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CHAPTER: 9
THE EFFECTS OF CONFIRMATION
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What are the effects of
the sacrament of confirmation?
i. From the celebration of the
sacrament itself it is clear
that the effect of the
sacrament of Confirmation is
the full outpouring of the
Holy Spirit as once granted to
the apostles on the day of
Pentecost.
ii. From this fact,
confirmation brings an
increase and deepening of
baptismal grace. It roots us
more deeply in the divine
filiations which makes us cry,
“Abba! Father.
iii. It unites us more firmly
to Christ;
iv. It increases the gifts of
the Holy Spirit in us;
v. It renders our bond with
the Church more perfect;
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How does the sacrament of
Confirmation help us to bear
witness to Christ?
It gives us a special strength
of the Holy Spirit to spread
and defend the faith by word
and action as true witnesses
of Christ, to confess the name
of Christ boldly, and never to
be ashamed of the Cross.
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How does St. Ambrose
describe the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit imprints on us
the spiritual seal, the spirit
of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of right judgment
and courage, the spirit of
knowledge and reverence, the
spirit of holy fear in God’s
presence.
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How often can the
Sacrament of Confirmation be
given?
Confirmation is given only
once, for it imprints on the
soul and indelible spiritual
mark, the “character,” which
is the sign that Jesus Christ
has marked a Christian with
the seal of his Spirit by
clothing him with power from
on high once and for all.
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Who can receive the
Sacrament of Confirmation?
Every baptized person not yet
confirmed can and should
receive the sacrament of
confirmation.
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When shall a person
receive the sacrament of
Confirmation?
Since Baptism, Confirmation
and Eucharist form a unity, it
follows that “the faithful are
obliged to receive this
sacrament at the appropriate
time, for without Confirmation
and Holy Qurbana, though,
Baptism is valid and
efficacious, but Christian
initiation remains incomplete.
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Is age a factor in the
reception of the sacrament of
confirmation?
Age of body does not determine
age of soul. Even in childhood
man can attain spiritual
maturity and the fullness of
the spirit. Many children,
though the strength of the
Holy Spirit they have
received, have bravely fought
for Christ even to the
shedding of their Blood.
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What does the preparation
for Confirmation aim at?
Preparation for confirmation
should aim at leading the
Christian toward a more
intimate union with Christ and
a more lively familiarity with
the Holy Spirit- his actions,
his gifts, and his biddings-
in order to be more capable of
assuming the responsibilities
of Christian life.
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How should the
Confirmation catechesis help
the candidate towards a
meaningful reception of the
sacrament?
Catechesis for confirmation
should strive to awaken a
sense of belonging to the
church of Jesus Christ, the
universal Church as well as
the parish community.
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What is the most
important condition for the
reception of the Holy Spirit
through the sacrament of
confirmation?
To receive Confirmation one
must be in a state of grace.
One should receive the
sacrament of Penance in order
to be cleansed for the
reception of the gift of the
Holy Spirit. More intense
prayer should prepare one to
receive the strength and
graces of the Holy Spirit with
docility and readiness to act.
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