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210 • Part II. The Sacraments: The Faith Celebrated
3. What are the consequences of the deeper identification with the mis-
sion of the Church that comes from Confirmation?
DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS
• Jesus promised the Apostles that he would send the Holy Spirit to
them. At Pentecost that promise of Christ was fulfilled (cf. Jn 16:12-
15; Acts 2:1-47).
• The effects of Confirmation include a permanent character, a perfec-
tion of baptismal grace, an increase in the gifts and fruits of the Holy
Spirit, a deepening of our identity as adopted sons and daughters
of God, a closer bond to the Church and her mission, and helps for
bearing witness.
• In the Eastern Churches, Chrismation (Confirmation) is admin-
istered immediately after Baptism, followed by participation in
the Eucharist. This tradition emphasizes the unity of these three
Sacraments of Initiation.
• In the Western or Latin Church, Confirmation is administered after
the age of reason is attained and is normally conferred by the bishop,
signifying one’s bond with the Church and its apostolic origins.
• The candidate for Confirmation in the Latin Church should be in
the state of grace, be well prepared by prayer and catechesis, and be
committed to the responsibilities entailed by the Sacrament.
• This is the essential rite of Confirmation in the Western Church: The
bishop confers Confirmation through the anointing with Chrism on
the recipient’s forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand,
while saying the words “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
• In the Eastern Churches, after a prayer for the presence and action
of the Holy Spirit, the priest anoints the forehead, eyes, nose, ears,
lips, chest, back, hands, and feet of the candidate with
Myron
(holy oil). With each anointing, he says, “The seal of the gift of the
Holy Spirit.”
• The spiritual, indelible marks (or characters) received in the
Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders affirm a