When baptised children attain the age of reason, usually about seven years old, they are eligible to receive the Sacraments of Confession, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. These Sacraments fully incorporate them into the Church and aid them to live fully the life of faith.
Each child is different, and hence discernment of readiness by parents and the parish is more important than the child’s age and might mean Sacraments are celebrated earlier or later than the norm.
Ordinarily, Confession takes place before the other Sacraments. Then Confirmation is celebrated together with, or just before, the first reception of the Eucharist.
In our Archdiocese, following the ancient and rightly restored tradition of the Church, children receive first Confession, then Confirmation, and finally First Holy Communion. Many adults recall receiving Holy Communion before Confirmation. This became common after Pope Pius X’s decree lowered the age of First Holy Communion from twelve to seven (the age of reason) without adjusting Confirmation accordingly. The result was the temporary inversion of the traditional order.
Now that the age for Confirmation is also aligned to the age of reason, the ancient order of Confirmation before First Holy Communion has been restored for children, as it has always been the case for adult catechumens. This places Confirmation in its proper place: strengthening the soul in preparation for the Eucharist. Historically, the Roman Church often delayed Confirmation awaiting the Bishop, but as in the Eastern Churches (where priests administer it at Infant Baptism) Bishops increasingly delegate the Sacrament to priests, allowing earlier administration without delaying First Holy Communion.
A common (but mistaken) view sees Confirmation mainly as the child ‘choosing’ the faith, marking maturity or ‘coming of age,’ reducing Confirmation to an exterior symbol. Confirmation is not about our decision, but God’s action. Confirmation imparts a Sacramental Grace by which the Holy Spirit strengthens the will, fortifies faith, and equips the recipient to defend and profess the Gospel boldly. In a society where faith faces many challenges, these graces are vital for our children from an early age. Withholding them unnecessarily delays the spiritual armour they need, similar to denying the grace of Baptism to infants. This restored order helps our young ones grow fully in the life of grace.
Sacraments take place in the context of a life of faith, and children ought to understand, at the level capable of their age, the Sacraments they are receiving, and their role in the life of faith. Hence Sacramental Preparation is a necessary component.
The Church teaches that parents are the first instructors in the faith, hence the primary preparation for receiving the Sacraments is done in the family by Catholic parents. That is their witness to living a life of faith, regular attendance at Mass, and general instruction and prayer in the home.
Sacraments also take place in the context of the Church, which is expressed in the local community of faith, that is, the Parish. Hence the Parish Sacramental Program is a necessary component that aids parents in helping their children understand the Sacraments with proper devotion and understanding, and how to live out the Catholic faith.
Contact
Parish Office
For more information or to register please contact the Sacramental Preparation Team.