One Sacrament and the Roman Catholic Attitude To This Sacrament - Confirmation
SACRAMENTS
I have been asked to choose one sacrament and explain the Roman Catholic attitude to this sacrament and suggest how a Roman Catholic should live this out. Throughout this coursework I will use references from the bible and what the Roman Catholic Church teaches also.
The seven sacraments are; Baptism, Penance, Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and the anointing of the sick. I have chosen to write about confirmation because it is the last sacraments I received and I believe it is the most important.
The sacrament confirmation is related to Baptism because confirmation is seen to be a top-up of baptism. When Baptism brings a new birth into the Roman Catholic Church, Confirmation strengthens this birth, by receiving the fullness of spirit and his gifts so the Christian can live up to the responsibilities assumed at Baptism. Confirmation helps us to be closer to Jesus. Our Godparents made a promise for us at Baptism, and at confirmation we make a promise yourself to show our faith in God. If Baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, Confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age.
The sacrament of confirmation is celebrated in a very special way. Allow each parish may differ slightly this is how the sacrament is received. First of all there is a preparation time in which the child gets ready to receive the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit:
INSTRUCTION: which renews the Christian faith professed at Baptism, this is usually done at school.
MEETING FOR PARENTS: this is to remind the parents of the importance of Confirmation and to have a renewal of their own Confirmation. This is usually written notes that they bring home and read.
CATECHISTS: Many parishes ask for people to bring small groups of young people to prepare for Confirmation.
SERVICE OF RECONCILIATION: The parish priest makes every afford to ensure that young people can receive the sacrament of Penance before Confirmation.
DAY OF PREPARATION: Sometimes a day is spent practising for the sacrament of confirmation and may include a celebration of mass.
THE CONFIRMATION CARD: The card requires the following information:
Confirmation Name
Name of Confirmand
Place Of Baptism
Date Of Baptism
Name Of Sponsor
The confirmation normally takes place during mass. The bishop usually carries out the sacrament of confirmation or a priest delegated by him.
PRESENTATION ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
SERVICE OF RECONCILIATION: The parish priest makes every afford to ensure that young people can receive the sacrament of Penance before Confirmation.
DAY OF PREPARATION: Sometimes a day is spent practising for the sacrament of confirmation and may include a celebration of mass.
THE CONFIRMATION CARD: The card requires the following information:
Confirmation Name
Name of Confirmand
Place Of Baptism
Date Of Baptism
Name Of Sponsor
The confirmation normally takes place during mass. The bishop usually carries out the sacrament of confirmation or a priest delegated by him.
PRESENTATION OF THE CANDIDATE
This depends on how many people are getting confirmed. The names of the people are called out and the person stands up so everyone can see. Later, they go to the bishop for the actual Sacrament of Confirmation.
THE RENEWAL OF BAPTISM PROMISES
This is the renewal of the baptism promises. This includes the rejection of all that is evil and a profession of faith. These take the form of questions and answers.
THE LAYING ON OF HANDS
This is an ancient form of calling down the power and blessing of god upon someone. The laying on of hands sets a person apart for a special calling or task in life.
THE ANOINING WITH CHAISM
The bishop sits, wearing the mitre and the candidate kneels before him the candidate hands the bishop the confirmation card. The sponcer puts his right hand on the candidate's shoulder. The bishop lays his hands on the head of the candidate and makes a sign of the cross on his head and says, "NAME be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." The response is, "and also with you." The mass continues and ends with a Special Blessing.
THERE ARE A LOT OF SIGNS AND SYMBOLS USED IN CONFIRMATION
THE IMPOSITION (LAYING ON) OF HANDS
This is a sign of power and strength are being given. The bishop extends his hands over the candidate for Confirmation. This makes us remember that the Holy Spirit will come in power and strength. Just as he came to the Apostles on Pentecost day, he says,
"Send down your Holy Spirit upon them, to be their helper and guide. Give them the Spirit of WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, the Spirit of RIGHT JUDGEMENT AND COURAGE, the Spirit of KNOWLEDGE and REVERENCE. Fill them with the Spirit of WONDER and AWE in your presence."
