The Sacrament of Confirmation in Pastoral Modeling. Discussion

Abstract

In journalistic discourse, the sacrament of Confirmation is increasingly called “the sacrament of good-bye” or “last rites”. Both terms refer to the fact that many young people break the bond with the Church after Confirmation. Therefore, it implies that the preparation to the sacrament fails to create a lasting bond with the community of the Church, which also leads to the conclusion that the motives of receiving the sacrament are immature. Many receive it only to avoid future problems with the Church, i.e. to be able to become a godparent and to enter into sacramental marriage.

This situation calls for reconsidering the program of the preparation to the sacrament of Confirmation. Liturgists and dogmatic theologians point to the need to return to the ancient practice of the Church, so that the sacrament of Confirmation preceded the receiving of the Holy Communion. However, pastors are in favor of maintaining the current practice of the Church, since it is actually the only idea of an organic youth ministry. After the disappearance of the social and familial catechumenate, the obligation to introduce the young into the faith rests on the parish community. An important question remains whether to link the initiatory catechesis addressed to young people with the preparation to Confirmation or, alternatively, to separate the two catechetical processes.