How does Confirmation Go?

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Montie_Claunch

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Granted that it is still a ways off but, I would still like to know a little a bit in advance, What all happens at confirmation? Thanks and God bless.
 
Wow, it’s incredible! The main parts of the mass are the annointing with oil and the laying on of hands, when the Holy Spirit makes a permanent mark on your soul and seals you in His love for life…honestly, I wish I had been more prepared or aware for mine…basically, if your heart is there, you’ll be changed forever, there is nothing like knowing that you have the very power of God burning like fire in your heart:) I’ll be praying for you!
 
I’ll be Confirmed this Easter Vigil, but only three of the eight people in our class are getting Baptized. I’ve often read that the Easter Vigil is where the un-Baptized receive the Sacrament. So my question is, what do the rest of us do while the others are Baptized? Are the rest of us called up? What I’m looking for is a detailed explanation, since my RCIA team hasn’t been too forthcoming as to the details. Sad but true. 😦
 
The rest of you will just be sitting/standing/kneeling in your seats like any of the rest of the faithful who are attending the Easter Vigil. If yours is a typical parish there will be quite a few people who attend the Vigil just because they think it is a beautiful service.

More than likely all those who are to be baptized and/or confirmed will be sitting up front with your sponsors in assigned seats. Depending on space your families may be able to sit with you or in seats nearby. Other attendees will be sitting in the remaining available seats. Those to be baptized and their sponsors will be called when it is time. Everyone else just stays where they are.

In some parishes it is customary to invite the close friends and families of those being baptized to come stand around the baptismal font/pool/basin/fountain so that they can see what is happening. (I attended quite a few Easter Vigils at my parish before I ever managed to get close enough to our baptismal pool to actually see a baptism.) If this is the case in your parish, then perhaps the candidates will also be invited to watch.
 
I was confirmed very young (8), younger than the current guidelines, but I remember it well. “Signo te signo crucis, et confirmo te unctione salutis, in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, Amen. Pax tecum.”

They really knew how to do it in those days.
 
Does the Bishop still slap you to remind you that you are now a soldier of Christ?
 
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Steve-o:
I’ll be Confirmed this Easter Vigil, but only three of the eight people in our class are getting Baptized. I’ve often read that the Easter Vigil is where the un-Baptized receive the Sacrament. So my question is, what do the rest of us do while the others are Baptized? Are the rest of us called up? What I’m looking for is a detailed explanation, since my RCIA team hasn’t been too forthcoming as to the details. Sad but true. 😦
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How exciting for you! I remember at my Confirmation four years ago, I felt like a child at Christmas. At my confirmation, since I had already been baptized as a baby, I just sat with my sponsor while a few were baptized. My brother in law was confirmed the same night as me at a different parish so my sister couldn’t attend mine. But she said she found herself crying during the baptizm part of the ceremony. My sister is not the type to cry easily so the entire even can be very emotional for all.
Congratulations and I will be praying for you.
May God bless you,
Maggie
 
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Steve-o:
I’ll? What I’m looking for is a detailed explanation, since my RCIA team hasn’t been too forthcoming as to the details. Sad but true. 😦
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there is a reason for this. we don’t want to rehears the experience so much that the real thing is an anti-climax, your real preparation will come during Lent. We teach as much of the sacrament as you need to know to participate in the rite, and know what you are promising, and the siginificance. the in depth teaching on the sacraments you receive at Easter is done after Easter, in the period of mystagogy: study of the mysteries. The timing of what you are taught at each stage is carefully thought out. During Lent we will be preparing week by week for what happens each week, and ideally on Holy Saturday for what happens at the Easter Vigil.

What candidates will be doing during the baptisms is what the rest of the congregation is doing: witnessing the baptisms, praying for the neophytes, usually singing, praying some intercessions. you are there for them, as a member of the baptized. When they are all dressed, and are presented to the congregation in their baptismal garments, you will either join them for the profession of faith, or possible will make your own profession of faith while they are getting dressed, depends on how they do the logistics in your parish.

