There is a most helpful article on Zenit regarding a request from some 10 year old girls to receive the sacrament of Confirmation in a diocese where the policy is to delay Confirmation until the "sophomore year" that is the second year of College or High School, I think, so about 13-15 years old. (Could someone from the States clarify this?)
Fr McNamara refers to a letter from the Congregation of Divine Worship to an English-speaking bishop: protocol No. 2607/98/L, published in Notitiae 1999, pages 537-540. In response to a similar case, the letter points to the basic principle in canon law that pastors may not refuse the sacraments to the faithful who ask for them and are properly disposed. The Bishop was directed to confirm the girl.
9 comments:
Fr.,
I was in 8th grade - 14 years old.
That was 20 years ago, so it might have changed.
Practice on the age of Confirmation is notoriously varied. What I didn't know is the meaning of the word "sophomore" (I had to look it up) and I'm still not sure exactly how old "sophomores" are or if that varies too :-)
I thought sophomores were at college (from watching too many tv programmes) so I looked it up in my dictionary...
...it just said second year student, so I guess that would apply to school, high-school, college or university equally. Take your pick!!
I was in fact 17 when I was confirmed, but that was mainly due to problems with bishop & school at the "normal" time of 12-13yrs old.
But now in my diocese it's the norm to received First Holy Communion and Confirmation that the same time. Ie on the same day when a child is anywhere between 8-10 yrs old.
Regardless of the age debate I think this is an abomination. It's surely difficult for a child to conprehend The Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist at the same time let alone the probably more difficult one of Confirmation. I wonder how many of them even learnt the gifts of the Holy Ghost?
I really believe somewhere between 11-15 is about the right age for confirmation. It is after all the making of an adult within the Church.
sophomore = 10th grade (or grade 10 if you're in Canada). . . typically a sophomore would be 14-15.
The term also applies to second year university.
Confirmation "making of an adult within the Church" hmmm. I think I will do a post on this.
Thanks to all for clarification on "sophomore". It seems that 10th grade is the same as our "Year 10" which is a relief and helps me to understand a lot more of the dialogue in American films :-)
It was (and is) offered here in 8th grade (12 or 13). I think it's ok, but still liable to suffer from some serious pressures from parents etc.
I know that I personally did NOT want to be confirmed but was forced into it at 13 years old.
It wish I had been aloowed to choose of my own free will (I would have chosen to be confirmed years later, but it would have meant a great deal more)
Well, that's what you are told in poor Catechetic classes!
I received the Sacrament of Confirmation at the age of nine, two years after my First Holy Communion.
I'm of the same mind as the Jesuits on this one - "catch them while they're young"!
Having spent a number of my teenage years not wanting anything to do with the Church, I would never have bothered being Confirmed if I had waited until I was 14/15 years old and wild horses (or in my case, parents and Parish Priest!), would never have been able to drag me anywhere near a church.
Due to the fact that this Sacrament leaves an indelible mark on one's soul, I not only started practising again when I was about 23 years old, but I have been very involved in the Church ever since!
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