1. Confirmation
Becoming a Mature Christian

2. Confirmation is…
• A Sacrament of Initiation
– It is linked with Baptism and the
Eucharist
– “Those who have been baptized
continue on the path of Christian
initiation through the sacrament of
confirmation”
(RC, #1).

3. • Confirmation means…
–Completion
–To establish more
firmly
–To make definite

4. Meaning…
• What was received in baptism is
strengthened or completed.
• It is an opportune time to deepen
their awareness of their
baptismal identity and what this
means for their lives today.

5. Thus…
• We are called to a more
mature life of witnessing
to the life of Christ and of
fuller participation in the
life and mission of the
Church.

6. Therefore…
• It is the sacrament in which,
through the power of the Holy
Spirit, a baptized person is
drawn into closer union with the
Church and endowed with
strength to actively spread the
Gospel (CFC 1658).

7. • Confirmation provides a special
opportunity to enable candidates
to grow in their commitment made
at baptism.
• It is not a time to choose or
decide but, rather, it is a time to
grow more fully into our baptismal
identity.

8. Revised Rite of Confirmation
• “This giving of the Holy Spirit
confirms believers more
perfectly to Christ and
strengthen them so that they
may bear witness to Christ
for the building up of his body
in faith and in love.”

9. Symbols/actions

10. Consecration of the Holy Oil or
Chrism
• even if this ritual is performed on
the Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday,
it is nevertheless an essential part
of the rite of confirmation. The
consecration of chrism is a function
that belongs solely to the bishops,
and thus the Holy Oil becomes a
visible sign of communion between
the bishop and its recipient, and of
the grace that is conferred to the
members of the Church through the
exclusive mediation n of the
bishop.

11. Renewal of Baptismal Promises and
Profession of Faith by the Confirmands
• shows the link
between baptism
and confirmation.
The confirmands
are the ones
professing their
faith not their
sponsors.

12. Laying of Hands
• The laying of hands
has , since the time of
the apostles, been the
sacred gesture by
which the invocation of
the Holy Spirit is done.

13. Anointing with chrism
• It signifies healing, purification,
strengthening, and empowerment.
• It signifies and imprints a spiritual
seal.
• Anointing with chrism signifies the
confirmands’ consecration to
Christ and empowering by the
Holy Spirit thus enabling the
Christian to courageously live out
his faith.

14. Anointing with chrism
• The Bishop says the form of
confirmation while crossing the
forehead with holy oil in the form of
cross, The confirmand responds
“Amen”.
• The anointing of the forehead with
chrism in the form of a cross
signifies that the Catholic who is
confirmed must always be ready to
profess his faith openly and to
practice it fearlessly.

15. Slight blow on the cheek
• though not a necessary part of the rite,
the slight blow on the cheek that could
be given by the bishop served as a
reminder that a Christian should be
ready to suffer and even to die for the
sake of Christ.
• Today, this is more associated with
the “kiss of peace”, for after the
confirmand is anointed with chrism, the
bishop greets him with “peace be with
you”, to which he responds: “And also
with you”.

16. The following are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. They help
the confirmed live Christian life effectively and
fruitfully:
• Wisdom – enables us to see things with the eyes of
God
• Knowledge – opens our minds to appreciate more
deeply the loving providence of God
• Understanding – enables us to gain deeper insight into
what we believe by faith
• Counsel – frees us from the agony of making difficult
decisions by ourselves
• Fortitude – gives us the freedom to live firmly by faith,
rather than by fear, enables us to consistently choose
the right thing to do in spite of difficulties.
• Piety – enables us to love and cherish the things of
God, and encourage us to worship God in prayer.
• Fear of the Lord – Leads us to avoid anything that
could separate us from the love of God or from our
brothers and sisters in Christ.

17. Important points

18. 1. It completes and confirms the grace of
Baptism in the life of the Christian
• The Holy Spirit is given in a special way to
complete our Baptism and to make us sharers
in Jesus’ prophetic mission.
– A Christian witness
• who is more obliged to spread the faith by
word and deed.
• Who will stand as a witness to the
resurrection and life of Jesus and as a
symbol of the living God.

19. 2. It is a celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit
and the gifts bestowed on us and on the Church.
• It makes present and renew the
Pentecost-event that happened
during the time of the apostles.
• It celebrates and further effects the
gifts of the Holy Spirit on those
confirmed and on the Church as a
whole.

20. 3. It initiates the baptized into a more mature
witnessing to God’s saving love for all people.
• It signifies and effects a movement toward
further incorporation into the Christian
community.
• It makes us enthusiastic and committed in
involving ourselves in the mission of
Jesus.
– Bringing Jesus to those who feel unloved and
uncared for in an unreceptive or hostile
company, or who are faced with
uncomfortable situations.

21. 4. Confirmation, as a sacrament of initiation, is
intimately bound to the Eucharist.
• “It is so closely linked with the holy
Eucharist that the faithful, after being
signed by holy baptism and confirmation,
are incorporated fully into the body of
Christ by participation in the Eucharist.”
• Confirmation leads to the Eucharist,
and the Eucharist completes initiation.

22. • Baptism incorporates us into Christ and forms us
into God’s people.
• Confirmation makes us more completely the
image of the Lord and fills us with the Holy Spirit,
so that we may bear witness to him before all
the world and work to bring the Body of Christ to
its fullness as soon as possible.
• coming to the table of the Eucharist, we eat the
flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man so
that we may have eternal life and show forth the
unity of God’s people

23. Thus…
• the three sacraments of Christian
initiation closely combine to bring
us, the faithful of Christ, to his full
stature and to enable us to carry
out the mission of the entire
people of God in the Church and
in the world. (RCIA#2)

24. A call to an active
discipleship in the world

25. Oscar G. Romero
• Archbishop of El Salvador
• “As a shepherd, I am obliged by
divine mandate to give my life
for those I love – for all
Salvadorians even for those
who may be going to kill me.”
• Died 24 March 1980. While
celebrating the Eucharist was
assassinated.

26. Tom Dooley
• A Vietnam era naval doctor , who
risked his life during the Vietnam
war years to set up medical clinics
throughout Southeast Asia.
• “I am a doctor. All my duties
are entwined with that, and
that they are clear and lucid.
Everything else is secondary.”
• After celebrating his 34th birth
day(17 Jan) the next day, Tom
closed his eyes forever.

27. Jun Lozada
• Lozada said he finally
broke his silence not
only ''to answer
questions from the
people'' about NBN but
''so that others would no
longer be forced to lie
and continue
committing sins before
God and country
because of me.''

28. • "Recall then that you have received the
spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of right judgment
and courage, the spirit of knowledge and
reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's
presence. Guard what you have received.
God the Father has marked you with his sign;
Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has
placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts."
(St. Ambrose)

29. • Lord, You give your Son as food
to those you anoint with your
Spirit. Help them to fulfill your law
by living in freedom as your
children. May they live in holiness
and be your witnesses to the
world.
• (Sacramentary 836).