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J0SEPH_SG
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I posted this in the Ask an Apologist forum, but I’ll post it here also. Maybe someone can help.
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ConstantineTG
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It used to be the Sacraments of Initiation should come in the same day. The person is baptized then confirmed, and later on receives Communion. But over time the Latin Church has decided to push back the other two Sacraments to later times in the life of children to ensure that they are aware of receiving the Sacrament. As it is today, First Communion comes before Confirmation for many children. First Communion is given at the age of reason (usually 7 or 8) and Confirmation just around puberty (12 is the average age).
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JM3
Guest
Code of Canon Law
vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM
vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM
Can. 912 Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion.
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J0SEPH_SG
Guest
Yes, but what “law”? I saw that section earlier. In light of the following, I’m not sure that applies to a non-confirmed Catholic.Can. 912 Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion.
Cat. 1322 The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord’s own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.
Should I push for being confirmed now? I have been certain since Jan-Feb, but there were complications around the Easter season (rcia issues, miscommunications, etc) for which it did not happen then.Can. 920 §1. After being initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year.
§2. This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season unless it is fulfilled for a just cause at another time during the year.
Can. 885 §1. The diocesan bishop is obliged to take care that the sacrament of confirmation is conferred on subjects who properly and reasonably seek it.
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Aelred_Minor
Guest
All I can say is that ordinarily adult converts receive the sacraments of initiation on the same day and in the traditional order (baptism if needed, then confirmation, then first communion). I don’t know when or if exceptions to that are permitted.
One potential problem with confirmation is that in the Latin Rite Church it has to be given by a bishop or by a priest who has received a special faculty to give confirmation. So your priest would either have to get the faculty to do this from the bishop if he has not already or get the bishop himself to give you confirmation. Perhaps it’s a problem with this that is delaying your confirmation till after you can be received into the Church? Again, ordinary you would be confirmed first upon being received into the Church, then receive the Eucharist later in the same mass.
One potential problem with confirmation is that in the Latin Rite Church it has to be given by a bishop or by a priest who has received a special faculty to give confirmation. So your priest would either have to get the faculty to do this from the bishop if he has not already or get the bishop himself to give you confirmation. Perhaps it’s a problem with this that is delaying your confirmation till after you can be received into the Church? Again, ordinary you would be confirmed first upon being received into the Church, then receive the Eucharist later in the same mass.
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Aelred_Minor
Guest
If he is properly disposed to receive communion in the Catholic Church.
Anyway, it sounds like he is speaking of receiving communion but not getting confirmed at the mass in which he is received into the Church. This reception into the Church happens most frequently at the Easter Vigil mass but it doesn’t have to.
Anyway, it sounds like he is speaking of receiving communion but not getting confirmed at the mass in which he is received into the Church. This reception into the Church happens most frequently at the Easter Vigil mass but it doesn’t have to.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
By law a priest is given the faculties to Confirm if he is receiving an adult into the Church, or if its a case of necessity. The faculties are already supplied.All I can say is that ordinarily adult converts receive the sacraments of initiation on the same day and in the traditional order (baptism if needed, then confirmation, then first communion). I don’t know when or if exceptions to that are permitted.
One potential problem with confirmation is that in the Latin Rite Church it has to be given by a bishop or by a priest who has received a special faculty to give confirmation. So your priest would either have to get the faculty to do this from the bishop if he has not already or get the bishop himself to give you confirmation. Perhaps it’s a problem with this that is delaying your confirmation till after you can be received into the Church? Again, ordinary you would be confirmed first upon being received into the Church, then receive the Eucharist later in the same mass.
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puzzleannie
Guest
don’t know if I have the story straight but if you are baptized adult Catholic (over the age of reason, about age 7) you may be prepared for first communion (preceded by sacramental confession) and receive as soon as you are ready, and then go on for Confirmation at the age set by the bishop. For adults (out of high school) that usually means the next date the bishop has set to confirm adults, if he does not come to the parish.
