reason or older). Babies are brought to baptism, and confirmation if that is the custom in their parents’ rite, through the faith of their parents.
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