Was My Confirmation Valid?

[SebMurphy]

Hi
I went to confession before I got confirmed, but I’m worried about something. When we were renewing our baptismal promises, when the Bishop said, ‘Do you reject satan and all his empty promises’, I think I might’ve said ‘I don’t.’ I really can’t remember. My family swore that they heard me say ‘I do’. Over the past week, I have been very fearful and anxious about the unpardonable sin and recieving Confirmation in mortal sin. I think I might have therefore received Confirmation and Holy Communion in mortal sin. I could be worrying over nothing, I am quite scrupulous. Even if I confessed having said ‘I don’t’, would it be forgiven? Because it seems similar to the unpardonable sin. If I did say ‘I don’t’, I never pre meditated on it. The people in front of me didn’t turn around nor did anybody stop or give me a strange look or anything, but if I did say ‘I don’t’, was my Confirmation valid? Could it ever be valid? I do hate satan and I don’t want to accept him

Please help

 

[Mighty_Q]

Hi
I went to confession before I got confirmed, but I’m worried about something. When we were renewing our baptismal promises, when the Bishop said, ‘Do you reject satan and all his empty promises’, I think I might’ve said ‘I don’t.’ I really can’t remember. My family swore that they heard me say ‘I do’. Over the past week, I have been very fearful and anxious about the unpardonable sin and recieving Confirmation in mortal sin. I think I might have therefore received Confirmation and Holy Communion in mortal sin. I could be worrying over nothing, I am quite scrupulous. Even if I confessed having said ‘I don’t’, would it be forgiven? Because it seems similar to the unpardonable sin. If I did say ‘I don’t’, I never pre meditated on it. The people in front of me didn’t turn around nor did anybody stop or give me a strange look or anything, but if I did say ‘I don’t’, was my Confirmation valid? Could it ever be valid?

Please help

What did you mean to say? Remember–Confirmation isn’t a magic spell.

 

[wanner47]

Hi
I do hate satan and I don’t want to accept him

Please help

Then you’re fine.

If you did say, “I don’t,” your statement above indicates that it was just a slip of the tongue and not a premeditated statement.

Not to mention that if the priest had clearly and unmistakably heard you say “I don’t,” he would not have administered the Sacrament. (At least, I hope not!)

 

[3bar17]

God’s mercy is greater than your sin. God knows you personally and intimately and loves you beyond and despite your percieved sins and short comings. Heal your image of God. If you have children you will know what I mean, you don’t watch them constantly for their mistakes. You try to teach them and guide them. It is even more so with our good and gracious Lord. He is not watching and counting our sins and faults. He knows how fragile and weak we are. He is a merciful and kind God. Yes, we need to follow the commandments, but there is more to our relationship with God than the commandments. They are a starting point to keep us in His graces so that we can begin to grow in our love and understanding of Him. Ask Him to help you on this path. Ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to guide you.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hi
I went to confession before I got confirmed, but I’m worried about something. When we were renewing our baptismal promises, when the Bishop said, ‘Do you reject satan and all his empty promises’, I think I might’ve said ‘I don’t.’ I really can’t remember. My family swore that they heard me say ‘I do’. Over the past week, I have been very fearful and anxious about the unpardonable sin and recieving Confirmation in mortal sin. I think I might have therefore received Confirmation and Holy Communion in mortal sin. I could be worrying over nothing, I am quite scrupulous. Even if I confessed having said ‘I don’t’, would it be forgiven? Because it seems similar to the unpardonable sin. If I did say ‘I don’t’, I never pre meditated on it. The people in front of me didn’t turn around nor did anybody stop or give me a strange look or anything, but if I did say ‘I don’t’, was my Confirmation valid? Could it ever be valid? I do hate satan and I don’t want to accept him

Please help

Remember that everything leading up to the actual Sacrament of Confirmation (when the Bishop anoints your head and says the words “Be sealed with (the gift of) the Holy Spirit”) and everything leading away from, is part of the Rite of Confirmation and not the Sacrament of Confirmation and does not effect the validity of the Sacrament.

 

[SebMurphy]

Hi
I went to confession before I got confirmed, but I’m worried about something. When we were renewing our baptismal promises, when the Bishop said, ‘Do you reject satan and all his empty promises’, I think I might’ve said ‘I don’t.’ I really can’t remember. My family swore that they heard me say ‘I do’. Over the past week, I have been very fearful and anxious about the unpardonable sin and recieving Confirmation in mortal sin. I think I might have therefore received Confirmation and Holy Communion in mortal sin. I could be worrying over nothing, I am quite scrupulous. Even if I confessed having said ‘I don’t’, would it be forgiven? Because it seems similar to the unpardonable sin. If I did say ‘I don’t’, I never pre meditated on it. The people in front of me didn’t turn around nor did anybody stop or give me a strange look or anything, but if I did say ‘I don’t’, was my Confirmation valid? Could it ever be valid? I do hate satan and I don’t want to accept him

Please help

 

[HelenRose]

What did you intend to say?

Did you misunderstand the question?

Did you expect a different question and were nervous about what you were going to say?

God hears what your heart said.
Talk to your priest. It will be okay and you can clear this up in no time at all. All you need to do is confess. The priest will understand and will help you.

 

[3bar17]

In addition to my earlier post I also have this to say. Your Confirmation is valid. The Sacrament acts ex opere, ex oprato as # 1128 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: (literally: “by the very fact of the action’s being performed”), i.e., by virtue of the saving work of Christ, accomplished once for all. It follows that “the sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God.” From the moment that a sacrament is celebrated in accordance with the intention of the Church, the power of Christ and his Spirit acts in and through it, independently of the personal holiness of the minister. You are confimed. Go in the peace of God. Put aside your fears.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Even if you did say ‘I don’t’ it wasn’t even a venial sin, just a slip of the tongue, an accident.

The Confirmation was totally valid anyway.

I don’t know what you think the unpardonable sin is. The only unpardonable sin is refusing to believe that God will forgive sin and refusing to ask him for forgiveness (that is the sin against the Holy Spirit). God forgives any sin when the person is sorry for it and asks for forgiveness.