I have not updated in a while...forgive me.
Let's talk about the Confirmation debate. Where do you stand? Do you think a person should be confirmed right after they receive their First Communion, which is usually around second grade? Do you believe a person should wait?
Where do I stand in this debate?
This may be a consequence of when I was Confirmed, but I feel that a person should wait until high school to be confirmed.
I know what you are thinking, "But Amanda, that is such a long time after the other Sacraments! If the Church chooses to do that, some high schoolers will not wait that long."
I know that it is a long time to wait to be confirmed, and believe me, I know that some people will decide not to be confirmed at all, if that is the case.
My point is that, if a child is confirmed right after their First Communion, they will not understand what they are agreeing to.
In my experience, Confirmation seemed like the only Sacrament of Initiation that I really paid attention to. I know that sounds horrible, but I don't remember my Baptism, of course, and First Communion is such a blur because I was in second grade and the most important thing seemed to be to remember not to wear my white gloves up to Communion.
For me, Confirmation was after my junior year of high school. When I began my classes for Confirmation, I felt too old, like I should have received the Sacrament years ago. But, when the day arrived, I felt proud that I had stuck with it.
Many people that were in my class since grade school did not get confirmed, or were confirmed at other Churches. I felt that, because I had waited that long, I had stuck with the Faith and therefore, I understood what I was accepting.
When a child is Confirmed, I feel that they are only doing it because they feel they have to and because their parents told them that they should.
On the day of my Confirmation, I felt that I was finally being accepted as a member of the army of God.
Not only was it my Confirmation day, but it was also my birthday...what a wonderful way to celebrate!
"...oil also for a most sweet unguent, wherewith they who already have been initiated by baptism are sealed, and put on the armour of the Holy Spirit"
Speaking of staying with the Faith, I think this book looks interesting and worth the read...maybe I can ask for it for Christmas :)
3 comments:
I totally agree with you. (short and sweet...right?)
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I think the Church is still figuring out what Confirmation is really all about.
I think it's good to have people consciously choosing the sacrament, but for a lot of parishes, it is seen as the end of Catholic education for people in CCD. It's a goal and once you hit it you can be done with the Church.
I think a lot of people who get confirmed in high school are still only doing it because it's expected.
I kind of feel like, once you are in high school, you decide for yourself. I think that is the reason why a lot of people from my class just did not do it.
I just don't like the idea of a child going to their first reconciliation one week, First Communion the next week, and then being Confirmed right after that.
I feel like the kid is just being hit with everything all at once and they have no idea to what they are agreeing.
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