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Question Title Posted By Question Date
VALID CONFIRMATION? John Monday, February 15, 2010

Question:

Dear Mr Slavek -

Yesterday during Mass, a young lady (baptised in a protestant denomination) was "received into the Church" (?). She was called to go forward to the sanctuary steps - then asked to go over to the baptismal font and light a candle from the Paschal Candle. She returned with her lit candle, made the profession of faith, and that was it! No laying on of hands - no anointing with the Holy Chrism. She then proceeded to make her first Holy Communion. I was under the impression that in order for the Sacrament to be valid, the candidate had to (1) be anointed with the Holy Christ (laying on of hands) and (2) the words had to be spoken - "Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". In short, was this a valid sacrament of Confirmation and, if not, could grace still be imparted provided the candidate was rightly disposed (even though the matter and form were absent)? In our diocese, several other crazy things are happening as well, and the bishop goes along with several "avant-garde" practices. In general, does this mean we could be deprived of sanctifying grace because of incorrect matter and form required for sacraments to be valid? Or does God look at the hearts of us recipients and (provided we are rightly disposed) make up for any deficiencies in matter and form? Please advise - this is rather troubling.

God bless you -
JOHN
Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek

Dear John,

First, no, that was not the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Sounds like that was not even what they were "trying" to do.

Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE that she wasn't already confirmed?  It is possible that someone validly baptized in another faith could have been previously confirmed, and is now being received into the church and also receiving first Communion.  The rite for that is found in Part II RCIA, "Rites for Particular Circumstances"

As for part two of your question, are we deprived of sanctifying grace because of invalid matter or form,  I'm not confident enough to say that we aren't... well fully at least.  If a sacrament is invalid, it's invalid.  I am sure that there is at least some grace if there is no fault on the part of the recipient, but I don't think there's any way to "measure" how much.

That's my understanding anyway.

Mr. Slavek
Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers.

(b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks.

(c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively.