What would happen if I didn’t do my service hours for confirmation?

[twf]

Restoring the traditional order largely fixes that… this idea of confirmation as a teenage coming of age is very novel.

 

[tafan2]

Oh yes, I did a little bit of research on this back in the day when I was fighting the battle. The problem, largely started when Pope Pius X moved first communion to the age of reason. Before, it had been around 12 or 13 years old, and always followed confirmation. Now, in the early 20th century, in many areas of this country , the Bishops could not visit every parish every once or two years to confirm the kids, so for most kids, confirmation occurred in the 3rd or 4th or 5th grade, whenever the Bishop made it to the parish. So the order was reversed. It stayed this way until the late 70s or early 80s, not ideal, but not delayed too long. I have a brother one year older than I, when I was a kid the Bishop came once every two years, so I was confirmend in the 3rd grade and he was confirmed in the 4th grade. In the early to late 80s, at least around here, it moved to the middle school years.

 

[tafan2]

He would have agreed with your assessment Father. It was just his wording was short and to the point, if slightly inaccurate. It is a sacrament in need of understanding.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The Catechism is clear that a candidate needs to profess the faith, be in a state of grace and have the intention of receiving the Sacrament.

Infants may be Confirmed.

Actually, the Catechism only speaks of the state of grace and warns against (bold mine)

1308 Although Confirmation is sometimes called the “sacrament of Christian maturity,” we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need “ratification” to become effective. St. Thomas reminds us of this:

Age of body does not determine age of soul. Even in childhood man can attain spiritual maturity: as the book of Wisdom says: "For old age is not honored for length of time, or measured by number of years. "Many children, through the strength of the Holy Spirit they have received, have bravely fought for Christ even to the shedding of their blood.126

1309 Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit - his actions, his gifts, and his biddings - in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. To this end catechesis for Confirmation should strive to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church as well as the parish community. The latter bears special responsibility for the preparation of confirmands.127

1310 To receive Confirmation one must be in a state of grace. One should receive the sacrament of Penance in order to be cleansed for the gift of the Holy Spirit. More intense prayer should prepare one to receive the strength and graces of the Holy Spirit with docility and readiness to act.128

1311 Candidates for Confirmation, as for Baptism, fittingly seek the spiritual help of a sponsor. To emphasize the unity of the two sacraments, it is appropriate that this be one of the baptismal godparents.129

 

[TheLittleLady]

We read this section aloud to the parents and those entering Confirmation prep, just to get rid of the commonly held misconceptions.

 

[HB11]

I understood what it was. I was blessed to have good released time program in our Parish. I did get in trouble though and sent to the Priest for a talking to. I was a Bible reader . That is story for another time. This service I guess is new style social justice stuff. I don’t know what would have happened if I told my Dad I had to do it. He was old school, I couldn’t even be in after school things. I had responsibilities at home. I am so glad to hear about your doing Adoration, I was pretty upset hearing that folks don’t believe that Jesus is Body Blood Soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament.