ReflectHim:
What exactly happens at confirmation? Do you invite people to witness, as you would a baptism?
What does the pastor say, not the exact words but the jist of what is going on?
What does confirmation entitle you to as a catholic, that you didn’t have before?
Do you have communion before confirmation?
confirmation completes baptism, hence completes one’s Christian Initiation. The bishop, not the priest, is the ordinary minister of Confirmation, as it is the bishop who confirms the individual’s baptism (not the individual who “confirms” his parent’s choice to have him baptized as an infant, as some teens think). the bishop can delegate priests to confirm at specific times, such as during the Easter Vigil when new Catholics are baptized, confirmed, or baptized Christians entering into full communion with the Catholic Church are confirmed, and then all receive first communion.
The outward sign of Confirmation is the laying on of hands and the anointing with chrism, the holy oil blessed by the bishop for that purpose during Holy Week. The form (words) is the invocation of the Holy Spirit upon the confirmandi. "Be sealed with the Holy Spirit . . . "
the confirmand chooses a sponsor who represents the parish community, is a fully intitiated faithful Catholic adult in good standing (not a parent of the confirmand) as a mentor and witness. Generally you can invite anyone you want to the ceremony.
the usual time for Confirmation is at the Easter Vigil for new Catholic adults (those over the age of reason, about 7), Pentecost Sunday for Catholic adults, or at the date set by the bishop for confirming youth of the parish. Priests presiding at the Easter Vigil are given the faculty to Confirm non-Catholic adults, and indeed must confirm the newly baptized adults at that time.
Confirmation imparts a permanent seal upon the soul, completes one’s baptism, imparts the gifts of the Holy Spirit - wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. It strengthens one’s faith and prepares one to meet the demands of conforming one’s life to Christ.
Eastern Churches usually fully initiate both infants and adults at the same time, conferring baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. Some countries also have the custom of confirming infants, so the foregoing applies in general to the Church in this country, where the age for Confirmation is set by the bishops as any time between the age of reason (about 7) and about age 16.
