An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of Confirmation

What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?

[Paul] said to [some disciples], “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  And they said, “No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”… and Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them.  (Acts 19:2, 4-6)

The Sacrament of Confirmation is the Sacrament of Initiation that confers the grace of the Holy Spirit by a laying on of hands, an anointing of Sacred Chrism (holy oil), and the words, “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” (ordinary form of the Latin Rite).  Confirmation perfects the grace of Baptism through the action of the Holy Spirit.  With the graces of this Sacrament, a person is enabled to spread and courageously defend the teachings of Christ and his Church.  (Cf. CCC 1212, 1303, 1316, 1320, 1533)

By Confirmation Christians share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  They witness Christ’s love and wisdom; in the words of St. Paul, they exude the “aroma of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15).  (Cf. CCC 1242, 1294, 1310-1311)

Confirmation bestows an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which was also granted to the disciples at Pentecost, By this Sacrament…

  • Baptismal grace increases and deepens, and the bond with the Church is perfected.  (Cf. CCC 1285, 1289, 1303)
  • An indelible mark is imprinted on the soul.  (Cf. CCC 1121, 1293, 1304, 1317)
  • The recipient is rooted more deeply as a child of God.  (Cf. CCC 1308)
  • The gifts of the Holy Spirit increase.  (Cf. CCC 1309)
  • The confirmed shares more deeply in the common priesthood of the faithful and in the priestly, kingly, and prophet mission of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1546)
  • Special graces are given to enable him or her to spread and defend the Faith by word and deed as a true witness to Christ.  (Cf. CCC 900)

In the Western Church the bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation.  In the Eastern churches the Sacrament is called Chrismation and is conferred by the bishop or priest in the same liturgical celebration as Baptism and the Eucharist.  (Cf. CCC 1289, 1312)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1316.

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