Convert wife of 50 years not confirmed?

[Like]

Is a Catholic not being confirmed commenting a sin? IOW, is it a impediment of going to Heaven?

 

[Phemie]

No, there is no sin except, perhaps, if the reason they aren’t confirmed is because they are rejecting Church teaching. Why wasn’t she confirmed at the time she converted?

 

[Like]

No, there is no sin except, perhaps, if the reason they aren’t confirmed is because they are rejecting Church teaching. Why wasn’t she confirmed at the time she converted?

Thanks Phemie! It was so many years ago & we can’t even remember how the priest did the ceremony. She was already baptized. She never had any kind of instructions or classes & had only a couple of witnesses. It couldn’t have lasted over 10 minuets. She just turned 70 & and I’m worried she has some type of dementia she would remember any instructions if required to be confirmed.

I’ll just have to contact the parish to see what is involved.

Again, thanks!

 

[Abbadon]

If your worried about it reconfirm her to be sure?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thanks Phemie! It was so many years ago & we can’t even remember how the priest did the ceremony. She was already baptized. She never had any kind of instructions or classes & had only a couple of witnesses. It couldn’t have lasted over 10 minuets. She just turned 70 & and I’m worried she has some type of dementia she would remember any instructions if required to be confirmed.

I’ll just have to contact the parish to see what is involved.

Again, thanks!

I would contact the parish where she was received at, they would have her in their parish records.

 

[Tsuwano]

You can check to see if your wife should be confirmed if you feel it is necessary, but in the meantime, rest easy. If your wife has lived as a faithful Catholic for the last 50 years, then her faith has been confirmed by her life.

 

[puzzleannie]

Is a Catholic not being confirmed commenting a sin? IOW, is it a impediment of going to Heaven?

no and no,

however her Christian Initiation is incomplete and someone in this position should explore her reasons for not seeking Confirmation, even though it was not her fault if it was not conferred when she entered the Church. Every diocese has programs for adults who need Confirmation–Bishop expects to confirm at least 600 adults here on Pentecost. My guess is that she was confirmed at the time she entered the Church and does not recall. Way to find out is to request a new certificate from the Parish where she was received, listing all sacraments.

 

[Like]

Thanks Phemie! It was so many years ago & we can’t even remember how the priest did the ceremony. She was already baptized. She never had any kind of instructions or classes & had only a couple of witnesses. It couldn’t have lasted over 10 minuets. She just turned 70 & and I’m worried she has some type of dementia she would remember any instructions if required to be confirmed.
I’m sorry, bolded above should have been “she would NOTremember any instructions if required to be confirmed.”

I’ll just have to contact the parish to see what is involved.

Again, thanks!

I would contact the parish where she was received at, they would have her in their parish records.

We have no idea of what Church that would be in Houston. Most all of our records were lost in Iniki hurricane.

no and no,

however her Christian Initiation is incomplete and someone in this position should explore her reasons for not seeking Confirmation, even though it was not her fault if it was not conferred when she entered the Church. Every diocese has programs for adults who need Confirmation–Bishop expects to confirm at least 600 adults here on Pentecost. My guess is that she was confirmed at the time she entered the Church and does not recall. Way to find out is to request a new certificate from the Parish where she was received, listing all sacraments.

Her reasons for not seeking Confirmation was because we were young & stupid:blush:and was never discussed as anything important. Confirmation is something that hasn’t been spoke of in any parish we have been in, in fact I see it discussed here in the forums more than anywhere else.

I will contact our parish to see what needs to be done.

Mahalo everyone & God bless!

 

[puzzleannie]

We have no idea of what Church that would be in Houston. Most all of our records were lost in Iniki hurricane.

Her reasons for not seeking Confirmation was because we were young & stupid:blush:and was never discussed as anything important. Confirmation is something that hasn’t been spoke of in any parish we have been in, in fact I see it discussed here in the forums more than anywhere else.

I will contact our parish to see what needs to be done.

