Why confirmation catholic

John tells us, are not written down in the Gospels see John We know that Catholic Tradition the teachings of the Church which have been handed down to us from our Lord, or from His Apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit is of equal authority with Sacred Scripture as a source of divine truth. However, it does happen that the Bible tells us about Confirmation.

Not under that name, of course. This is the name which the Bible uses in the following passage taken from the Acts of the Apostles:. That, however, is a very minor point. The real significance of this passage lies in what it tells us about the sacrament of Confirmation. It tells us that while Confirmation is a complement to Baptism, a completing of what was begun in Baptism, nevertheless Confirmation is a sacrament distinct from Baptism.

We are particularly interested in this fact which the passage makes plain: the fact that it was the Apostles—that is, the bishops—who did the confirming. Two of the Apostles, Peter and John, had to travel from Jerusalem to Samaria in order to give the sacrament of Confirmation to these new Christians.

The bishop was the original minister of Confirmation. Ordinarily, the bishop still administers this sacrament so that there is a clear link to the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. However bishops can also permit priests to administer this sacrament, and in practice this is often done. The essential part of the Confirmation rite is when the bishop or priest places his hand upon the head of each individual.

What is a godfather? Why is it called godfather? Is a godfather a relative? Who is godfather of IPL? Who is called the King of IPL? Who is dangerous batsman in IPL? Previous Article Why do you have a sponsor for confirmation? Next Article Why you should be vegetarian? Back To Top. Life Teen strengthens our teens' Catholic identity, while rooting them firmly in Christ and in His Church.

Maybe you have recently been dedicating a lot of time preparing and learning about the Sacrament of Confirmation so that, in the next few months, you can count yourself as one of the thousands of Catholics that receive it every year.

If this is the case, congratulations! Read on for some crucial facts that everyone preparing for Confirmation should know. Baptism marked the start of your relationship with Christ. Your soul changed permanently and you were filled with grace from God. Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens these graces, gives you more of them, and seals them all inside you — like a carefully wrapped present! This brings you closer to Christ and better prepares you to face the daily challenges of Christian life.

Want to know more about these graces sealed inside of you? They are called the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Pope Francis has actually done a homily on each of them: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, piety, counsel, and fear of the Lord.

Think about it like a team of basketball players. Baptism is like being introduced to the team the Church and your coach Jesus. Confirmation is like the years of practice and team-building that it takes to really bring a team together. Did you know that when you receive the sacrament of Confirmation you accept a mission from God?

Later on, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples at Pentecost and they receive the courage to take on the mission Jesus gave them earlier.

Confirmation is your own personal Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descends upon you and you accept the same challenge given by Jesus to the disciples. Chrism, the perfumed oil that the bishops uses to make the sign of the cross on your forehead, signifies a lot more than just a shower in your future.

The impact of these gifts accompanies us in the various stages of our spiritual development. As the confirmed, we walk with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. It grants us the long-range view of history, examining the present in the light of the past and the mystery of the future. It saves us from the illusion that the spirit of the times is our only guide. We are drawn to meditative prayer, where we allow God to lead us while we rest patiently in the divine presence.

The gift of understanding stimulates us to work on knowing ourselves as part of our growth in knowing God.