Diocese of Broken Bay Caroline Chisholm Centre PO Box 340 Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Telephone: Fax:

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1 Diocese of Broken Bay Caroline Chisholm Centre PO Box 340 Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Telephone: Fax: Policy for Christian Initiation 2 - The Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist 1. Policy Background 1.1. The foundational document for the celebration of Confirmation and Eucharist is the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults 1 with its catechumenate approach to catechesis; i.e., liturgical, lectionary-based and instructional. These guidelines are to be read in light of the instructions, rites and spirit of the ritual books for Baptism: the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the Rites of Baptism for Children, Confirmation and Eucharist; as well as the provisions for Confirmation and Eucharist laid down in the Code of Canon Law This process of evangelisation, conversion and formation presumes the continued practice in the Diocese of Broken Bay of family-centred, parishbased formation and is supported by children s educational ministries. 2. Theological Background 2.1. Through Christian initiation we are freed from the power of darkness and are joined to Christ s death, burial and resurrection Baptism incorporates us in Christ and forms us into God s people. This first sacrament pardons all our sins, rescues us from the power of darkness, and brings us to the dignity of adopted children, a new creation through water and the Holy Spirit In the sacrament of confirmation, we are signed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, making us more completely the image of the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit In the sacrament of the Eucharist, we eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Christ so that we may have eternal life and show forth the unity of God s people By offering ourselves with Christ, we share in the universal sacrifice, that is, the 1 RCIA art$, GDC art RCIA Christian Initiation-General Introduction (CIGI),1 3 RCIA Christian Initiation-General Introduction,2 4 Vatican II Ad Gentes 36 1 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

2 entire community of the redeemed offered to God by their High Priest, and we pray for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the whole human race may be brought into the unity of God s family The faithful are born anew by baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of confirmation, and finally are sustained by the food of eternal life in the eucharist The sacrament of confirmation confers special strength through the inexpressible gift of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:1-4,38) and therefore more closely binds to the Church through which one is able to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ Believers are so marked with the character or seal of the Lord that the sacrament of confirmation, like the sacrament of baptism, cannot be repeated Confirmation is so closely linked with the holy eucharist that the faithful, after being signed by baptism and confirmation, are incorporated fully into the Body of Christ by participation in the eucharist The eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord s own sacrifice by means of the eucharist All sacraments are closely related to the Eucharist and are directed to it As confirmation is usually celebrated separately from baptism and eucharist in the Diocese of Broken Bay, the Liturgy of Confirmation is celebrated outside Mass In the eucharist, we offer to the Father what he has given us: the gifts of creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present Therefore the eucharist is: thanksgiving and praise to the Father; the sacrificial memorial of Christ and his Body; and the presence of Christ by the power of his word and of Holy Spirit. That is, the eucharist is triune in nature The eucharist is both source and summit of the Church s life: Christ unites the Church with his sacrifice and thanksgiving; and pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church. 5 Vatican Council II, Lumen Gentium 28 6 CCC LG 11 8 CCC CCC Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

3 2.16. The sacrament of eucharist is a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us In the eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value In the most blessed sacrament of the eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really and substantially present This presence is called real a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present This does not exclude other forms of presence of the Body of Christ, i.e., through the priest, the Word of God and the assembly The sacrament of the eucharist is known by different names, each denoting certain aspects: Eucharist an action of thanksgiving to God. (Lk22:19) The Lord s Supper connection with the supper of the Lord and his disciples. (1Cor11:20) Breaking of Bread all who eat the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with him and form but one body in him. (1Cor10:16-17) Memorial of the Lord s passion and resurrection The Holy Sacrifice makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Saviour and includes the Church s offering Liturgy where the Church finds its centre and most intense expression Eucharist we unite ourselves to Christ, who makes us sharers in his Body and Blood to form a single body. (1Cor10:16-17) The Mass the liturgy sends us forth in mission Holy Communion is the continuing, repeatable sacrament of transformation Children are required to have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so as to understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity, and can receive communion with faith and devotion. They must be able to distinguish 10 SC47CCC1323, 11 CCC Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