Mahalo everyone & God bless!

contact the archiodese of Galveston-Houston and ask for the person in charge of sacramental records, they will help you locate it.

not surprising you don’t hear Confirmation mentioned much, it seems to be the “lost sacrament” and if a youth is not part of a parish school or RE program it just doesn’t happen, and he is surprised when it comes time to marry that he even needs it. some people call it “the sacrament in search of a theology” because there are so many variations in when, by whom, required preparation from place to place. Get the person in charge of the adult confirmation class in your parish to assist you in finding baptismal records as well, they will know who to contact. good luck. you can do this, and be prepared-the Holy Spirit comes in power when he comes.

Bear in mind she received the first indwelling of the Spirit at her baptism so He is with her. When the time comes that she no longer knows Him through the intellectual faculties, she knows Him even more deeply through the spiritual ones, which He perfects in her, even as her cognitive aspect declines. This is one of the things meant by the counsel of Paul that the Holy Spirit prays in and for us with “inexpressible groanings” when we are unable to pray ourselves.

I would speak with your parish priest first, before you talk to anyone else, and find out if this is even something to worry about at this stage in her life. and, as I say, my best guess is that she was already confirmed but was not aware of it at the time.

 

[Like]

contact the archiodese of Galveston-Houston and ask for the person in charge of sacramental records, they will help you locate it.

not surprising you don’t hear Confirmation mentioned much, it seems to be the “lost sacrament” and if a youth is not part of a parish school or RE program it just doesn’t happen, and he is surprised when it comes time to marry that he even needs it. some people call it “the sacrament in search of a theology” because there are so many variations in when, by whom, required preparation from place to place. Get the person in charge of the adult confirmation class in your parish to assist you in finding baptismal records as well, they will know who to contact. good luck. you can do this, and be prepared-the Holy Spirit comes in power when he comes.

Bear in mind she received the first indwelling of the Spirit at her baptism so He is with her. When the time comes that she no longer knows Him through the intellectual faculties, she knows Him even more deeply through the spiritual ones, which He perfects in her, even as her cognitive aspect declines. This is one of the things meant by the counsel of Paul that the Holy Spirit prays in and for us with “inexpressible groanings” when we are unable to pray ourselves.

I would speak with your parish priest first, before you talk to anyone else, and find out if this is even something to worry about at this stage in her life. and, as I say, my best guess is that she was already confirmed but was not aware of it at the time.

Thanks puzzleannie, good advise!

 

[CB_Catholic]

My husband was baptized and received into the Church after private instruction in 1969. There was no Confirmation, and I believe that was the usual practice back then, before RCIA.

 

[Like]

My husband was baptized and received into the Church after private instruction in 1969. There was no Confirmation, and I believe that was the usual practice back then, before RCIA.

I believe you right on this. I have not received a reply from the Houston Galveston diocese yet, But I’m pretty sure she was not confirmed. And she never even had to take instruction before being received into the Church. Gosh, I’m even beginning to wonder if she is a Catholic.

Has your husband been Confirmed since?

 

[CB_Catholic]

I believe you right on this. I have not received a reply from the Houston Galveston diocese yet, But I’m pretty sure she was not confirmed. And she never even had to take instruction before being received into the Church. Gosh, I’m even beginning to wonder if she is a Catholic.

Has your husband been Confirmed since?

No, unfortunately. I bring it up every time the Diocese has adult Confirmations, but he keeps putting it off. He could do it with RCIA in our parish, but he doesn’t want to. I don’t think he understands the importance of it, and I don’t think the importance of it was emphasized when he was receiving instructions. I like the fact that today people are fully initiated with all 3 Sacraments when they are received into the Church.

In any case, not being confirmed is not an impediment to marriage, even today.

 

[puzzleannie]

for people who find themselves in such situations, it would be worthwhile to request a certificate documenting their reception into the Church from the parish where it occured because quite often the person has been confirmed but does not realize it, even “BR” before RCIA, this was the case with my mother. 1954.