Everyone Should Be Confirmed
The Catechism of the Council of Trent, written nearly 500 years ago, expresses the importance of preaching on Confirmation:
“If ever there was a time demanding the diligence of pastors in explaining the Sacrament of Confirmation, in these days certainly it requires special attention, when there are found in the holy Church of God many by whom this Sacrament is altogether omitted; while very few seek to obtain from it the fruit of divine grace which they should derive from its participation.”
Strictly speaking, Confirmation is not required for salvation. However, it certainly should not be neglected or treated as unnecessary for a Christian. The wisdom of the Catechism further explains:
“Although not essential, however, it ought to be omitted by no one, but rather, on the contrary, in a matter so full of holiness through which the divine gifts are so liberally bestowed, the greater care should be taken to avoid all neglect. What God has proposed in common unto all for their sanctification, all should likewise most earnestly desire.”
Neglecting Confirmation Is a Sin
The Baltimore Catechism, first published in 1885, likewise expresses the importance of receiving Confirmation when it reminds the faithful that, while Confirmation is not necessary for salvation at all times and in all ages, deliberately neglecting Confirmation is in fact a sin:
“It is a sin to neglect Confirmation, especially in these evil days when faith and morals are exposed to so many and such violent temptations…. Confirmation is not so necessary for salvation that we could not be saved without it, for it is not given to infants even in danger of death; nevertheless, there is a divine command obliging all to receive it, if possible. Persons who have not been confirmed in youth should make every effort to be confirmed later in life” (Baltimore Catechism, No. 3, Q. 694, 696).
It is important to note that priests are permitted, even encouraged, to confirm infants who are in danger of death. Priests at Fatima Center conferences have spoken of how they have baptized, confirmed and even given a drop of the Precious Blood to infants who were on the verge of death. This is laudable because the infant will enjoy greater merit for all eternity in Heaven for having received these three Sacraments than if he had only been baptized.
It is also important to note that the Church has not fixed the age of Confirmation. Some think it has to be 14 or 16, but this is not a universal norm. Such rules are set by diocesan bishops and only apply in their locale. The local ordinary can likewise grant general and specific dispensations from such a norm.
In many places, and also in the past, infants have indeed been confirmed. For example, the father of Fr. Michael Rodríguez was confirmed shortly after being born – this was a standard practice in Catholic Mexico during the 1940s. The majority of past Catholics were confirmed prior to receiving their First Holy Communion (before Pope Pius X lowered the age for Holy Communion at the start of the 20th century).
Confirmation Is Even More Necessary in Difficult Times
There certainly seems to be a great deal of prudence in having young Catholics confirmed at an earlier age, precisely so they will receive the supernatural grace to resist the many temptations of these evil days. Given our degenerate and vice-ridden culture, many young people have fallen into mortal sins of impurity by the time they reach high school or during those character-forming years. Who knows how many sins might be avoided if the young receive the spiritual strengths of Confirmation before having fallen into these sins.
Although we are not in the End Times, the following prophecy by St. Vincent Ferrer is something we should take seriously. He ranks among the saints who has raised the most people from the dead and worked the most miracles. He is known as the Angel of the Apocalypse because he preached the End Times throughout Europe at the time of the terrible bubonic plague – a real pandemic when a third to half of Europe’s population had died. This was a time of many heresies, moral laxity, rise in occult practices, and the Great Western Schism of ‘two popes.’ In fact, after 1408 there were even three claimants to the papacy! St. Vincent was instrumental in helping to bring this schism to an end at the Council of Constance as well as the election of Pope Martin V (1417).
Regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Vincent Ferrer prophesied:
Protestant Confirmations Are Null and Void
Unlike the Sacrament of Baptism, which does not require a validly ordained minister[1], the Sacrament of Confirmation requires a validly consecrated bishop to consecrate the sacred chrism as well as a bishop – or at least a priest delegated by his bishop – to administer the chrism with the proper words.
Non-Catholic denominations – such as Lutherans and Anglicans – which claim to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation, however, do not actually confer the Sacrament since Protestants do not possess a valid priesthood.[2] As a result, only Catholic or Eastern Orthodox Confirmations are valid. Protestants who convert to the Catholic Faith after having received “Confirmation” in a Protestant denomination, even if their Baptism is determined to have been valid, still need to receive the actual Sacrament of Confirmation.
Those who do receive the Sacrament of Confirmation validly receive an indelible mark, called a character, on their souls. Like Baptism and Holy Orders, Confirmation, if validly received, may never be repeated, nor can it ever be “undone”, due to the permanence of the sacramental character. Even a soul in hell will retain the mark of Confirmation on his soul, all to his greater suffering for having squandered the grace of God and losing forever the crown of eternal life (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
When legitimate doubt exists regarding whether one has received a valid Confirmation, a person may receive the Sacrament of Confirmation conditionally (the same as with Baptism). Conditional Confirmations, when done, are administered out of an abundance of caution; often if there is uncertainty regarding the validity of the bishop who confirmed the person in question, or if all sacramental records are lost and the recipient is uncertain if he received Confirmation. Converts from some Old Roman Catholic or Orthodox Churches often seek conditional Confirmation for such reasons.
We have a responsibility to seek the conversion of every single person to the Catholic Faith. Reach out to the Protestants you know and continue to strive to bring about their conversion by both word and example, in addition to prayer.
[1] The Catechism of the Council of Trent explains: “Those who may administer Baptism in case of necessity, but without its solemn ceremonies, hold the last place; and in this class are included all, even the laity, men and women, to whatever sect they may belong. This office extends in case of necessity, even to Jews, infidels and heretics, provided, however, they intend to do what the Catholic Church does in that act of her ministry. These things were established by many decrees of the ancient Fathers and Councils; and the holy Council of Trent denounces anathema against those who dare to say, that Baptism, even when administered by heretics, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the intention of doing what the Church does, is not true Baptism.”
Why are even non-Christians allowed to baptize? Because of the grave necessity of Baptism for salvation: “And here indeed let us admire the supreme goodness and wisdom of our Lord. Seeing the necessity of this Sacrament for all, He not only instituted water, than which nothing can be more common, as its matter, but also placed its administration within the power of all.” Consequently, anyone, even an unbaptized person, may baptize someone so long as he or she does so using the proper matter and form with the intention to do what the Church does.
[2] Protestants do not possess valid Holy Orders and do not have a valid priesthood. Many Protestants outright deny the Sacrament of Holy Orders completely. The second group, for instance of Anglicans and some Lutherans, do not possess valid Holy Orders. There was a lingering question on Anglican Orders which was settled by Pope Leo XIII, who declared them to be “absolutely null and entirely void” in the 1896 Papal Bull Apostolicæ Curæ.