Q. Why is Confirmation done at such different times and ages? I had heard of an infant being confirmed and did not understand.
A. The Code of Canon Law for the Latin Catholic Church (Essentially every diocese in the West is part of the Latin Church; the importance of distinguishing Latin will be made clear later) states that “to receive confirmation licitly outside the danger of death requires that a person who has the use of reason be suitably instructed, properly disposed, and able to renew the baptismal promises (CIC 889 §2). While what “suitably instructed” means in practice is left to the determination of each diocesan bishop, being properly disposed (which is a fancy way of saying not in the state of mortal sin) and being able to renew their baptismal promises are rooted in the sacramental theology of the Church and is therefore not subject to the discretion of the diocesan bishop.
Unlike these requirements, the stipulation that the one being confirmed (outside cases of danger of death, or if they habitually lack the use of reason) has reached the age of reason is a merely ecclesiastical law for the Latin Catholic Church and is not foundational to the nature of the sacrament of Confirmation. In Eastern Catholic Churches it is generally the practice to confirm an infant at the time of his or her baptism. This is a perfectly valid practice, rooted in the heritage of the Eastern Catholic Churches, but, outside the danger of death, is not the practice in the Latin Catholic Church. The Latin practices of delaying Confirmation until the age of reason (7 years old) is rooted in our heritage, which has emphasized the importance of preparation for Confirmation over the importance of receiving the sacrament at a younger age.
The tension between preparation and not overly delaying the reception of the grace of the sacrament of Confirmation is also at the heart of why various Latin Catholic dioceses in the United States have different ages for Confirmation. In 2001, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or USCCB) decreed that “the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Latin rite shall be conferred between the age of discretion and about sixteen years of age, within the limits determined by the diocesan bishop and with regard for the legitimate exceptions given in canon 891” This gave great leeway to diocesan bishops to determine at what age Confirmation will be celebrated in their diocese.
Some bishops believe confirming closer to the 16-year maximum is better for the one being confirmed, as they are able to be more suitably instructed and better prepared to receive the graces of the sacrament. Some bishops feel it is better for the one being confirmed to receive the graces of the sacrament at a younger age so they can go through their teenage years bolstered by the grace of the sacrament, and strengthened to be a more effective witness. Catholics are free to agree or disagree with their own bishops on this matter, as—again—it is truly a judgement call on the part of the bishop. But they must be obedient to the decision of their bishop.
As to the point about being done at different times, that comes down to the fact that, in the Latin Catholic Church, the bishop is the ordinary minister of the sacrament of Confirmation. This is a long-standing ecclesiastical law for the Latin Catholic Church. It is rooted in the belief that having the bishop celebrate Confirmation was a way to maintain the bishop’s connection to his parishes, a belief that endures to this day.
This question was answered by Father Caleb La Rue, chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