4 the Body of Christ from ordinary food In Diocese of Broken Bay the usual order of sacraments to complete initiation is Baptism, Confirmation, Penance 13, Eucharist. 3. Role of the Community 3.1. Initiation is a gradual process that takes place within the community of the faithful, the people of God as represented by the local Church, whose responsibility as the baptised it is to hand on and nourish the faith of those searching for Christ Preparation for confirmation aims at leading the baptised toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit; actions, gifts and biddings, in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. The community has a special responsibility to immerse the candidate in the life of the community and awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ. 4. Those completing Initiation 4.1. Only those who have been baptised and have not received confirmation can be confirmed Those who possess the use of reason must be in the state of grace, properly instructed, and capable of renewing the baptismal promises When parents know that their child has special needs and their faith leads them to express a desire for the child to receive the sacraments, no hindrance is to be placed in their way Confirmation can be postponed if it is discerned that the child has not reached the age of reason and therefore the reception of their first eucharist will be delayed likewise As confirmation is received at baptism by eastern rite Catholics, they cannot receive the sacrament again Likewise, those from the orthodox churches being received into the catholic faith have been confirmed at baptism and cannot receive these sacraments again. 12 CIC CCC Although the Sacrament of Penance is not an initiation sacrament, it is required for the reception of Holy Communion. Canon OC12 4 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

5 5. Role of parents 5.1. Parents (legal guardians) who have bought their infant to the sacrament of baptism have the responsibility and privilege of evangelising their children. This happens gradually from birth, through bringing to baptism and Mass, and sharing their faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping with the Gospel values Family centred catechesis precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith Christian parents have the responsibility and concern of bringing children to complete initiation. They are to form and gradually increase a spirit of faith in children and prepare them for the fruitful reception of the sacraments of confirmation and eucharist It is the responsibility, in the first place, of the parents to see that children who have reached the use of reason are correctly prepared and are nourished by Holy Communion as early as possible As parents are the first educators of their children, they have the right to delay confirmation, even till after the reception of Holy Communion. 6. Role of sponsors 6.1. There should be a sponsor for each candidate for confirmation although in exceptional circumstances one sponsor can bring forward two candidates It is the responsibility of the sponsor to: bring the candidates to receive the sacrament; present them to the Bishop for the anointing; and to later help them to fulfil their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit whom they have received If possible, it is preferable that the godparent at baptism also be the sponsor at confirmation which expresses more clearly the link between baptism and confirmation, and continuing their function and responsibility Sponsors must be fully initiated; i.e., have received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and eucharist The sponsor is to be at least sixteen years of age and live a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken, unless an exception is to be made for a just cause by the pastor CCC2223, OC 3 17 CIC893 5 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

6 7. Role of Pastor 7.1. Pastors have the special responsibility to see that all the baptised reach the completion of Christian initiation 7.2. Following the parents, it is the role of the pastor to see that children who have reached the use of reason are correctly prepared for confirmation and nourished by Holy Communion as early as possible, having already received the Sacrament of Penance It is also the responsibility of the pastor to ensure that all children have reached the age of reason before receiving Holy Communion and are sufficiently disposed. 8. Minister of confirmation 8.1. The diocesan bishop is to administer confirmation personally or see that it is administered by another bishop. 18 In this way a clearer reference to the first pouring forth of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost as after the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they themselves gave the Holy Spirit to the faithful through the laying on of hands. The reception of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of the bishop shows the close bond that joins the confirmed to the Church and the mandate received from Christ to bear witness to him before all For a serious reason, a priest who holds a particular function or office in the diocese may be delegated to confirm. 9. Minister of Eucharist 9.1. The ordinary minister of Holy Communion is a bishop, a priest or a deacon All others are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. 10. Celebration of Confirmation and Eucharist All ritual celebration of the sacraments express the life, death and resurrection of Christ. After the introduction, each rite starts with a celebration of the Word of God followed by the ritual for the particular sacrament It is preferable that the same name be used for confirmation as chosen for baptism. 18 CIC884 6 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

