Article I: On the Notion and Effect of Confirmation

1491. DEFINITION. Confirmation, a certain perfection and consummation of Baptism, can be thus defined: A Sacrament instituted by Christ, in which, through imposition of hands and through an anointing of chrism, under a certain form of words, made on the forehead of the baptized person, an increase of sanctifying grace is conferred, and singular strength for firmly holding and intrepidly professing the faith.⁸

I. It is of faith, against Luther and Calvin, that Confirmation is a true and proper Sacrament. This is established from Trent, sess. 7, can. 1, on Confirmation: "If anyone shall say that the Confirmation of the baptized is an idle ceremony, and not rather a true and proper Sacrament: let him be anathema." It is also proved from Scripture (Acts 8:15, 17), where it is read that when Peter and John had come to the believers of Samaria, "they prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. Then they laid hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit." For here there is had: 1. an exterior rite, in the imposition of hands and prayer; 2. the conferral of grace, because all received the Holy Spirit; therefore sanctifying grace: for graces gratis given were not conceded to all, as is established from 1 Corinthians 7; 3. divine institution, which is sufficiently understood from the effect, since it belongs to divine power alone to raise inanimate things to that dignity that they produce grace in us.

Concerning the TIME at which this Sacrament was instituted, there exists controversy among theologians. Yet more commonly, it is believed to have been instituted on the night of the Supper, in which Christ the Lord taught the Apostles to make chrism; as is gathered from Apostolic tradition, and from the practice of the Church consecrating chrism on Thursday in the Supper of the Lord.⁹

1492. II. The EFFECTS of Confirmation are: 1. Character, by which the Christian is enrolled in the army of Christ. 2. Sanctifying grace, that is, the increase of the same grace with increase of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; per accidens first grace can also be produced, as was said (n. 1395).¹⁰ 3. Sacramental grace, which is grace perfecting and strengthening the Christian for the intrepid profession of faith and Christian life against any enemies whatever of the faith and against the temptations of the devil and the world. Whence St. Thomas says:¹¹ "In this Sacrament the Holy Spirit is given for strength, as He was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost." There is also had, from canon law, as in Baptism, a secondary effect, namely: 4. Spiritual relationship, which is contracted both between the one confirming and the confirmed and his father and mother, and between the sponsor and the one received and his father and mother (cf. nn. 1504, 1506).