Article I: On the Institution of Confirmation

S. Th. III, q. 72, a. 1.

176. State of the question. - The Reformers denied to Confirmation the dignity of a sacrament; and today all Protestants, the Ritualists excepted, deny this sacrament.

Already formerly the Novatians, Waldensians, and Albigensians seem to have denied this Sacrament or at least neglected it as a useless rite. Luther was the first who expressly denied the sacrament, and asserted that it was a mere ecclesiastical ceremony. But Calvin taught that the Lord had willed that the Apostles should, by imposition of hands, communicate the charisms of the Holy Spirit or graces gratuitously given to the faithful; but when the charisms ceased, the rite also ought to have ceased. Yet the Church retained it so that catechesis might be completed with a certain solemnity, by which adolescents expounded the reason of their faith before the bishop. Therefore it was a ceremony introduced by bishops so that they might assert their authority over the faithful; but a later age posited it as a sacrament and thus took away half the efficacy from Baptism.¹

¹ Van Noort, op. cit., n. 242.

In modern times certain Modernists maintained: "Nothing proves that the rite of the sacrament of Confirmation was used by the apostles: moreover the formal distinction of the two sacraments, namely Baptism and Confirmation, does not pertain to the history of primitive Christianity" (prop. 44). This was reproved by the Church.

177. Thesis. Confirmation is a true sacrament of the New Law, instituted by Christ and distinct from Baptism. - It is of faith from the Second Council of Lyons, profession of faith of Michael Palaeologus; Florence, decree for the Armenians; and Trent, sess. 7, on the Sacraments, can. 1, and on Confirmation, cap. 1, of which the first part is against Luther, the other against Calvin.

It is proved: 1. From the Scriptures: Acts VIII, 12-18 and XIX, 1-6, from which it is established that the Apostles imposed hands on the baptized faithful so that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

There all the essential elements of a sacrament are found:

a) a sensible sign: imposition of hands;

b) conferring grace ex opere operato, because, hands having been imposed, the Holy Spirit is immediately given; but He, as Scripture bears witness (John VII, 37-39; Rom. V, 5; I Cor. II, 12; III, 16; Gal. V, 22; I Thess. IV, 8), is not given without grace; but in the case grace confers virtue and strength for confessing the faith (Acts I, 8);

c) distinct from Baptism, because hands are imposed upon those previously baptized, and this belongs to the apostles alone, not to deacons; likewise distinct from Order, because the imposition was done upon all, both women and men;

d) permanently instituted: for it is used not once, but commonly, and not by one apostle indeed, but by all; and indeed as the fulfillment of the promises of Christ, who promised the Holy Spirit to all the faithful. Whence it is referred to as pertaining "to the beginning of Christ" (Heb. VI, 1-4), i.e. to the initiation of Christians. This, moreover, is clear from universal Tradition.

2. From Tradition. At the beginning there are not direct and formal testimonies, because the writers are few and do not intend to make a complete exposition of the doctrine or practice of the Church or even of the rites of initiation; but there are several incidental allusions. From the third century explicit testimonies are had concerning Confirmation as distinct from Baptism, and as pertaining to primitive discipline and continuing the practice of the apostles. In the fourth century the doctrine is common. Whence Innocent I in the fifth century recalls it as universally known and customary.

Clement of Rome II, 2; Hermas, Simil. IX; Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. I, 23, 31; Clement of Alexandria, Quis dives salvetur, 42; Origen, De Princ. I, 3, have allusions and insinuations. Explicit testimonies are exhibited by Tertullian, De Baptismo VI and VIII; De carn. res. 8; De praescr. 36; Cyprian, ep. 73, n. 9, and 74, n. 7; Firmilian, ep. to Cyprian n. 7 (75 among the epistles of Cyprian); the anonymous work De Rebaptizante, n. 3; Cornelius, ep. to Fabius (H.E. VI, 43); Didascalia III, 12; Council of Elvira (a. 306), can. 38; Cyril of Jerusalem, Cat. myst. III, 3; Gregory Nazianzen, or. XL, 15; Hilary, on Matthew IV, 27; X, 2; XIX, 12; Ambrose, De myst. VI, 29; VII, 42; Chrysostom, on Acts, hom. XVIII, 3; Jerome, Adv. Lucif. 9; Pacian, to Sympronianus I, 6; Optatus of Milevis, De schism. Don. II, 42; IV, 7; Augustine, Contra duas ep. Pel. II, 104; De Trin. XV, 26; Leo, serm. on the Nativity IV, 6.

3. From the reason of fittingness which St. Thomas explains, a. 1:

Where a special effect of grace occurs, there must be a special sacrament. But, just as in bodily life it is one special perfection to be generated unto life, and another to arrive at perfect age, so in the spiritual life it is one thing to be spiritually regenerated, and another to receive, as it were, the perfect age of this life. Therefore, just as there is a special Sacrament, namely Baptism, by which we are regenerated unto the life of grace, so there must be a special sacrament by which we attain the perfect age of this life, and this is Confirmation. Therefore Confirmation is a special sacrament.

178. Observation. - Concerning the mode and time in which this sacrament was instituted, there has been a manifold opinion. It is better said with St. Thomas, ad 1: "Christ instituted this sacrament, not by exhibiting it, but by promising it (John XVI, 7)," insofar as by His will He established that it was to be conferred, but He Himself did not minister it, because "in this sacrament the fullness of the Holy Spirit is given, which was not to be given before the resurrection and ascension of Christ (John VII, 39)."