I wonder if the FSSP or other apostolate would do the Sacrament of Confirmation entirely using the Liturgy of 1962. Or maybe this is their normal procedure.
I know that the FSSP does do this. As an aside, my own children were Confirmed in the 1962 rite in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Both were 12 years old.
I myself was Confirmed at age 11, and I think waiting until much after that is senseless. I can’t tell you how many people I know who were never Confirmed because they and their parents were unwilling and sometimes unable to try to squeeze CCD in amongst their already busy schedules. When I hear of all the crazy hoops they have to go through, I just shake my head.
And then, once they are not Confirmed, they have trouble with continuing in the Faith — in order to have a church wedding, for example, they would have to take a year out and complete the sacrament — but most don’t do that. They shrug their shoulders and say, “I’ll just get married some other way.” And once THAT happens...well...then the children aren’t raised in the Faith, and they stop going altogether.
Better to Confirm them early, encourage them to attend a Catholic high school where they will have religious instruction every day, and hope that they stay in the Faith the rest of their lives.
I am in favor of lowering the age of Confirmation — even to infancy. But 12 years old is old enough.
Regards,