Lesson 15
ON CONFIRMATION

166 Q. What is Confirmation?
A. Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost
to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

In Baptism we are made Christians, but we are not very strong in our
faith till the Holy Ghost comes in Confirmation. You remember how timid
the Apostles were before the coming of the Holy Ghost, and how firm and
determined in their faith they were afterwards; and how fearlessly they
preached even to those who crucified Our Lord. "Soldiers," because we
must fight for our salvation against our three enemies, the devil, the
world, and the flesh. Our Lord is our great leader in this warfare, and
we must follow Him and fight as He directs. A soldier that fights as he
pleases and not as his general commands, will surely be beaten.

167 Q. Who can administer Confirmation?
A. The bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation.

"Ordinary," because in some very distant countries where on account of
the small number of Christians they have as yet no bishops, the Pope
allows some priest to give Confirmation; but then he must use the holy
oil consecrated by a bishop, and cannot consecrate oil himself.

168 Q. How does the bishop give Confirmation?
A. The bishop extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed,
prays that they may receive the Holy Ghost, and anoints the forehead of
each with holy chrism in the form of a cross.

*169 Q. What is holy chrism?
A. Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, consecrated by the
bishop.

The oil signifies the strength we receive, and the balm that we should
be free from the corruption of sin, and give forth the sweetness of
virtue.

170 Q. What does the bishop say in anointing the person he confirms?
A. In anointing the person he confirms the bishop says: I sign thee with
the Sign of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

*171 Q. What is meant by anointing the forehead with chrism in the form
of a cross?
A. By anointing the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross is
meant, that the Christian who is confirmed must openly profess and
practice his faith, never be ashamed of it, and rather die than deny it.

"Openly profess"--that is, acknowledge that he is a Catholic when it is
necessary to do so. He need not proclaim it in the streets. "Practice"
it without regard for what other people think, say, or do. "Ashamed" of
a religion so glorious as the Catholic religion? Would we not be proud
to belong to a society of which kings and princes were members? Well, a
few centuries ago nearly all the kings, princes, and great men of the
earth were Catholics. All the saints were Catholics. All the Popes were
Catholics. At present over three hundred million people in the world are
Catholics. This Church was founded when Christ Our Lord was on earth,
and is nearly two thousand years old. All the other churches are only a
few hundred years old. We ought, therefore, to be proud of our religion,
for which and in which so many noble persons died. We should feel proud
that we are Catholics; while Protestants should feel ashamed in our
presence, for they have deserted the true standard of Christ, and
followed some other leader who set up a religion of his own in
opposition to the true Church of Our Lord. They will not have the cross
or crucifix, the standard of Christ, in their churches or houses or
about their persons, and yet they claim to be Christians redeemed by the
Cross. We are called upon to defend or profess our religion when we have
to do what the Church and God require us to do: for example, hear Mass
on Sundays and holy days; abstain from the use of fleshmeat on Ash
Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, fast on fast-days, and the like, when
we are among persons not Catholics.

*172 Q. Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight blow on
the cheek?
A. The bishop gives the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek to
put him in mind that he must be ready to suffer anything, even death,
for the sake of Christ.

173 Q. To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in the
state of grace?
A. To receive Confirmation worthily it is necessary to be in the state
of grace.

*174 Q. What special preparation should be made to receive Confirmation?
A. Persons of an age to learn should know the chief mysteries of faith
and the duties of a Christian, and be instructed in the nature and
effects of this Sacrament.

How can one be a good soldier who does not know the rules and
regulations of the army nor understand the commands of his general? How
can one be a good Christian who does not understand the laws of the
Church and the teachings of Christ? The "nature"--that is, understand
the Sacrament itself. "Effects"--that is, what it does in our souls.

175 Q. Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation?
A. It is a sin to neglect Confirmation, especially in these evil days
when faith and morals are exposed to so many and such violent
temptations.

"Temptations"--from the sayings and writings of the enemies of religion.
To neglect it when we have an opportunity of receiving it without any
very great difficulty would be a sin. When persons have been unfortunate
enough to grow up without Confirmation, they should come at any time in
their lives to receive it, and not be ashamed to do so on account of
their age or condition in life.