Confirmed twice?

[Alda]

Friends, I need your help. I am scrupulous so this is worrying me somewhat. I have many concerns about my ‘conversion’ to Catholicism, probably due to my scrupulosity and this is one.

Being as I was baptised and confirmed Protestant, what does this mean for my second confirmation as a Catholic when I converted?

I believe it is an article of canon law that one is only eligible for confirmation once? Does this then invalidate my Catholic confirmation? Or is my Protestant confirmation the only one that counts so to speak? I’m sorry if this is confusing, I am after all confused myself.

Oh, and I know for a fact that my Catholic confirmation was illicit anyway as I received the Sacrament Of Penance after my confirmation rather than before. What I don’t quite understand is how does this affect the sacrament? I have been told this does not render it invalid, just illict so what are the consequences of an illicit confirmation?

Many thanks.

 

[Brendan]

Friends, I need your help. I am scrupulous so this is worrying me somewhat. I have many concerns about my ‘conversion’ to Catholicism, probably due to my scrupulosity and this is one.

Being as I was baptised and confirmed Protestant, what does this mean for my second confirmation as a Catholic when I converted?

I believe it is an article of canon law that one is only eligible for confirmation once? Does this then invalidate my Catholic confirmation? Or is my Protestant confirmation the only one that counts so to speak? I’m sorry if this is confusing, I am after all confused myself.

Protestants have a valid Baptism, but the Sacrament of Confirmation, like that of the Eucharist, requries a validly ordained priest. Protestant churches do not have those, so the Protestant Confirmation is invalid.

Oh, and I know for a fact that my Catholic confirmation was illicit anyway as I received the Sacrament Of Penance after my confirmation rather than before. What I don’t quite understand is how does this affect the sacrament? I have been told this does not render it invalid, just illict so what are the consequences of an illicit confirmation?

Many thanks.

It was a perfectly valid Confirmation that you recieved. If you were in the State of Mortal Sin at the time of the reception, you would have validly recieved the mark of Confirmation on your soul ( you were ontologically changed) but not the Graces of the Sacrament.

All those Graces would have been recieved along with Sacramental Absolution, so you’re all set

Also, Welcome Home

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Friends, I need your help. I am scrupulous so this is worrying me somewhat. I have many concerns about my ‘conversion’ to Catholicism, probably due to my scrupulosity and this is one.

Being as I was baptised and confirmed Protestant, what does this mean for my second confirmation as a Catholic when I converted?

I believe it is an article of canon law that one is only eligible for confirmation once? Does this then invalidate my Catholic confirmation? Or is my Protestant confirmation the only one that counts so to speak? I’m sorry if this is confusing, I am after all confused myself.

Oh, and I know for a fact that my Catholic confirmation was illicit anyway as I received the Sacrament Of Penance after my confirmation rather than before. What I don’t quite understand is how does this affect the sacrament? I have been told this does not render it invalid, just illict so what are the consequences of an illicit confirmation?

Many thanks.

There is no valid Confirmation outside of Catholic unity, with the exception of the Orthodox Church.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Protestants have a valid Baptism, but the Sacrament of Confirmation, like that of the Eucharist, requries a validly ordained priest. Protestant churches do not have those, so the Protestant Confirmation is invalid.

The Sacrament of Confirmation requires a validly consecrated Bishop. Either celebrating the Sacrament himself or delegating his authority in each specific celebration of the Sacrament. The authorization for a priest celebrating the Sacrament for the dying is granted by Canon Law.

 

[puzzleannie]

Friends, I need your help. I am scrupulous so this is worrying me somewhat. I have many concerns about my ‘conversion’ to Catholicism, probably due to my scrupulosity and this is one.

Being as I was baptised and confirmed Protestant, what does this mean for my second confirmation as a Catholic when I converted?

