Chapter — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Chapter II. On The Matter And Form Of Confirmation
154. a) The remote matter of confirmation is sacred chrism, that is, an ointment composed of olive oil and balsam, and blessed by a special consecration by a bishop.
Thus it is gathered from the decrees of Clement VI, Eugene IV, and Clement VIII.27 Therefore five things are required for the remote matter of confirmation: 1. olive oil; 2. an admixture of balsam; 3. a blessing; 4. performed by a bishop; 5. and performed in a special manner.
Olive oil is required not only by an ecclesiastical precept but also for the validity of the sacrament. Thus all now teach. Hence confirmation would be conferred invalidly, for example, with petroleum, nut oil, and so forth, or if the anointing were omitted and the imposition of the hand alone were employed.
The admixture of balsam is required not only by a grave precept but, more probably, also for the validity of the sacrament, since Eugene IV teaches simply in the Decree for the Armenians: "The matter of confirmation is chrism confected from oil, which signifies the brightness of conscience, and balsam, which signifies the fragrance of a good reputation."28 Moreover, it is certain that from the most ancient times balsam was always mixed with the oil.29 Balsam from any region suffices, provided that it is present in such a quantity that it gives forth its fragrance.
The oil and balsam must be blessed, and indeed for the validity of the sacrament, as the most common opinion teaches. Drouven30 teaches the contrary opinion, for which Cajetan also is sometimes, though undeservedly, cited.31
The blessing must be performed by a bishop. St. Thomas seems to teach that this is necessary for the validity of the sacrament.32 Several, however, deny this, for example, Tournely, Valentia, Suarez, and St. Alphonsus, who holds the negative opinion speculatively probable.33 But in practice the first opinion must be followed. Accordingly, the old Roman Ritual, treating of a priest who administers the sacrament of confirmation by delegation, says: "Let him take care to have with him chrism confected by a Catholic bishop ... and let him know that it is never lawful for him to administer confirmation without it."34 The Supreme Pontiff, however, can delegate a simple priest to consecrate chrism. This was done on March 21, 1916, for several dioceses of the occupied regions of Russia, so that during the war and for three months after the beginning of peace, Apostolic Administrators and Vicars Capitular lacking the episcopal character, and even Vicars General governing dioceses in which the bishops were absent, possessed, among other faculties, the faculty of confecting the sacred oils.35
The blessing must be performed in a special manner. Therefore, it does not suffice that the oil of the sick or of catechumens be employed, although it has been blessed by a bishop. For if the admixture of balsam is required for the validity of confirmation, as was said above, it is self-evident that no oil other than chrism is valid matter for confirmation. Nevertheless, St. Alphonsus thinks36 that, at the point of death, confirmation can be conferred conditionally with oil alone if chrism cannot be obtained; for the great utility of this sacrament would be a just cause for administering it conditionally.
By a grave ecclesiastical precept it is required that recent chrism (that is, chrism consecrated on the most recently elapsed Thursday of the Lord's Supper) be employed in the administration of confirmation. In a case of necessity, however, when recent chrism is lacking, it is lawful to administer confirmation with old chrism.
28 Denz., n. 697. Noldin, De sacram., n. 86, and Dölger, Das Sakr. der Firm., pp. 192 sq., teach that the admixture of balsam is not of the essence of this sacrament.
29 Cf. Roman Catechism, p. 2, c. 3, q. 6, and the letter which Pseudo-Isidore attributes to Pope Fabian.
30 De confirm., q. 3, c. 3, § 2, q. 8.
31 Cf. Comm. in S. theol. 3, q. 72, a. 3.
32 S. theol. 3, q. 72, a. 3.
33 Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 163.
34 Roman Ritual, in the appendix.
35 Sacred Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs. From letters authentically signed by the Titular Archbishop of Scythopolis and sent to the editor.
36 Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 162.
155. b) The proximate matter of confirmation is the so-called "chrismation," that is, an anointing with chrism upon the forehead of the person to be confirmed in the form of a cross, made immediately by the imposition of the hand.
As is evident from what was said above in n. 8 concerning the sacraments in general, the proximate matter of any sacrament is the application of the remote matter. According to the Latin rite, the application of the remote matter in confirmation is made in the following manner: The pontiff, with his hands extended toward those to be confirmed, says: "Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God," and so forth. After this, the pontiff, either sitting or standing, "with the tip of the thumb of his right hand dipped in chrism, says: 'N., I sign thee with the sign of the cross.' While he says this, he traces the sign of the cross with his thumb upon the person's forehead; then he continues: 'And I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the ✠ Father, and of the ✠ Son, and of the ✠ Holy Spirit. R. Amen.'" In the Greek rite, however, the priest with the sacred ointment makes the sign of the cross upon the forehead, the eyes, the nostrils, each ear, and the feet, saying: "Σφραγὶς δωρεᾶς πνεύματος ἁγίου." Certain Eastern Churches, for example, the Jacobites and Armenians, employ the anointing alone, while certain others have, besides the anointing, also the imposition of the hand. But since there is no small difference between the two rites, and since, on the other hand, it is established that Christ determined at least as to species the matter and form of all the sacraments,37 the question arises as to what is essential in the proximate matter of confirmation. The most common and certain opinion teaches that the essential and adequate proximate matter of confirmation is the anointing with chrism joined with the imposition of the hand.38 The reason is that, if blessed chrism is the remote matter, as was proved above, then the proximate matter is the application of the chrism, that is, the anointing, with which the imposition of the hand is joined. It is also established from tradition that confirmation was always administered in this manner.39
37 Cf. above, n. 50.
38 Other less probable opinions concerning the proximate matter of confirmation may be seen in Heimbucher, Die hl. Firmung, pp. 61 sqq. The two principal ones are: 1. The proximate matter is the imposition of the hand alone. Thus Aureolus and Sirmond. This is certainly false and contradicts the Council of Florence. 2. Both impositions of the hand and the anointing are the proximate matter. Thus Tournely, Gotti, Concina, and others. This contradicts the decision of the Holy Office of April 17, 1872, and the Eastern rites, in which the first imposition of the hand is not found.
