YOUCAT Question n. 206 - Part II. Who can be confirmed, and what is required of a candidate for Confirmation?
(Youcat answer - repeated) Any Catholic
Christian who has received the sacrament of Baptism and is in the “state of grace”
can be admitted to Confirmation.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 1307)
For centuries, Latin custom has indicated "the age of discretion" as
the reference point for receiving Confirmation. But in danger of death children
should be confirmed even if they have not yet attained the age of discretion
(Cf. CIC, cann. 891; 883, 3a).
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment) To be “in the state of grace”
means not to have committed any serious sin (mortal sin). By a serious sin a
person separates himself from God and can be reconciled with God only by making
a good confession. A (young) Christian who is preparing for Confirmation finds
himself in one of the most important phases of his life. He will do everything
possible to grasp the faith with his heart and his understanding; he will pray
alone and with others for the Holy Spirit; he will reconcile himself in every
way with himself, with the people around him, and with God. Confession is part
of this, since it brings one closer to God even if one has not committed a
mortal sin.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 1308)
Although Confirmation is sometimes called the "sacrament of Christian
maturity," we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural
growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited
election and does not need "ratification" to become effective. St.
Thomas reminds us of this: Age of body does not determine age of soul. Even in
childhood man can attain spiritual maturity: as the book of Wisdom says: “For old age is not honored
for length of time, or measured by number of years.” Many children, through the
strength of the Holy Spirit they have received, have bravely fought for Christ
even to the shedding of their blood (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 72, 8, ad 2; cf. Wis 4:8).
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