1.

SACRAMENTS: CONFIRMATION
The book is a complete explanation of
the Seven Sacraments.

CONFIRMATION
To purchase the Book, or for theological
inquiries (e-mails only), contact the author:
AUTHOR Rev. Fr. Paolo O. Pirlo, SHMI
EDITION 1st Edition, Manila, 15 August 2018
Solemnity of the Assumption
PUBLISHER Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
Quality Catholic Publications
Isabella De Rosis St., Multinational
1708 Parañaque City, Philippines
Tel. (02) 828-2338, 828-9509
sonsmaryphil@yahoo.com
www.shmiqcp.com

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 2. A CATECHIST’S PRAYER
Loving Father, giver of all that is,
help me to remember that every
gift I have comes from you. Expand
my vision so that I can appreciate
your goodness in the world around
me.
Jesus, our Redeemer, you are
the path to the treasures of my
heart and soul. Strengthen my
commitment to be a catechist and
deepen my capacity to share your
truth with those in my care.
Holy Spirit, Love Divine, all
life and energy flows from you.
Illuminate my thoughts and
intensify my desire to grow ever
deeper in my faith.
I lift up my prayer to you, God
the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, in humility and hope. Amen.

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 3. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
What Is Confirmation?
❑ Confirmation is the
Sacrament that confers
the fullness of the Holy
Spirit. It is called
Confirmation because it
ratifies and strengthens the
Baptismal Grace, making us
mature Christians and
Soldiers of Christ.
❑ The term Confirmation
originated from the Latin
word Cumfirmare,
meaning “To ratify,” since
the confirmandi approve as
adults the Baptism they
received when still infants.

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 4. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
When Did Jesus Institute the Sacrament of Confirmation?

❑ Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confirmation on the evening of

Easter Sunday, when he appeared in the Cenacle and said: “As the Father
has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them
and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21-22).

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 5. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
What Happened on the Day of Pentecost?
❑ On the Day of Pentecost of 33 AD, early in the morning, as the
Apostles with the disciples and the Virgin Mary were at prayer in the
Cenacle of Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit descended like tongues of fire and
rested on each of them: they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
began to speak in different languages (cf. Acts 2:1-4).

❑ The Greek word

Pentecost
means “Fiftieth
Day,” as it falls
50 days after
Easter. The
Descent of the
Holy Spirit at
Pentecost is the
natal day of the
One, Holy,
Catholic, and
Apostolic Church.

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 6. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
Who Is the Holy Spirit?

❑ The Holy Spirit is the

Third Person of the
Blessed Trinity. This
Dogma was defined by
Jesus, when he said: “Go
and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
❑ The Holy Spirit is the
life-giving breath of God:
After forming Adam from
the dust of the soil, “God
breathed into his nostrils
the Breath of Life, and the
man became a living being”
(Genesis 2:7).
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 7. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
What Are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
❑ The Seven Gifts of the
Holy Spirit are permanent
dispositions that make us
docile to God’s will. They
were revealed by Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord shall
rest upon him: a Spirit of
Wisdom and Understanding,
a Spirit of Counsel and of
Strength, a Spirit of
Knowledge and of a Spirit of
Piety ... and of Fear of the
Lord” (Isaiah 11:2-3).
❑ Although the Seven Gifts
are permanent
dispositions, they require
our daily commitment in
order to bear fruit.

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 8. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
How Do We Define the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
WISDOM: It is the predisposition to judge and order all things according to God’s will; its
1.
contrary is foolishness. King Solomon is the model of Divine Wisdom, which was granted by God
in order to govern his people.

UNDERSTANDING: It is the predisposition to grasp the truths of faith easily and deeply; its
2.
contrary is unawareness. St. Thomas Aquinas was bestowed with the gift of Understanding from
an early age: he never began to study without first invoking the assistance of God in prayer.

COUNSEL: It is the predisposition to discern correctly and immediately the will of God in the
3.
different circumstances of life; its contrary is stubbornness. St. Philip Neri was endowed with the
gift of discerning spirits, as he could detect true from false apparitions and evil possessions.

STRENGTH: It is the predisposition to persevere in fulfilling God’s will in moments of trial; its
4.
contrary is weakness. St. Paul is the model of the Gift of Strength, since he endured countless
hardships for the love of Christ.

KNOWLEDGE: It is the predisposition to discover the truths of the spiritual and material world,
5.
and to relate them to the Creator; its contrary is ignorance. Galileo Galilei had the gift of
scientific knowledge, as he demonstrated the Law of Heliocentrism.
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 9. THE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Character of Confirmation?
❑ The Character of
Confirmation is the
spiritual and indelible seal
impressed upon the soul by
the anointing with Chrism,
consecrating the confirmandi
as Soldiers of Christ, ready
to engage into a spiritual
battle against Satan and any
form of evil.
❑ Being permanent, the
three Sacraments imparting
the Character - Baptism,
Confirmation, and
Ordination, can neither be
repeated nor deleted.

