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206 • Part II. The Sacraments: The Faith Celebrated
When Confirmation is celebrated separately from Baptism, its
connection with Baptism is expressed, among other ways, by the
renewal of baptismal promises. The celebration of Confirmation
during the Eucharist helps underline the unity of the sacraments
of Christian initiation. (CCC, no. 1321)
The connection between Confirmation and Baptism is also reflected
in the choosing of a name by which the candidate will be confirmed,
especially when the chosen name is one of the names by which the can-
didate was baptized.
The Minister of Confirmation
In the early Church, sacramental initiation always involved the bishop;
the bishop was the ordinary minister of both Baptism and Confirmation.
However, pastoral practice changed as the Church expanded rapidly.
When bishops could no longer be present at all celebrations of Baptism,
they chose to retain a role in the process of initiation by continuing to be
the ordinary minister of Confirmation.
In the Latin Church, with the bishop as the minister of Confirmation,
it is evident how this Sacrament can serve to strengthen the person’s bond
with the Church and her apostolic origins. However, there are also times
when the bishop entrusts the celebration of the rite of Confirmation to a
priest, such as in the case of the Baptism of an adult or the reception of
an adult from another Christian community into full communion with
the Church. Bishops may also give this permission in other cases.
In the Eastern Churches, Confirmation is conferred by a priest
at the time of Baptism, and in some of these Churches, it is followed
by the reception of the Eucharist. This practice underlines the unity of
the three Sacraments of Initiation. The priest confirms with the
Myron
or oil consecrated by the bishop. This expresses the apostolic unity of
the Church.