I ks.

where were you “confirmed”? Most protestant denominations do not consider confirmation to be a sacrament, and in any case, such a confirmation was not done by a CAtholic bishop or his delegate, ergo it was not valid, and the sacrament of confirmation as defined by the Catholic Church did not exist. This, however, is not your underlying problem, which remains accepting the authority of the Catholic Church to define the sacraments as instituted by Christ and to administer them. This is what you still must overcome. If you have a problem with scrupulosity in spiritual affairs, it is essential to your spiritual, emotional and psychological health that you discuss this with one trusted confessor or spiritual director and with no one else, including and especially on this forum, and take his advice.

 

[Alda]

Thank you for your replies. Okay, I understand now I think what I was obviously missing i.e that the only valid confirmation is the one within the Catholic Church.

puzzleannie, thank you for your advice. I am considering making an appointment to see my priest. I have had a particularly bad week with my scrupulosity and feel I really do need help with this.

Also, to let you know more information I was confirmed by a priest, I am hoping with the Bishop’s permission. This was because I felt unable due to anxiety to be confirmed in the church and wished to do it privately. The priest was very helpful in allowing me to do this. I have a history of anxiety as you can tell.

 

[agapewolf]

The Sacrament of Confirmation requires a validly consecrated Bishop. Either celebrating the Sacrament himself or delegating his authority in each specific celebration of the Sacrament. The authorization for a priest celebrating the Sacrament for the dying is granted by Canon Law.

This statement is adding more confusion Br. Rich. He’s already saying he suffers from scrupulosity, and this wasn’t even the issue brought up.

Confirmations done by priests at Easter vigil (and sometimes pentacost… or other times when allowed by the Bishop) are valid.

To the OP, as of right now, there is no need to be concerned that your confirmation wasn’t valid because it was done by a priest.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thank you for your replies. Okay, I understand now I think what I was obviously missing i.e that the only valid confirmation is the one within the Catholic Church.

puzzleannie, thank you for your advice. I am considering making an appointment to see my priest. I have had a particularly bad week with my scrupulosity and feel I really do need help with this.

Also, to let you know more information I was confirmed by a priest, I am hoping with the Bishop’s permission. This was because I felt unable due to anxiety to be confirmed in the church and wished to do it privately. The priest was very helpful in allowing me to do this. I have a history of anxiety as you can tell.

Most likely he did request and receive the Bishops permission to confirm you.

 

[Alda]

Confirmations done by priests at Easter vigil (and sometimes pentacost… or other times when allowed by the Bishop) are valid.

To the OP, as of right now, there is no need to be concerned that your confirmation wasn’t valid because it was done by a priest.

Thanks for your response. My confirmation was not at Easter Vigil with everyone else. It was done at a convent with just me, my sponsor and a few other witnesses a little before Easter Vigil. I enjoyed the experience very much, it’s just lately that my scrupulosity has been causing me to over analyse I think.

 

[Alda]

Most likely he did request and receive the Bishops permission to confirm you.

Thank you, I do have a vague memory of being told that the Bishop had to be consulted because of the special circumstances of my confirmation. I just wish I’d been more clued up at the time, now I have all these doubts and confusion. I’m putting it down to scrupulosity though. Thanks again.

 

[puzzleannie]

Also, to let you know more information I was confirmed by a priest, I am hoping with the Bishop’s permission. This was because I felt unable due to anxiety to be confirmed in the church and wished to do it privately. The priest was very helpful in allowing me to do this. I have a history of anxiety as you can tell.

the usual practice is for the faculty to confirm being granted to the priest when people–either previously baptized non-Catholics, or the newly baptized–are brought into the Church through RCIA at the Easter Vigil or at other times during the year.

 

[Alda]

Thanks to all. I have one more question which came up today. Is it okay that I didn’t have a confirmation name? I witnessed a confirmation today and noticed that the two had chosen saint’s names. I didn’t do this.

 

[puzzleannie]

entirely optional your given name is your confirmation name, however you are free to choose another patron saint at that time. you really must talk to those who prepared you for confirmation and ask them these questions, that is what they are there for.

 

[Alda]

I would, but I now live in another country and this was almost 9 years ago. I drifted from the faith and have only recently come back and started to study my faith much more deeply. Hence all my questions.
Thanks again for answering my question.