Why We Restored | Sian Owen

Why we Restored

by Sr. Sian Owen

The most common queries received by the Auckland Diocese regarding the Sacraments of Initiation concern Confirmation.  Specifically the timing of the reception of the Sacrament.  The questions are often accompanied by comments such as “they’re too young and don’t understand it” or “it’s not the correct time for them to commit”.

Since the mid-1990s, the policy of the Diocese is that we follow what is known as the “restored order” for the Sacraments of Initiation.  It was a decision made after a great deal of consultation and theological reflection in light of Second Vatican Council. Setting the scene for this revision of Confirmation, the Council wrote:

The rite of Confirmation is to be revised, and the intimate connection which this sacrament has with the whole of Christian initiation is to be more lucidly set forth.                                                           Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 71

Prior to the changes children baptized in infancy continued to receive Confirmation several years after First Eucharist. This meant that Confirmation’s "intimate connection … with the whole of Christian initiation" was not evident and Confirmation was sometimes seen as the candidate making an ‘adult’ commitment or receiving a reward for participation in a programme.  This does not reflect how the Council understood Confirmation.  Confirmation is about initiation not vocation or commitment. Further, confirmation like all Sacraments is gift not a reward for good behavior or programme participation.

Restoring the order of the Sacraments of Initiation also places the reception of First Communion at the climax of Initiation into the Catholic Church. Full participation in the Mass will be seen, as it really is, the:

centre and culmination of the whole life of the Christian community.                                                            Decree on the Bishops’ Pastoral Office in the Church, 30:2

… the other sacraments … are linked with the holy Eucharist and are directed towards it. …  The faithful, already marked with the sacred seal of Baptism and Confirmation, are through the reception of the Eucharist fully joined to the Body of Christ.                                                                                       

Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, 5

Historically the sacrament of Confirmation has not always been seen as part of initiation. It certainly was in the early centuries, when the anointing with chrism and the laying on of hands were integral parts of the sacramental action that began at the font and reached its highpoint at the Eucharistic table.


In many areas of the Church, especially east of the Mediterranean, this pattern has continued up to the present, for children as well as adults. In these communities, adults and infants are still initiated into the Catholic Church through the unified celebration of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.

A different custom developed in Rome and other western countries where the 'Roman rite', became established. Here much value was placed on the direct involvement of the bishop in the act of anointing and laying on of hands. As the Christian population grew, this element of initiation - what we now call the sacrament of Confirmation - became separated from the rites of Baptism and Eucharist, as it took bishops months, if not years - to get round to confirming all the new Christians. Coupled with this, the developing doctrine of original sin and high infant mortality caused people to want to have their babies baptized soon after birth, and so Easter initiation became less common.  Baptism happened soon after birth, Confirmation when the Bishop came.

As a result Confirmation gradually lost its sense of connection with initiation. Since people in the Middle Ages did not have access to historical records to help them understand the sacrament's original meaning, they gave it meaning according to their own practice and experience. So, Confirmation became a sacrament to strengthen Christians emerging from childhood as 'soldiers of Christ', or to mark a stage reached by young people in their knowledge of Church doctrine.

In response to the Reformers the Council of Trent (1545-63) restored Confirmation to its position between Baptism and Eucharist. However, these sacraments were dealt with as stages in a process of education. First Eucharist was not received until the early teenage years. In 1910 Pius X, seeking to revitalize the Church, decided that young Catholics should be able to receive Communion earlier to ensure they had greater access to the grace and strength of the Eucharist. He brought First Communion back to the age of discretion, but since no one really appreciated Confirmation as an initiation sacrament, it was not considered part of reviewed process.  Confirmation once again found itself out on a limb, with people having to give it a meaning of its own.

Vatican II placed Confirmation once again in its rightful and traditional place, completing Baptism and leading to Eucharist.  The Auckland Diocese follows Vatican II’s direction in its policy.  As a diocese, we recognize that Confirmation is not a sacrament of adult commitment to the Church. An adult commitment to Jesus and the Church is expressed through full active participation in the Eucharist and apostolic life of the Church.  This does not happen at a single moment but is a lifelong pilgrimage of faith.  A pilgrimage that starts at baptism and continues right through life.