Do I need to receive the sacrament of confirmation a second time?

[Black_Dog]

I was baptised in a High Anglican church and received confirmation in my early teens. I must admit that it didnt really mean a lot to me at the time and within a few short months ceased to attend my church.
Forty years later, I am attending RCIA classes at my local Catholic church and am preparing to be received into the Church at the Easter vigil.

I understand that the Catholic church accepts that my baptism is valid but what about the sacrament of confirmation?
I did discuss this with my priest at the very start of the RCIA process and we both thought that because of my appalling lack of knowledge of Christianity in general and the Catholic church in particular, I should go through the entire programme…

I have no difficulties with this and am enjoying my journey immensely and so looking forward to Easter but I’m now concerned that possibly the graces of the Holy Spirit were received by me all those years ago whether I realised it or not at the time. Spirituality and emotions can be and often are mutually exclusive.

 

[SMHW]

Unless there is some highly unusual circumstance here (i.e. the Anglican bishop actually had valid orders) then the Catholic Church would not recognize your Anglican confirmation as a sacrament.

So you would not be receiving the sacrament of confirmation a second time. It would be the first time.

 

[Black_Dog]

Brilliant…thank you…

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I was baptised in a High Anglican church and received confirmation in my early teens. I must admit that it didnt really mean a lot to me at the time and within a few short months ceased to attend my church.
Forty years later, I am attending RCIA classes at my local Catholic church and am preparing to be received into the Church at the Easter vigil.

I understand that the Catholic church accepts that my baptism is valid but what about the sacrament of confirmation?
I did discuss this with my priest at the very start of the RCIA process and we both thought that because of my appalling lack of knowledge of Christianity in general and the Catholic church in particular, I should go through the entire programme…

I have no difficulties with this and am enjoying my journey immensely and so looking forward to Easter but I’m now concerned that possibly the graces of the Holy Spirit were received by me all those years ago whether I realised it or not at the time. Spirituality and emotions can be and often are mutually exclusive.

Anglican/Episcopal Confirmation is not accepted as a Valid Sacrament by the Catholic Church.

 

[Black_Dog]

Just a thought…if the sacrament of baptism and marriage is valid and recognised by the Catholic Church then why not the sacrament of confirmation?

 

[danaemariejoan]

I can symapthize with you. Since I just recieved the sacrement of confirmation not to long ago (last april), I understand how it is to go through the long tedious process of the classes of confirmation. However I did not go through RCIA. I do know that it is rewarding in the end when you stand and front of the bishop of your diocese and recieve the sacrement. Have faith that it will not be in vain!!! Good luck and may you find happiness.

 

[SMHW]

Just a thought…if the sacrament of baptism and marriage is valid and recognised by the Catholic Church then why not the sacrament of confirmation?

It’s a matter of the minister of the sacraments.

Anyone (even an unbaptized person) can administer the sacrament of Baptism. In Latin rite Catholicism, it is the couple themselves who confer the sacrament upon each other.

But confirmation can only be administered by someone who is ordained. Ordinarily this person must be a bishop but with proper faculties a priest can confirm. A deacon cannot.

The Catholic Church does not recognize Anglican orders.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Just a thought…if the sacrament of baptism and marriage is valid and recognised by the Catholic Church then why not the sacrament of confirmation?

Each sacrament requires a proper minister. Anyone can administer baptism, even a non-Christian. Marriage, in the Western Church, is administered by the couple to each other. Confirmation can only be administered by a bishop or a priest with specific delgation from the bishop.

 

[passus]

Just a thought…if the sacrament of baptism and marriage is valid and recognised by the Catholic Church then why not the sacrament of confirmation?

It has to do with the ministers of those specific sacraments. Anyone has the authority to baptize. Now at a parish, of course the ordinary ministers of the sacrament of Baptism are the deacon and priest, but you will recall that anyone can baptize in an emergency and that baptism is considered valid. In the same way, the Church acknowledges that Trinitarian water baptisms performed in other churches are valid, even if they are not performed by the designated “ordinary ministers.”

In the case of matrimony, the ministers are the husband and wife. The priest or deacon is there simply to witness the marriage, so even though the Church sees the priest and deacon as the ordinary witness to the sacrament of matrimony, the sacrament’s validity would not be affected by the witness of someone else.

With the sacrament of Confirmation, it is necessary that an ordained bishop or, in his standing, a properly dispensed priest perform the rites associated. Only the ordained can properly and rightfully act with respect to the apostolic origins of the Church in the confection of this sacrament and the reality of the Christian unity which results.

 

[Aramis]

Just a thought…if the sacrament of baptism and marriage is valid and recognised by the Catholic Church then why not the sacrament of confirmation?

No valid bishops.

Anyone, even a person who is not christian, who intends christian baptism upon a minor or upon a person desiring christian baptism does so validly.

But without a valid bishop, one can not have a valid confirmation, since that sacrament can only be given by one with valid priestly orders, and valid orders require valid ordination and that requires a valid bishop. (In the Eastern Catholic Churches, the priest is the ordinary minister of baptism and confirmation, which are done one right after the other. In the Latin church, it is normally the bishop who confirms, tho a pastor may do so on easter or by special appointment.)