Could my Confirmation have been invalid?

[im_wildrose]

This question suddenly came into my head today. When I was confirmed I knew very little about the faith. I had very poor religious ed (desite going to 12 yrs of Catholic school) and was virtually ignorant of everything our faith involved beyond the very basics. At the time of my confirmation I was having sexual relations with my boyfriend (now husband ) ) and drinking occasionally. I remember meeting with the priest for confession shortly before confirmation but it was one of those types of confession where I sat down with the priest and we chatted (this was a very liberal parish). I remember him asking me if there was anything happening in my life that I wanted to talk about or anything I was concerned about. I said no and that was pretty much it. Obviously I was in a state of mortal sin, and knew that to a certain extent, but I guess I didn’t really understand the gravity or effects of sin on one’s soul. I looked at things from the perspective of, “I know it’s wrong but everyone else does it so it can’t be that bad.” Even if I had discussed my relationship with DH I wouldn’t have been confessing the sin with the intentions of stopping or not repeating the sin.

One other thing about my confirmation that always bothered me is that we were not encouraged to choose a saint name for confirmation. We were told we could choose one if we wanted to but it wasn’t necessary. So, being unprepared, when the bishop asked me my name I said Jenny and that was how he confirmed me. This is obviously less serious than the mortal sin aspect, but it bothers me none-the-less.

So, could either of these things have affected the validity of my confirmation? Having reverted to the faith the last several years this concerns me very much.

Thanks so much for any thoughts and God bless, Jen

 

[Pug]

The things you describe make me think you may have a delayed effect on receiving some grace from your confirmation. Get everything straightened out in confession if you already haven’t, and don’t forget to mention receiving sacraments unworthily if it applies to you. Full grace can come later for people who weren’t in the right way at the time they were baptized or confirmed.

Baptism and Confirmation confer a spiritual mark or character that is unrepeatable. You would still have that mark unless something really crazy happened, like they didn’t anoint you with the chrism and didn’t say or do anything right. But that isn’t what you are talking about. You more seem to be talking about possibly being unworthy at the time (in a state of mortal sin, etc). An “unworthy” person still gets the mark and can’t repeat the sacrament.

I don’t think the name thing is an issue to prevent the sacrament from having happened. It is not the matter or form or anything for the sacrament.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

im_wildrose:

This question suddenly came into my head today. When I was confirmed I knew very little about the faith. I had very poor religious ed (desite going to 12 yrs of Catholic school) and was virtually ignorant of everything our faith involved beyond the very basics. At the time of my confirmation I was having sexual relations with my boyfriend (now husband ) ) and drinking occasionally.

So, could either of these things have affected the validity of my confirmation? Having reverted to the faith the last several years this concerns me very much.

Thanks so much for any thoughts and God bless, Jen

More than likely they did not effect the reception of the Sacrament. Being in a uncertain state of Mortal sin the Grace of the Sacrament may have been impeaded. Many theologians believe that the Sacraments of Confirmation and Marriage “revive” if received in an imperfect state or manner. (Form, Matter and Intent all being present) Once the sin of fornication is confessed and absolved and you are open to the Grace you would have received it. So If you never really confessed this sin, then it’s time to make a bee line to the confessional.

This does not apply if you knew without a doubt that you were in a state of Mortal sin and knew without a doubt that you should not have presented yourself for Confirmation.