In our Maronite parish, children normally receive Baptism and Confirmation at the same time. However, we have children from families where only Baptism was administered. Last week, one of our First Communicants was confirmed in order to complete the preparation for First Communion, which took place today. Interestingly enough, the children preparing for First Communion, attended First and Second Penance. Has anyone else had this experience? Our pastor is quite young and today with the first time he administered the Mystery of First Communion. He handled it beautifully, tying it to today's Gospel and questioning the children on its meaning.
Ping
I was Confirmed at age nine. We were taught that Confirmation can be administered once a child has reached the age of reason, age seven, we were told.
I was baptized as a Roman Catholic as an infant. When I was in high school I went back to the church on my own, went through the entire Catechism, First Communion, and Confirmation. I was a sincere ‘seeker’ looking for reality in the faith of my grandparents. I actually expected something to happen when the bishop laid hands on me and said, “receive the Holy Spirit”. I didn’t pray again until I asked God to save my life in Vietnam... He did... Some years later I kept my foxhole commitment and gave my life to Jesus Christ. Not long after simple Christians laid hands on my and I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit like Christians of the first two centuries. I spoke (and still speak) in the language of the Spirit. I have had the privilege of preaching in 15 countries over the last 30 years and seeing thousands of people have the same experiences and seeing hundreds of people healed of everything from blindness to crippled limbs. By the way, I have some practicing Catholic friends who have received the Holy Spirit as well, but unfortunately not at confirmation, but in private or through other believing, born again Catholics... I’m not trying to promote myself but you could read more if you’re interested... www.alifeofmiraclesbook.com (A Life of Miracles published by Tyndale House Publishing)
We confer baptism, confirmation and communion all at the same time. So far as I know, in the East this has always been the way.
When I told a CCD teacher about my third grade Confirmation she seemed aghast and explained that kids that young are not able to understand the importance of the Sacrament. I told her that I remember the nuns telling me, in the third grade, that fear of the Lord was that kind of fear that makes you want to not do anything that might hurt Jesus. And somehow, I was too young to understand that very deep concept, as an eight-year-old.
It is not right to deny the gift of grace through Confirmation to young people who are totally able to understand what they are receiving.