Lesson 20
Why Choose A Saint’s Name For Confirmation?
Welcome back to our Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments! The other night a girl from California called into the Family Rosary Across America and among other intentions she wanted us to pray for, she asked us to pray for her on her upcoming Confirmation day the following Saturday. Of course we were happy to pray for her, and proud that this confident young lady called into the show. I asked her if she had chosen a saint’s name for confirmation – which is a pious custom, but not strictly required – and she said ‘Yes. St. Joan of Arc.” Then I asked if she knew that The Merry Beggars of Relevant Radio had produced a podcast series on St. Joan of Arc, and again she enthusiastically responded, “Yes. I listened to it. And that’s why I want her name!”
Again, you don’t have to choose a Saint’s name, as you can use your own baptismal name, but I think it is wonderful for young people to choose a saint they admire and want to imitate and also seek their intercession.
Since Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the newly revised rite provides an opportunity for all to renew their baptismal promises as they reject sin and renounce Satan. It’s really powerful.
Now let’s talk about the Minister, the Matter, the Form, and the Recipient of the Sacrament of Confirmation. The ordinary Minister of Confirmation is the bishop, whether he is the current bishop of the diocese where the Confirmation is taking place, or one of his Auxiliary Bishops, or even a retired bishop. In special cases, such as receiving adults into the Church at the parish Easter vigil, the Pastor of the Parish can be the minister of Confirmation.
The matter of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the “laying on of hands and anointing of the head with the sacred chrism” which is one of the three Holy Oils that was consecrated by the local bishop during the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral that year on the morning of Holy Thursday.
The form of the Sacrament are the words the Bishop says as he anoints the person. Reading from the current Rite of the Sacrament it goes like this:
“The bishop dips his right thumb in the chrism and makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the one to be confirmed, as he says:
(Joan), be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The newly confirmed responds: Amen.
The bishop says: Peace be with you.
The newly confirmed responds: And with your spirit.”
Ideally each recipient of Confirmation is accompanied by his or her Sponsor, who should be a practicing Catholic already confirmed and of the same sex as the candidate. Hopefully the Sponsor was their Godparent at their Baptism. The Sponsor stands next to the recipient with his right hand on the right shoulder as the Bishop administers the sacrament.
Finally, who is the recipient? Usually a young person who is already baptized. In the Eastern Churches the child is often confirmed and baptized at the same time. In the Latin Rite, a youngster normally receives Confirmation anytime between 2nd and 10th grade. The recipient should be in the state of grace and truly desire to receive the sacramental grace to become a courageous witness of Christ.
So tune in every day of Lent to learn more about your Catholic faith, because if you Learn it, then you can Live it; and if you Live it, you will Love it; and if you Love it, you will never Leave it!
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