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Journeyman
Guest
How old does one have to be to be confirmed in your parish/diocese?
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space_ghost
Guest
doesn’t have to be any age that i’m aware of… years ago, you made confirmation at the same time you made first holy Eucharist.
It’s pretty much up to the local bishop if not priest… i could be wrong…
It’s pretty much up to the local bishop if not priest… i could be wrong…
Well, the normal time for confirmation is currently 10th grade.
But any children (approx age 7 or older) who are baptized after going through the Children’s Initiation process (at the Easter Vigil) are confirmed at that time. But I think even those children who are confirmed are urged to go to the confirmation classes.
But any children (approx age 7 or older) who are baptized after going through the Children’s Initiation process (at the Easter Vigil) are confirmed at that time. But I think even those children who are confirmed are urged to go to the confirmation classes.
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larry_j
Guest
I would guess the age of their first communion would be appropriate if you are concentrating on the graces received, however, if you are concentrating on trying to keep the kids in an religious ed program of some sort then 10th grade seems to be about the limit for most youth and parents alike.
I surely don’t want to defute the power of God’s grace however there is something to be said for the 10th grade confirmation experience. At least you, as a catechist, get a chance at affecting their teen years. Many parents seem to have an attitude that after confirmation they don’t have to drive the kids to church functions anymore.
Humbled and grateful
I surely don’t want to defute the power of God’s grace however there is something to be said for the 10th grade confirmation experience. At least you, as a catechist, get a chance at affecting their teen years. Many parents seem to have an attitude that after confirmation they don’t have to drive the kids to church functions anymore.
Humbled and grateful
M
moira
Guest
I understand the reasoning behind confirming older children (I was confirmed at age 12) but I think that now my 15 yr. old daughters could really use the grace they would have received if they had been confirmed a few years ago (now they have to be 16)
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
Right after baptism and just before reception of First Eucharist.
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wannabee
Guest
Our Children make their First Confession in Lent one year , they are confirmed in November the same year and make their First Communion the following May.
Depending on their actual Birth date they are somehwere betwee n 8 and 9
Depending on their actual Birth date they are somehwere betwee n 8 and 9
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a_pilgrim
Guest
…and all on the same day, during the same ceremony, no less!
Seriously, I must agree with my Byzantine Catholic brother, David (ByzCath). This topic was discussed on this forum some time ago, and here’s the way I responded then…
This is a tough question to answer - nearly impossible, in fact - unless a consensus is reached as to what exactly the Sacrament of Confirmation is. There seem to be many versions of the “purpose” (for lack of a better term) for even recieving this Sacrament, each one of which will point to a different appropriate age.
In the Catholic East, the Holy Mystery of Chrismation (the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Latin Rite) is conferred immediately after Baptism, with the thought being that this Mystery brings special graces of the Holy Spirit to the recipient, thus strengthening the union with Christ and His Church that was just created through Baptism. Numerous Scriptural references can be found indicating that the Apostles would immediately “lay hands” on newly baptized Christians in order to bring down the Grace of the Holy Spirit unto them as soon as possible, thus strengthening that union. In this scenario, infant Chrismation is proper and appropriate.
In the West, it seems as though the Sacrament of Confirmation has evolved into a sort of “rite of passage.” The same Gifts of the Holy Spirit are imparted to the recipient, but the thrust of the Sacrament, for many Westerners, seems to be the recipient’s acceptance of his role as a “Soldier of the Church.” This acceptance of that role would certainly indicate the need for an accepted age of reason to be reached before receiving the Sacrament.
Others in the West see it as an act of becoming an “adult” member of the Church, which may call for yet a different, somewhat older, age to be the appropriate one.
Still others in the West would like to see the Sacrament revert to its Scriptural origins as a “rite of initiation” into the Catholic Church, which would place the appropriate age for reception at the same point it currently is in the Churches of the East.
Perhaps there needs to be universal acceptance and understanding of what the Sacrament of Confirmation is and does before one can answer when it should be received.
a pilgrim
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