Confirmation Procedures

Lourdes13 · #1 Mar 3, '09, 5:36 pm

I am 18 years old, and I have yet to be Confirmed in the Catholic Church. I was wondering if there was an age requirement. I am also wondering about the whole process of going through preparation for Confirmation, and the process.

stbruno · #2 Mar 3, '09, 5:49 pm

No age requirement at all. But you do need instruction. I hope you already made your First Eucharist and Reconciliation as well. the first thing to do is contact your local parish to inquire when the classes begin and what information do they need from you. More than likely you will need to acquire a recent copy of your baptismal certificate for your registration of class.

The age of confirmation is settled by the bishop of the diocese. In some Latino countries, infants receive confirmation at their baptism. In other dioceses, it is done in the elementary school usually Jr.High grades. Still others confirm children at the high school age....and adults may be required to attend a full RCIA program or just adult confirmation preparation classes.

God's blessings on you as you complete your sacraments of initiation. But as the sacrament says...this is not graduation from the church, rather full initiation into the church. And know you have even greater responsibility to spread the message of Christ to others by your actions and deeds.

**LRThunder** · #3 Mar 3, '09, 6:16 pm

If you're 18, and have already been baptized as an infant, and have received first communion, then your parish might want you to enroll in RCIA. At my parish, the RCIA consists of three groups: the unbaptized, the baptized coming in from another faith, and baptized Catholics seeking first communion and confirmation.

FrDavid96 · #4 Mar 3, '09, 6:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lourdes13

I am 18 years old, and I have yet to be Confirmed in the Catholic Church. I was wondering if there was an age requirement. I am also wondering about the whole process of going through preparation for Confirmation, and the process.

Lourdes13:
Would you tell us a little more about your situation, please so that we can better help you? Did you ever receive first confession / first Communion? It sounds like you were baptized Catholic because you didn't ask about that, but is that indeed the case? Have you been a practicing Catholic your whole life, but just never "got around" to being confirmed? or were you away from the Church for a while? Regardless of how you answer those, you'll be able to get confirmed, but the process of HOW that happens (which is after all what you're asking) will very much depend on your answers to the above.

At age 18, you're certainly old enough to be confirmed, and one is never too old.

Hoping we can help...

Lourdes13 · #5 Mar 4, '09, 4:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrDavid96

Lourdes13:
Would you tell us a little more about your situation, please so that we can better help you? Did you ever receive first confession / first Communion? It sounds like you were baptized Catholic because you didn't ask about that, but is that indeed the case? Have you been a practicing Catholic your whole life, but just never "got around" to being confirmed? or were you away from the Church for a while? Regardless of how you answer those, you'll be able to get confirmed, but the process of HOW that happens (which is after all what you're asking) will very much depend on your answers to the above.

At age 18, you're certainly old enough to be confirmed, and one is never too old.

Hoping we can help...

I was baptized when I was a little over two years old, and I have been away from the Church for a period of about five years. Because of my absence(very personal reasons I will not explain), I missed out on being confirmed by the church that I attended from the time I was baptized to when I was 13.
I was afraid that my being 18 would be too old. Thank you for comforting my fear.

Joannm · #6 Mar 4, '09, 6:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lourdes13

I was baptized when I was a little over two years old, and I have been away from the Church for a period of about five years. Because of my absence(very personal reasons I will not explain), I missed out on being confirmed by the church that I attended from the time I was baptized to when I was 13.
I was afraid that my being 18 would be too old. Thank you for comforting my fear.

If you were baptized in the Catholic Church at age 13 you probably did receive Confirmation at that time along with First Communion. Anyone over the age of reason is to be fully initiated at the same time. Did you get baptized at the Easter Vigil?

**jmcrae** · #7 Mar 4, '09, 6:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lourdes13

I was baptized when I was a little over two years old, and I have been away from the Church for a period of about five years. Because of my absence(very personal reasons I will not explain), I missed out on being confirmed by the church that I attended from the time I was baptized to when I was 13.
I was afraid that my being 18 would be too old. Thank you for comforting my fear.

Simply mention your situation to your parish priest. He will let you know what the custom of your local parish is, in situations like yours. You are not the first person to rediscover his lost childhood faith at a later age, nor will you be the last. Welcome back!

