Confirmation was promised by Christ at the time of His Ascension into Heaven. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost when tongues of fire appeared to the Apostles and they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).
The Apostles themselves dispensed this sacrament and it continues in the Holy Church today. “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-17).
While the Sacrament of Baptism tends to garner the most excitement, the Sacrament of Confirmation completes and perfects the graces which began with Baptism (Catechism 1286-1289). Thus, Confirmation is sometimes called the “more” sacrament – continuing our initiation and strengthening our commitment to the Holy Faith.
The Sacrament of Baptism does not have a specific age at-which it needs to be received. Often the children of Catholic parents receive the Sacrament before they are adults. Increasingly often, it is adults who are BECOMING CATHOLIC and receive Confirmation as the final formal step in their conversion to the Holy Catholic Faith.