39 Cf. the numerous testimonies of the ancient Fathers in Drouven, loc. cit., c. 1, or in St. Alphonsus, loc. cit., n. 164.
156. Concerning this proximate matter the following things must be noted:
In the administration of confirmation there is a twofold imposition of hands: namely, the first at the beginning, when the bishop extends his hands over all those to be confirmed and recites the prayer "Almighty"; and the second, which is not distinct from the anointing. The first imposition of the hand is not of the essence of confirmation; for it is not found in the Greek rite, and on April 17, 1872, the Holy Office declared valid the confirmation conferred upon boys who were not present at the bishop's first extension of hands.40 A fortiori, the blessing given by the bishop at the end of the ceremony is not of the essence of confirmation. Therefore, the prohibition of the Ritual that no one depart before the blessing is only a certain rubric. But because the anointing must be joined with the imposition of the hand, it is altogether unlawful to anoint with the aid of any instrument.41
The anointing must be made upon the forehead and by the sign of the cross. Both are considered essential and were always in use; therefore Tertullian already called confirmation "the seal of the foreheads."42 St. Thomas43 gives the reason for this: "In this sacrament man receives the Holy Spirit for the strength of spiritual battle, that he may courageously confess the faith even among the adversaries of the faith of Christ. Hence he is fittingly signed with chrism by the sign of the cross upon the forehead for two reasons: first, because he is marked with the sign of the cross as a soldier with the sign of his leader, and this ought to be evident and manifest. But among all the places of the human body, the forehead is most manifest, since it is almost never covered; and therefore the confirmed person is anointed with chrism upon the forehead, that he may manifestly demonstrate himself to be a Christian, just as the Apostles, after receiving the Holy Spirit, manifested themselves, though previously they had lain hidden in the upper room. Secondly, because one is hindered from the free confession of the name of Christ for two reasons, namely, because of fear and shame. But the sign of both of these is manifested especially upon the forehead, ... for those who are ashamed blush, while those who fear grow pale.... And therefore he is signed with chrism upon the forehead, that neither because of fear nor because of shame may he omit to confess the name of Christ." The Council of Florence44 gives the same reason.
St. Alphonsus,45 who says the following, treats and resolves the question of the proximate matter of confirmation excellently in the sense explained above: "I confess that, although I had labored for nearly fifteen days in reading the canons and writers, I was unable to render a judgment as to what was to be held as certain. At length the force of the reasons ... removed every doubt from my mind; and I formed a certain judgment concerning my opinion."
- The anointing must be made with the thumb of the right hand, and not with a brush or another instrument, as was already said. If, however, the bishop has an infirm thumb, he may licitly anoint with the thumb of the left hand or with another finger.46
40 Collect. de Prop. Fide, n. 1383.
41 Cf. Holy Office, January 14, 1885; Code of Canon Law, c. 781, § 2.
42 Contra Marc., l. 3, c. 22 (Migne, Patr. lat. 2, 353).
43 S. theol. 3, q. 72, a. 9.
44 Denz., n. 697.
45 Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 164.
46 Cf. St. Alphonsus, loc. cit., n. 165.
157. The form of confirmation consists in the words: "N., I sign thee with the sign of the cross and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. R. Amen."
Thus it is established from the Council of Florence and from the Roman Ritual. More probably, all these words, if perhaps the particles "and" and "in" be excepted, are of the essence, so that nothing can be omitted. St. Thomas47 shows well the fittingness of this form. The form must signify the essence of the sacrament. Now, in confirmation three things are necessary. The first is the cause conferring the fullness of spiritual strength, which is the Holy Trinity and which is expressed by the words, "In the name of the Father," and so forth. The second is spiritual strength, and this is signified by the words, "I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation." The third is the sign which is given to the combatant, and with respect to this it is said: "I sign thee with the sign of the cross."
The form in the Greek Church is: "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit," as was already said. This form is certainly valid, since the Supreme Pontiffs permit it to the united Greeks, but it is much less perfect than the Latin form. "The seal" is the same as "I sign thee." The words "of the gift of the Holy Spirit" signify grace strengthening unto faith.
It must be admitted that, down to the twelfth or thirteenth century, very many forms were in use, which Martène collected,48 for example: "Receive the sign of the holy cross with the chrism of salvation in Christ Jesus unto eternal life. Amen." "The sign of Christ unto eternal life." "I confirm thee and sign thee in the name," and so forth. Whether all these forms were valid is not so evident. For it is possible that errors crept into certain dioceses. Moreover, it is not established that these forms have come down to us unchanged. The Holy Fathers do not speak of a determinate form of confirmation. From the time of St. Thomas, however, the form now used in the Latin Church has prevailed.49
47 S. theol. 3, q. 72, a. 4.
48 De antiq. Eccl. rit., l. 1, c. 2, n. 4.
49 Cf. Schanz, Die Lehre v. d. Sakr. I, § 24.