If you are a baptized non-Catholic adult, the same. You may receive first communion (preceded by sacramental confession) whenever you and the priest think you are ready. He can ask for and usually will receive the faculty to confirm you at the same time. If confirmation is delayed because the bishop reserves the privilege to himself, the only difference is that you would make your profession of faith before receiving first communion.
It is not necessary, and sometimes not even preferred, that confirmation and first communion for baptized adults be done at the Easter Vigil, and for a person who is properly disposed there is no reason to wait (unless there are other pastoral considerations not discussed in OP). I know of no diocese in the US where the priest who receives a baptized non-Catholic into the Church does not have the faculty to confirm. If the candidate is ready for first communion and profession of faith, he is ready for confirmation, so if there is a delay, I would ask the priest for his reasons in writing.
I don’t know what “partial RCIA” is , and I don’t know what “paperwork for the bishop” might be that gets delayed. We don’t have any paperwork for the bishop except to let him know now many adults will be present for confirmation. The paperwork for recording sacraments stays in the parish.
The only “paperwork” I can think of involves marriage issues, which OP does not mention, so I won’t bring it up.
If you are a baptized non-Catholic adult, the same. You may receive first communion (preceded by sacramental confession) whenever you and the priest think you are ready. He can ask for and usually will receive the faculty to confirm you at the same time. If confirmation is delayed because the bishop reserves the privilege to himself, the only difference is that you would make your profession of faith before receiving first communion.
It is not necessary, and sometimes not even preferred, that confirmation and first communion for baptized adults be done at the Easter Vigil, and for a person who is properly disposed there is no reason to wait (unless there are other pastoral considerations not discussed in OP). I know of no diocese in the US where the priest who receives a baptized non-Catholic into the Church does not have the faculty to confirm. If the candidate is ready for first communion and profession of faith, he is ready for confirmation, so if there is a delay, I would ask the priest for his reasons in writing.
I don’t know what “partial RCIA” is , and I don’t know what “paperwork for the bishop” might be that gets delayed. We don’t have any paperwork for the bishop except to let him know now many adults will be present for confirmation. The paperwork for recording sacraments stays in the parish.
The only “paperwork” I can think of involves marriage issues, which OP does not mention, so I won’t bring it up.
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Aelred_Minor
Guest
Good to know. I didn’t know it was automatically supplied rather than given individually to particular priests.By law a priest is given the faculties to Confirm if he is receiving an adult into the Church, or if its a case of necessity. The faculties are already supplied.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
I was gonna say that I am too lazy to search, but here you go…Good to know. I didn’t know it was automatically supplied rather than given individually to particular priests.
*Can. 883 The following possess the faculty of administering confirmation by the law itself:
2/ as regards the person in question, the presbyter who by virtue of office or mandate of the diocesan bishop baptizes one who is no longer an infant or admits one already baptized into the full communion of the Catholic Church;*
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TrueLight
Guest
I was received last Saturday after 8 weeks of instruction and will be confirmed at Easter vigil. I was told that a baptized non catholic can be confirmed any time. However, someone baptized as a Catholic has to wait for the bishop come Easter.
I was baptized as a Protestant adult but also as a baby, but I’m not sure if the infant baptism was at the catholic church, so to be sure I will wait.
I was baptized as a Protestant adult but also as a baby, but I’m not sure if the infant baptism was at the catholic church, so to be sure I will wait.
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Marie5890
Guest
In retrospect and with a discerning understanding and experience with graces, it would have been wiser for me to have been given First Communion much sooner than I was (I was ready to receive but the RCIA direction wanted our group to go thru Easter Vigil together)
At the Easter Vigil during the first readings of Exodus I was thisclose to bolting. The thoughts going thru my mind were soooo loud about “what are you doing this? You have been down this path(I had been Mormon for many years, although I had been baptized as a Catholic as an infant) before and you now how you had been deceived”…
It went on thru the entire service. The entire service until I received.
I feel strongly now that it would have been wiser that I had access to the graces of being able to partake of First Communion earlier.
