Confirmation in the Catholic Church

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Confirmation in the Catholic Church Confirmation is a Catholic sacrament of mature Christian commitment

and a deepening of baptismal gifts. Like Baptism and Eucharist, it is

a Sacrament of Initiation for Catholics and a Sacrament of faith in

God's fidelity to us

Confirmation is the moment when two things are confirmed. The

candidate confirms his/her faith in Christ and takes full

responsibility for that faith and for membership of the community of

faith, which we call the "church". God, through the Bishop, confirms

God's claim on the candidate's life.

Whatever happens at confirmation, the moment for those who are

confirmed is a significant one because they take a step of faith. Like

some others in the list, this is a once for all sacraments. You're

only confirmed once in a lifetime, though some, coming in from other

denominations, find confirmation much like what they did as an

affirmation of their faith in their own church years before.

The primary symbol of Confirmation is the community itself. Baptism,

Confirmation and Eucharist are sacraments of initiation, initiation

into a community.

The community that gathers to celebrate your Confirmation is not there

merely to watch; it is the community into which you are being

initiated. The community is the sign of Christ's presence for you.

Every Confirmation begins with Baptism. This is true whether the

Baptism was celebrated only a few moments before Confirmation (as in

many Eastern rites and in our Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults),

whether the Baptism was celebrated six years before (as in those

dioce...

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... Chrism is the oil used in the Sacrament

of Confirmation; it is also used in the Sacrament of Holy Orders to

ordain priests (presbyters and bishops), and in the dedication of

church buildings and other solemn blessings.

The other two holy oils are the Oil of the Sick which is used in the

Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to bring healing and strength,

and the Oil of Catechumens which is used to strengthen and purify

those preparing for Baptism. The three oils are often kept in the

baptismal area of the parish church in a case or cabinet called an

ambry.

The Mass during which these oils are solemnly blessed by the bishop is

called the "Chrism Mass." It is usually celebrated during the final

days of Lent so that the oils are available and fresh for the

Sacraments of Initiation during the Solemn Easter Vigil.

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