Confirmation increases sanctifying grace, gives its special sacramental grace, and imprints a lasting character on the soul.

1. Confirmation grants us the special grace by which our faith is deepened and strengthened, and we become concerned not only for our own spiritual needs, but for those of others.

Confirmation makes us sharers with Christ in His role of Redeemer. We participate with Him in the task of extending His Kingdom, by adding new souls to His Mystical Body. Our words and our works are directed not merely to our own sanctification, but also to the purpose of making Christ’s truths alive and real for those around us, we are “soldiers of Christ.”

2. By Confirmation we also receive that grace Jesus promised to His Apostles: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me… even to the very ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The confirmed will not longer remain on the defensive fighting for his faith when being attacked. He will go forth joyfully in the fulfillment of vocation of soldier of Christ. He will become restless unless he is doing something worth-while for others–something to make more secure their promise of eternal life. He will join the ranks of Catholic Action, he will start being a real soldier of Christ, he will be “another Christ.”

3. The character of Confirmation is a spiritual and indelible sign which marks the Christian as a soldier in the army of Christ.

The confirmed as Christ’s soldier will be loyal to his King, Whose cause he serves. He is prepared to undergo any sufferings, even death if necessary. He will do all in his power to expand the kingdom of God. Because Confirmation imprints an indelible character on the soul, it may be received only once.

When giving confirmation, the bishop lays his hand on the head of the person he confirms, and anoints the forehead with holy chrism in the form of a cross as he says: “I sign you with the sign of the cross, and I confirm you with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

1. Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday. By anointing the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross is meant that the Catholic who is confirmed must always be ready to profess his faith openly and to practice it fearlessly.

The cross marked on our foreheads at Confirmation reminds us never to be ashamed to profess ourselves disciples of a crucified Saviour. We must profess our religion openly whenever we cannot keep silence without breaking some law of God or of the Church; for example, when we are challenged to make profession of our faith, when the Church is being attacked.

2. After the anointing with chrism, the bishop gives the person confirmed a slight blow on the cheek, saying, “Peace be with you!” It is believed that originally it was “the kiss of peace” given by the bishop, which in the case of babies was replaced by a caress on the cheek. For centuries, however, the explanation given is that the blow should remind the confirmed to be ready to suffer for Christ’s sake.

Finally the bishop gives all his blessing. Then those who have been confirmed or their godparents pray the Credo, “Our Father,” and “Hail Mary.”

3. Those in charge should take care that proper registration takes place after Confirmation. When a person is confirmed outside his own parish, notification must be sent to the parish where he was baptized.

To receive Confirmation properly, it is necessary to be in the state of grace, and to know well the chief truths and duties of our religion.

1. For Confirmation, a knowledge of the chief truths and duties of our religion is required. This is why, is a person who is to be confirmed has reached the age of reason, he is examined.

The Apostles’ Creed, the Commandments, the Sacraments and common prayers are the basis of any examination in religion.

2. Confirmation is a sacrament of the living. Therefore when one who has reached the age of reason is to be confirmed, he must first go to confession if burdened with mortal sin, in order to be in a state of grace.

The person to be confirmed should obtain his Confirmation card. He must go to the church properly dressed. He must go early; when many are to be confirmed, the doors are closed before the beginning of the ceremonies, to prevent the entrance of latecomers. The person confirmed must not leave the church before the whole ceremony is finished.

3. Upon approaching the bishop, the person to be confirmed must kneel. Children may stand. The sponsor stands behind, with the right hand on the shoulder of the person to be confirmed. There is only one sponsor, of the same sex as the one confirmed.

Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way and enables us to profess our faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Christ promised His Apostles the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; John 14:16-17, 16:7, 12). They understood that the promise was meant for all Christians. Hence after receiving the Spirit on Pentecost Day, they conferred Him on all the baptized: Acts 2:38 and 8:14-17.

1. Confirmation in a very special manner brings us the Holy Spirit with His sevenfold gifts. “Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:17).

Confirmation for the Christians may be likened to the day of Pentecost for the Apostles, when they received the Holy Spirit under sensible signs: tongues as of fire, and a mighty wind. The Apostles themselves administered the sacrament of Confirmation, as at Samaria and Ephesus. “And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them” (Acts 19:6). “Laying of the hands” was the earliest name for Confirmation.

2. Any baptized Christian may be confirmed. Although the sacrament is not necessary for salvation, it is sinful to neglect it, as it confers many graces.

3. We should receive the sacrament of Confirmation at the age when we pass from childhood to youth. At that period all kinds of temptations surround us, and we need special strength from God to resist them.

In the early days of the Church, it was the custom to confirm very young children. The sacrament of Confirmation is today delayed in order that the recipient may first have a basis of knowledge of the fundamentals of faith. Even when Confirmation is administered to infants and very young children, they truly receive the sacrament. The age is a matter of discipline in particular dioceses.

4. The bishop is the usual minister of Confirmation.

Sometimes, however, the Holy See gives missionary priests the power to administer this sacrament. Pastors and administrators of parishes in their respective territories are granted the faculty of confirming, as extra-ordinary ministers, those who are in danger of death from sickness, accident, or old age.

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The ceremonies of Confirmation begin by the Bishop extending his hands over those to be confirmed (1), invoking the Holy Ghost. He signs with the sign of the cross the forehead of each separately with chrism (2), pronouncing the words of confirmation. He gives the person a slight blow on the cheek (3) to remind him to be ready to suffer all things, even death, for his faith.