Thinking about the possibility of Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form

[TBolt1000T]

A fiew days ago, I finally had the opertunity to meet the main Latin Mass priest at the parish I attend, where both forms are offered. We were just talking, and the subject of me likely coming into full communion with the Church this Easter came up. I was very surprised to hear him ask me in a kind way what I was waiting for. I told him about the RCIA director telling me that if I were to be confirmed this year, that I would come into the Church at Easter Vidual with the other candidates and catecumans. He still didn’t understand why I was waiting. We had just been talking about how my recognition of the Real Presence has forever changed me, and that I was singing in our Latin Mass choir.

I went home and thought about what he said about my Confirmation. Last night, I called one of my Latin Mass friends, and she gave me the impression that before Vatican 2, candidates and catecumans didn’t have to wait until Easter to be confirmed.

I believe that either form of the Mass is both licit and valid, and that one is just as good as the other, but I’ve been toying with the possibility of getting Confirmed in the Extraordinary Form if it is permitted by the pastor for me to be confirmed before Easter. Is this an option for me? If so, I have more questions, but I won’t ask them until I know for sure. Thanks.

 

[Joannm]

A baptized Christian does not have to wait for the Easter Vigil to be received into the Church and receive Confirmation. It is not just a pre-Vatican II thing. We receive people into the Church at all times during the year, sometimes several times during the year.

The problem for you may occur in the fact that in the 1962 form, I don’t think priests were able to confirm as they do now when receiving people into the Church. Back then they would be received into the Church usually when they went for their first confession, received first Communion at the first Mass they attended following that, and then wait for the bishop to come and confirm both kids and join in at the end of the line of kids . At least that is how I remember it as there were adults with us when I received Confirmation. Also back then the bishop only came every two years to celebrate Confirmation in our area.

Also, the pre-Vatican II rite of Confirmation was not at a Mass. Our bishop has celebrated Confirmation twice in the Extraordinary Form and neither time was at a Mass.

These are some things you might need to consider. Will your bishop celebrate a Confirmation in the Extraordinary form? Will he do it for only one person? As it stands now with RCIA, one being received into the Church makes a Profession of Faith, receives Confirmation and then Eucharist at the same Mass. I don’t know if there is a rite being done all together in the Extraordinary form

 

[Lamafacaja]

The way we did it here last year was that the Bishop confirmed the kids and then we had a TLM that was said by the Pastor. There were candidates from a few different chapels in the area who came to our chapel to receive this sacrament.

 

[TBolt1000T]

It looks like in the Modu Proprio, Pope Benedict says that only bishops can administer the sacrament of Confirmation. So, the question becomes, whether our archbishop is able to administer this sacrament in the Extraordinary form. If he can’t, because of not knowing how to administer the sacrament in the Extrordinary form, then it looks like I’m forced to wait until Easter and get confirmed in the Ordinary Form, unless there is another option somewhere, like getting confirmed by another bishop, etc. My pastor did say something about the possibility of going to Lexington to have it done, but transportation will likely be an issue.

I have a fiew questions about Confirmation in the EF. Do candidates still make a full profession of faith before they can receive the sacraments, like in the OF? If so, what, if any, are the differences between the professions of faith in each form? Also, in the EF, since the sacrament would be administered in Latin, would there be any responses that I would need to know before I go into it?

 

[malphono]

It looks like in the Modu Proprio, Pope Benedict says that only bishops can administer the sacrament of Confirmation. So, the question becomes, whether our archbishop is able to administer this sacrament in the Extraordinary form. If he can’t, because of not knowing how to administer the sacrament in the Extrordinary form, then it looks like I’m forced to wait until Easter and get confirmed in the Ordinary Form, unless there is another option somewhere, like getting confirmed by another bishop, etc. My pastor did say something about the possibility of going to Lexington to have it done, but transportation will likely be an issue.

I have a fiew questions about Confirmation in the EF. Do candidates still make a full profession of faith before they can receive the sacraments, like in the OF? If so, what, if any, are the differences between the professions of faith in each form? Also, in the EF, since the sacrament would be administered in Latin, would there be any responses that I would need to know before I go into it?

If you haven’t already seen it, you might want to have a look here for the text and rubrics of Confirmation in the EF.

 

[TBolt1000T]

If you haven’t already seen it, you might want to have a look here for the text and rubrics of Confirmation in the EF.

I looked at that link, and I’m even more confused. I’m confused about whether a priest can administer the sacrament in the EF in my case. I’m also confused on whether the confirmation would be licit if I had to go to Lexington, which is outside of my dioces, to get it done. I’m also still confused about the full profession of faith. Could someone please answer these questions in layman’s terms? Thanks!

 

[Timothy17]

If you haven’t already seen it, you might want to have a look here for the text and rubrics of Confirmation in the EF.

Excellent resource site. Thank you for sharing it.

 

[Timothy17]

I looked at that link, and I’m even more confused. I’m confused about whether a priest can administer the sacrament in the EF in my case. I’m also confused on whether the confirmation would be licit if I had to go to Lexington, which is outside of my dioces, to get it done. I’m also still confused about the full profession of faith. Could someone please answer these questions in layman’s terms? Thanks!

Please speak with your priest and, if you also wish, direct the question to the appropriate members of the CAF forum, in the appropriate place, which I think would be here : forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=112304 . But above all, please speak with your priest, and perhaps consider submitting your question(s) to your diocese office. CAF is only here to help direct you to the responsible and appropriate authorities, be they persons or things, like documents, texts or statements. CAF posters/members are helpful but not necessarily authoritative.

Pax Christi,
Tim

 

[malphono]

I looked at that link, and I’m even more confused. I’m confused about whether a priest can administer the sacrament in the EF in my case.

While it was never particularly common, I believe that in the EF a priest can still be delegated by the bishop to as an Extraordinary Minister of Confirmation, depending on the status of the global indult. It would, I think, and as another poster has already suggested, be best to ask the pastor.

I’m also confused on whether the confirmation would be licit if I had to go to Lexington, which is outside of my dioces, to get it done.

That should be ok, provided it was done with the approval of both the local pastor and the the bishop of the other diocese, and provided the proper notations and notifications are made. I doubt that the pastor would have suggested it if there was any problem.

I’m also still confused about the full profession of faith. Could someone please answer these questions in layman’s terms? Thanks!

I’m not sure what you mean by a “full profession of faith” in this context.

 

[laszlo]

In the good old times only bishops administered the confirmation on their pastoral visit, usually in every fourth of third year in smaller parishes. All candidates (kids and adults alike) waited for that visitation.

Priest can administer the confirmation validly in EF form, but it is illicit except id the bishops gives authorization for the priest.