These gifts are given in Confirmation and the sign used is the laying on of hands
THE OIL OF CHRISM
The bishop sign the candidate's forehead with the sign of the cross in oil, the oil of Chrism. The religious meaning of oil is very important. It is an important sign that a person is being set aside for a special tasic. The sign of the sweet-swelling Chrism represents the loving relationship, which a Christian has with God the Father.
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
The cross is a special sign of the Christian. It shows a mark of ownership that God approves.
THE SIGN OF PEACE
This symbol often is used to represent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit symbolises the peace with the nations was to express Gods peace with everyone.
THE NAMING
God always calls people by name. So does the bishop in Confirmation as a sign that a task is being given a task to be a witness of Christ.
In Confirmation you receive the Holy Spirit who brings you, wisdom, understanding, right judgement, courage, knowledge, reverence, wonder and awe. All there are here to help you to do good and to help you to follow God. You also receive the fruits at the Holy Spirit. They are love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self control and say. These all help you to make the right choice in life and mainly to make others enjoy life!!!
THIS IS ALSO SHOWN IN LUMEN CENTIUM: Vatican2
"by the sacrament of Confirmation, Christian's are more perfectly bound to the church, they are true witnesses to Christ, more strictly obliged to spread the faith by word and deed."
"You will live your lives in such a way as to make Holy all human life."
How we can live our baptism? We can live our baptism by Christian service, like in the parasle of the talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). Every Christian is called by God.
Christian who belong to the Roman Catholic Church have a choice of three ways in which they can carry out the vocation that they received in Confirmation. They can:
? Be a Single or married Lay Person
? Join a religious order or congregation
? Be a deacon, priest or a Bishop
LAY PERSON:
This is a person who is Baptised and is a full member of the Church. A Lay person has a special calling in the Christian Life. Lay people are set aside to love and serve God just as much as a religious or a priest. Their Love for God is expressed in Prayer and Service. The three main things that a Lay person should do is to:
? Defend Christ's teachings
? Explain the principles which Christ taught
? Apply Christ's teachings to the problems of the modern world
In a Parish, Christians can carry out their responsibilities by:
? Supporting the local priests
? Offering their special skills to the community
? Sharing their experiences and problems with those in need
? Supporting the projects which the Parish has decided to undertake
? Co-operating in the way the word of God is presented to the Parish
You can also live a Religious Congregation
Some Christians live their life as a follower to Christ, by being a member of a congregation or a Religious Order. We get some clues from Matthews' Gospel about the Religious Congregation, (Matthew 19:16-30)
The religious life can be put into to groups, Contemplative orders and Apostolic Orders.
COMTEMPLATIVE ORDERS:
This is when you lead a hidden life of prayer and work. His works with Carmelites, Poor Clares for Women and Carthusians, Cistercians for men.
APOSTOLIC ORDERS:
They lead a public life of prayer, sick, teaching, poor and elderly and community work. His works with Notre Dame De Namur for women and Christian Brothers for men.
All religious men and women are consecrated to God by three vows. These are:
? Poverty
? Chastity
? Obedience
These vows are called evangelical counsels. Not everyone is called to consecrate their lives in that way so they are called counsels, as they are not commands, they are gifts.
In conclusion from writing this piece of coursework I have found that confirmation is more important that I thought it was. People have became very important people in the Catholic Church because they have spent they life as a Lay Person or a Religious Congregations because of their Confirmation. I also have found out that I can do things because I am a full member of the Catholic Church and had Confirmation. I can do hidden things or I could be a married or single Lay person and serve God. I am glad that I chose Confirmation because I wouldn't have researched this and found out how important Confirmation is to me and others by what they do in public and by themselves.
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