Lourdes13 · #8 Mar 4, '09, 8:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joannm

If you were baptized in the Catholic Church at age 13 you probably did receive Confirmation at that time along with First Communion. Anyone over the age of reason is to be fully initiated at the same time. Did you get baptized at the Easter Vigil?

I was baptized at 2. I left the Church at 13.
I received the First Communion at 8, and Confession at 9. I left the Church before I was able to be confirmed.

FrDavid96 · #9 Mar 4, '09, 8:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lourdes13

I was baptized when I was a little over two years old, and I have been away from the Church for a period of about five years. Because of my absence(very personal reasons I will not explain), I missed out on being confirmed by the church that I attended from the time I was baptized to when I was 13.
I was afraid that my being 18 would be too old. Thank you for comforting my fear.

Thanks for sharing the background.

As far as Confirmation goes (and I'll stick to that in this post), you have two options.

1. You can be confirmed with the next "class" at your parish. Depending on how frequently the bishop does Confirmation at that particular parish, you might be able to simply join in with that group. If another nearby parish has a Confirmation scheduled, it's possible to do the same with them (if both pastors agree).

2. You have the option of participating with the next RCIA group (it's a little late for 2009, but not impossible). You would not be a catechumen or a candidate because you're already Catholic, but I'm speaking of joining with them and being confirmed when they are (this would require the bishop's permission, and I only mention it because it might be a possibility).

First thing to do is to speak with your pastor. He can give you guidance on what to do next, and what options might be open to you.

Good luck and God's blessings on your arrival home and your future Confirmation.

Joannm · #10 Mar 5, '09, 2:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrDavid96

Thanks for sharing the background.

2. You have the option of participating with the next RCIA group (it's a little late for 2009, but not impossible). You would not be a catechumen or a candidate because you're already Catholic, but I'm speaking of joining with them and being confirmed when they are (this would require the bishop's permission, and I only mention it because it might be a possibility).

First thing to do is to speak with your pastor. He can give you guidance on what to do next, and what options might be open to you.

Good luck and God's blessings on your arrival home and your future Confirmation.

Our parish has a special group just for this situation, in fact we are beginning this Sunday. They meet weekly for Confirmation on Pentecost. We follow a program set up by the diocese. All our priests have the faculty to Confim Catholics on the feast of Pentecost without permission.

psr13 · #11 Mar 5, '09, 3:54 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrDavid96

Thanks for sharing the background.

As far as Confirmation goes (and I'll stick to that in this post), you have two options.

1. You can be confirmed with the next "class" at your parish. Depending on how frequently the bishop does Confirmation at that particular parish, you might be able to simply join in with that group. If another nearby parish has a Confirmation scheduled, it's possible to do the same with them (if both pastors agree).

2. You have the option of participating with the next RCIA group (it's a little late for 2009, but not impossible). You would not be a catechumen or a candidate because you're already Catholic, but I'm speaking of joining with them and being confirmed when they are (this would require the bishop's permission, and I only mention it because it might be a possibility).

First thing to do is to speak with your pastor. He can give you guidance on what to do next, and what options might be open to you.

Good luck and God's blessings on your arrival home and your future Confirmation.

I read in a bulletin from one of the churches around here that starting after Easter if you had First Communion and never confirmed there is going to be a two year program now that the diocese is requiring. It is going to take Catholics coming back longer than people who were never Catholic in the first place.

Cluny · #12 Mar 5, '09, 5:23 am

There is no upper age limit for Confirmation.

I just heard on EWTN about a 70 year old woman who was confirmed.

Lourdes13 · #13 Mar 9, '09, 4:14 pm

Thank you very much, all of you.
Do any of you know any churches in the Richardson, Texas area that would be starting Confirmation classes in the fall?

psr13 · #14 Mar 9, '09, 5:53 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lourdes13

Thank you very much, all of you.
Do any of you know any churches in the Richardson, Texas area that would be starting Confirmation classes in the fall?

If they have you go through RCIA, pretty much every church will start classes in the fall. It depends on if they do that or if they have a separate program for baptized Catholics. You'll have to call them and ask.

SuscipeMeDomine · #15 Mar 9, '09, 6:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lourdes13

Thank you very much, all of you.
Do any of you know any churches in the Richardson, Texas area that would be starting Confirmation classes in the fall?

Call your local parish and ask. If you were in my parish, I'd be telling you that we have an adult confirmation class starting later in the Spring, so you'd be just in time for that.