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 10. THE MINISTER OF CONFIRMATION
Who Is the Minister of Confirmation?
❑ The Minister of
Confirmation is the Bishop,
because he is part of the
Apostolic Succession, which is
the unbroken chain of
Ordinations connecting him to
one of the Apostles.
❑ The Extraordinary Minister
of Confirmation is a Priest
appointed by the Bishop; but
this should be only in special
cases, when the Bishop is
truly unable to confirm.
❑ In danger of death, any
Priest can administer
Confirmation, even without
the Bishop’s delegation.
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 11. THE MINISTER OF CONFIRMATION
What Are the Bishop’s Crosier and Miter?
THE CROSIER:
Also known as Pastoral Staff, it signifies
the Bishop’s authority and jurisdiction over
the Church. It imitates the rod given by
God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and the one
used by the shepherds in caring for their
sheep.
THE MITER:
It represents a spiritual helmet, referring
to the Bishop’s duty to defend the
Christian faith and the Church against all
enemies, from within or without. It is
composed of a tall folding cap and two
lappets hanging down from the back.
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 12. THE MINISTER OF CONFIRMATION
What Are the Bishop’s Ring, Pectoral Cross, and Coat of Arms?

THE RING: THE PECTORAL CROSS: THE COAT OF ARMS:

It signifies the It indicates the It is a shield

spiritual wedding Bishop’s love for embossed with
between the Bishop Christ and the symbolic elements
and the Church. By Church. It is called and a motto scroll,
wearing the ring, the Pectorale, meaning indicating the
Bishop confirms his “Chest” in Latin, Bishop’s personality,
fidelity to Christ and because it is worn programs, and ideals
his disciples. above the abdomen. of life.

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 13. THE MATTER OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Matter of Confirmation?
❑ The Matter of Confirmation is the Laying of Hands and the
Sacred Chrism: the Laying of Hands confers the Holy Spirit; the
Anointing with Christ impresses the Character.

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 14. THE MATTER OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Meaning of the Laying of Hands?

❑ The Laying of Hands signifies the

coming of the Holy Spirit, which is
passed from a generation onto the next
by means of Confirmation.

❑ In the Old Testament, the Laying of

Hands conferred the blessing and
authority received from God: Isaac, for
instance, blessed his son, Jacob, by
laying his hands on him.

❑ The New Testament applies the same

principle on the conferral of the Holy
Spirit: the gift bestowed on the Apostles
on Pentecost is transmitted to the
neophytes by the laying of their hands.

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 15. THE MATTER OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Sacred Chrism?
❑ The Sacred Chrism is olive
oil mixed with balsam,
which is consecrated by the
Bishop during the Chrism
Mass on Holy Thursday at the
Cathedral.
❑ The Olive Oil, because of its
shining fluidity and gracious
aroma, signifies consecration
to God and the fullness of the
Holy Spirit.
❑ The Balsam, an aromatic
perfume with the power of
preserving from decay,
represents the sweet scent of
Christ’s resurrection that the
Faithful must bring into the
world.
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 16. THE MATTER OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Prophetic, Priestly, and Kingly Ministry of Jesus?
❑ Having received the Sacrament of Confirmation, we share in
the Prophetic, Kingly, and Priestly Ministry of Jesus, by words
and deeds, in accordance with our calling and state in life.

PROPHETIC MINISTRY: KINGLY MINISTRY: PRIESTLY MINISTRY:

It means that the It indicates our It signifies the

newly-confirmed are dominion over offering of our
solemnly deputized Satan; and also our prayers and worship
as missionaries of commitment to to God, either as
the Gospel. serve like Christ. Faithful or Clergy.

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 17. THE FORM OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Form of Confirmation?

❑ The Form of Confirmation are the following words: “Be

sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
❑ It is
proclaimed by
the Bishop as
he lays his hand
on the
confirmandi’s
head and
anoints their
forehead with
the Sacred
Chrism, by
making with the
thumb a Sign of
the Cross.

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 18. THE FORM OF CONFIRMATION
What Is the Meaning of the Slap on the Cheek?

❑ The Slap on the Cheek, given by the Bishop after the Anointing
with the Holy Chrism, signifies the bravery and courage that Christ’s
Soldiers must have in defending the Christian Faith; if needed, till
martyrdom.
❑ The symbolism was
borrowed by the
medieval ceremony
of installation of
knights: the king,
after dubbing the
sword on the knight’s
shoulders, would slap
his face, commanding
him to honor the Code
of Chivalry, without
blemish and fear, by
fighting for God and
justice.

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 19. THE FORM OF CONFIRMATION
Who Can Receive the Sacrament of Confirmation?
❑ Every Catholic can and should receive Confirmation at the
appropriate time: those who convert as adults, simultaneously with
Baptism and the Eucharist; those infantly baptized, after reaching
the age of reason, and usually at 12.
❑ The confirmandi have to undergo a catechetical preparation:
covering in general a deeper knowledge of the Creed,
Commandments, Sacraments, and Our Father; and in particular, the
Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

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 20. THE FORM OF CONFIRMATION
Who Are the Godparents at Confirmation?

❑ The Godparents are the spiritual father and mother of the

confirmandi, who present them to the Bishop during the
Confirmation, and guide them towards Christian maturity.
❑ They should be 16 years old and above; fully initiated and
practicing Catholics; who have received Confirmation and Holy
Communion.
❑ A person deprived of
some of these
requirements may be
chosen only as “witness”
or “secondary sponsor”
to Confirmation; but
never if he is a public
sinner, or has notoriously
abandoned the Catholic
faith.

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