7 11. CONFIRMATION When confirmation is celebrated apart from baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation begins with the renewal of baptismal promises and the profession of faith The Presentation of Candidates, bulletin notices and announcements of any kind may be read from the microphone the cantor would use or from another suitable place but not from the Ambo which is reserved for the Liturgy of the Word which includes the Universal Prayer of the Church. (Prayer of the Faithful) The sacrament of confirmation is conferred through the laying on of hands and the anointing with chrism on the forehead, and through the words: Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit The whole confirmation rite presents a twofold symbolism: the laying of hands on the candidate by the bishop which represents the biblical gesture by which the gift of the Holy Spirit is called upon; and the anointing with chrism and the accompanying words which express clearly the effect of the giving of the Holy Spirit Only bishops and priests 19 wear stoles as a sign of their ordination and therefore should not to be worn by candidates for confirmation It is the responsibility of the Parish Priest to advise the Priest-in-charge of the place of baptism about the conferral of confirmation so that notation can be made in the baptismal register. This is customarily done by the use of Confirmation Cards completed by the family of the candidate Only Confirmation Cards for those baptised in other parishes need to be completed and sent to the parish of baptism. The parish of confirmation places the information of the confirmation directly into their Baptism and Confirmation Registers Each candidate for confirmation is to wear a name tag during the ritual showing clearly the name chosen for confirmation. 19 Deacons also wear stoles 7 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

8 12. EUCHARIST The celebration of the Eucharist is the action of Christ himself and the Church. Through the ministry of the priest, Christ the Lord offers himself, substantially under the forms of bread and wine, to God the Father and gives himself as spiritual food to all The Church continues to do in Christ s memory what he did on the eve of his Passion: He took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them saying This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me. There is a fourfold action: taking, blessing, breaking and giving In Mass the people of God are called together - the priest, acting in the person of Christ and all the faithful, participate together according to the diversity or responsibilities and liturgical roles and only those roles Those who are fully initiated in the Catholic Church may take part in other Catholic rites, including the reception of Holy Communion The liturgy of the Word and liturgy of the Eucharist together form one single act of worship Only those fully initiated; i.e., baptised, confirmed and having received eucharist can proclaim the Word of God. It is from hearing the Word of God that the many-sided work of the Holy Spirit flows out upon the Church and upon each of the candidates Mass must be celebrated with bread and wine, with which a small amount of water is to be mixed. Holy Communion should be given when possible under the form of both bread and wine as the sign of communion is more complete, since in that form the sign of the Eucharistic meal appears more clearly The bread must be unleavened and made of wheat. For those who are gluten intolerant there are low gluten hosts available which still have a very small quantity of gluten so that the species is licit. If totally intolerant, only the wine should be consumed The wine must be natural wine of the grape and not corrupt; i.e., nothing added Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts. Therefore, if a person can only receive as bread or wine, the Body of Christ, entire, has still been received All the faithful who are fully initiated are bound to receive Holy Communion at least once a year between Ash Wednesday and Trinity Sunday. But the 20 GIRM240 8 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy

9 Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive Holy Communion on Sundays and feast days One who is to receive Holy Communion is to abstain from food or drink (except water) for at least one hour before receiving Holy Communion, except those who are infirm or advanced in age When received within Mass, a person may receive Holy Communion more than once a day. 22 References CCC -Catechism of the Catholic Church CIC Code of Canon Law GIRM General Instruction of the Roman Missal LG Lumen Gentium OC Rite of Confirmation RBC Rite of Baptism for Children RCIA Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults 29 October CIC CIC917. Those who receive as viaticum are excused from this canon. CIC921 9 Diocese of Broken Bay Confirmation & Eucharist Policy