Why is receiving Confirmation and First Communion in the Extraordinary Form so hard?

[TBolt1000T]

There are at least 4 priests in our dioces who can say the EF Mass, and who are in good standing with Rome. Yet I’m being told that if I want to receive Confirmation and First Communion in the EF, I’ll have to go to another dioces which is 75 to 90 miles away to have it done. This is physicly impossible for me, since I’m visually impaired, unless I can get someone to drive me there, and since gas prices are the way they are, this will be almost completely impossible. I’d rather have it done in my own parish, which offers both forms of the Mass, and I don’t understand what the hang-up is. I thought that the Modu Proprio stated that we could now receive the sacraments in the EF without penalty, and that the indult had been lifted. Why couldn’t any one of these 4 priests get a dispensation from the bishop so that I wouldn’t have to go 75 to 90 miles out of the way to receive these sacraments in the Extraordinary Form? What should I do?

 

[Joannm]

First, are you already Catholic or just entering the Church? In the EF, only a bishop can celebrate Confirmation, and perhaps your bishop does not know the EF, that is why you were told to go to another diocese where the bishop does know how to celebrate it. In today’s RCIA a priest receives into the faith and you make your COnfirmation and First COmmunion at that time, by the priest.

There really was no RCIA in the EF. Once you were instructed by the priest you made a profession of faith, confession and went to FIrst Communion at the next Sunday’s Mass. For Confirmation you waited until the next time the bishop came to the parish to celebrate the kids Confirmation and were placed at the end of the line. When I received COnfirmation in 1964 there were a few adults at the end of the line of us kids. The bishop only came to the parish every other year so there were quite a number of kids.

 

[puzzleannie]

. I’d rather have it done in my own parish, which offers both forms of the Mass, and I don’t understand what the hang-up is. I ?

quite frankly I don’t understand the hang-up with not receiving the sacraments when, where and how your own bishop directs. Have you simply called the chancery, office of liturgy and worship, to ask? The reason you will most likely be given is that confirmation of Catholic adults is done when, where and how the bishop directs.

 

[laszlo]

In the good old times even to convert from Jew meant a couple of hours instruction, taking the Tridentine Confession of Faith, then baptism confession, first communion, and confirmation later when the bishop was coming to the church. Same for former protestants of Catholics who did not received some sacraments, except baptism.

My wife baptized as Lutheran was accepted to the Church in the same way last year, he took the Tridentine Confession of Faith, confessed and received the first communion after some instruction in a mixed rite (EF OF) church last years, will receive the confirmation this Easter.

Your problem is probably that the priests celebrating TLM in your area are diocesan priests, and they according to the rules of the diocese require RCIA and about a year or two instruction., and (rightly) do not make distinction between the sacraments according to the rite. The sacrament is the grace of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit - not rite, and much much more important that the outside form.

Meditate on this please, and understand that you want to join the Church not a form.

 

[Dreadnought]

The exteriors of the form however can go a great way to helping one’s internal participation. Do not underestimate the power of a beautiful liturgy which many people find in the Extraordinary Form (my self included).

But alas unless there is a group of catechumens wanting to receive Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form then I can understand why your Bishop will not allow it. You’ll either have to travel the distance or go through the Ordinary Form.