Like I said in another thread, RCIA really was just hoop jumping for me considering how much intense research and my Mormon background (which means Im a reader of Scripture and already had an intimate relationship with Our Lord)
I think it was unwise to give Satan that kind of room to play with my head without being able to draw upon the graces found in the Eucharist
At the Easter Vigil during the first readings of Exodus I was thisclose to bolting. The thoughts going thru my mind were soooo loud about “what are you doing this? You have been down this path(I had been Mormon for many years, although I had been baptized as a Catholic as an infant) before and you now how you had been deceived”…
It went on thru the entire service. The entire service until I received.
I feel strongly now that it would have been wiser that I had access to the graces of being able to partake of First Communion earlier.
Like I said in another thread, RCIA really was just hoop jumping for me considering how much intense research and my Mormon background (which means Im a reader of Scripture and already had an intimate relationship with Our Lord)
I think it was unwise to give Satan that kind of room to play with my head without being able to draw upon the graces found in the Eucharist
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TrueLight
Guest
Exactly. That’s the way I feel. And Satan did indeed play with my head.I feel strongly now that it would have been wiser that I had access to the graces of being able to partake of First Communion earlier.
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J0SEPH_SG
Guest
Thanks for your insights. I’d like to clear up 2 things.
Rcia is not a mandatory process for adults. It does come highly recommended by the church
US presbyters, I’m told, have the ordinary authority to confirm at Easter only. Other times by specific permission from the bishop
Rcia is not a mandatory process for adults. It does come highly recommended by the church
US presbyters, I’m told, have the ordinary authority to confirm at Easter only. Other times by specific permission from the bishop
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ConstantineTG
Guest
RCIA is actually mandatory. What I think you are referring to is the catechesis program that comes with it. RCIA means “Rite for Christian Initiation for Adults”. Its a lengthy process and historically there have been shortcuts through the process. The actual baptism, confirmation and communion is part of the RCIA process.Thanks for your insights. I’d like to clear up 2 things.
Rcia is not a mandatory process for adults. It does come highly recommended by the church
As I have quoted from Canon Law, they have the faculties supplied by law when receiving an adult into the Catholic Church.US presbyters, I’m told, have the ordinary authority to confirm at Easter only. Other times by specific permission from the bishop
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Aelred_Minor
Guest
They have faculties supplied by law, but does a bishop still have the authority to say to his priests “you shall not confirm anyone outside of the Easter Vigil unless I give you permission to”?As I have quoted from Canon Law, they have the faculties supplied by law when receiving an adult into the Catholic Church.
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Aelred_Minor
Guest
In response to those saying they wish the Eucharist would be made available earlier on, I can see where you are coming from and maybe it should be made more of an option, but on the other hand it’s not my experience. The period of waiting, preparing, yearning for the Eucharist really helped get me spiritually ready to finally receive. Also, there is something to say for not letting people jump into something so suddenly they may not realize what they are doing or hold out a resolve to be a Catholic for more than, say, a few weeks. I think it’s generally a good idea to have a longer period of discernment and of getting to know the Church and the Church’s members getting to know you.
Also I think there is something to be said for keeping the celebration of the sacraments of initiation somewhat connected. They are separated from each other for children for certain reasons (that’s a good topic for another thread), but for adults they are generally retained together, which serves the whole Church in a way by providing that perspective concerning their connectedness. And of course it allows them to be celebrated in their traditional order, with Confirmation before First Communion, thus better maintaining the particular connection between Confirmation and Baptism for one thing.
Again, I’m not saying there can’t or shouldn’t be exceptions, but I don’t think those exceptions should become the rule.
Also I think there is something to be said for keeping the celebration of the sacraments of initiation somewhat connected. They are separated from each other for children for certain reasons (that’s a good topic for another thread), but for adults they are generally retained together, which serves the whole Church in a way by providing that perspective concerning their connectedness. And of course it allows them to be celebrated in their traditional order, with Confirmation before First Communion, thus better maintaining the particular connection between Confirmation and Baptism for one thing.
Again, I’m not saying there can’t or shouldn’t be exceptions, but I don’t think those exceptions should become the rule.
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