Then all will be annointed with Chrism, the celebrant lays hands on each candidate and invokes the Holy Spirit. That is the Confirmation, which all of you will receive. Then the Mass continues as usual (the profession of faith replaces the Creed, as all the baptized renew their baptismal promises at this point). you will all receive communion at the usual time.

Please go with the flow and allow the RCIA team to prepare you step by step, so you are not overwhelmed with a lot of detail before you need it.
 
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SnorterLuster:
Does the Bishop still slap you to remind you that you are now a soldier of Christ?
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I don’t ever remember getting slapped by the Bishop but one thing that I do remember was being told the same thing. You are now a soldier of Christ. My daughter will be confirmed this April and I don’t think that is even told to them. Now they are told that you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
 
puzzleannie, thanks so much for the detailed explanation and your other helpful responses to my many questions regarding this whole experience. It’s plain to see that you relish re-telling what transpires during this process. It is definitely appreciated by me.

As it turns out, in my RCIA class there are six people receiving Baptism this Easter Vigil (one Buddhist, a Jew, and a family of four Muslims) At the Rite in the cathedral, the Catechumens were plainly separated from the Candidates, just as you said in another post. I, for one look forward to witnessing their Baptism and the Rite of Sending really brings it home that we are so close (40 days and counting!) to Confirmation. Despite all the bumps in the road, it is proving to be an amazing experience, especially since a member of our parish now heading RCIA has a Doctorate and is an EMHC. He’s great.
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puzzleannie:
there is a reason for this. we don’t want to rehears the experience so much that the real thing is an anti-climax, your real preparation will come during Lent. We teach as much of the sacrament as you need to know to participate in the rite, and know what you are promising, and the siginificance. the in depth teaching on the sacraments you receive at Easter is done after Easter, in the period of mystagogy: study of the mysteries. The timing of what you are taught at each stage is carefully thought out. During Lent we will be preparing week by week for what happens each week, and ideally on Holy Saturday for what happens at the Easter Vigil.

What candidates will be doing during the baptisms is what the rest of the congregation is doing: witnessing the baptisms, praying for the neophytes, usually singing, praying some intercessions. you are there for them, as a member of the baptized. When they are all dressed, and are presented to the congregation in their baptismal garments, you will either join them for the profession of faith, or possible will make your own profession of faith while they are getting dressed, depends on how they do the logistics in your parish.

Then all will be annointed with Chrism, the celebrant lays hands on each candidate and invokes the Holy Spirit. That is the Confirmation, which all of you will receive. Then the Mass continues as usual (the profession of faith replaces the Creed, as all the baptized renew their baptismal promises at this point). you will all receive communion at the usual time.

Please go with the flow and allow the RCIA team to prepare you step by step, so you are not overwhelmed with a lot of detail before you need it.
Click to expand...
 
Maureen Fiore:
I don’t ever remember getting slapped by the Bishop but one thing that I do remember was being told the same thing. You are now a soldier of Christ. My daughter will be confirmed this April and I don’t think that is even told to them. Now they are told that you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Click to expand...
I was confirmed in 1997, I believe the Bishop said when he anointed a person’s forehead, “(Confirmation name), Be sealed with the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.” To which the person being confirmed would reply “And also with you”. No slapping. It was, honestly one of the most exciting moments of my life. I really did feel different afterward. I think being prepared helped me to be more open to the experience. Enjoy your Easter Vigil, you will remember it for a long time!
 
they don’t do the slapping the cheek anymore, or telling us to be soldiers of Christ, which is the only thing I remember about my confirmation in 6th grade, except that we could not find a navy blue skirt in my size (quite large). I wore plaid and was sure “sister will kill me.” She didn’t-- half the girls had skirts of other colors because we were a poor parish and most could not afford a new skirt. We did have to wear red beanies.

so no slapping. If you want somebody to slap you around you have to come on the forums and ask questions.
 
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