The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-09-14
DISCUSSED RITE
OF CONFIRMATION
Rev. Father kerrigan Continued
Series OF Lectures
SCRIPTURAL QUOTATIONS
Practice of Oriental schmsmatic
Churches Cited as an Evidence of
the Antiquity of the Sacra-
ment of Confirmation.

At st, Pauls church yesterday. the
Rev. Father Giles. o. S. b.. was the cele-
brant at the first and second masses and
the Rev. Father Kerrigan at the third
mass, which begins at 1880 o clock
The congregations were reminded that
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of this
week would be emher days-days of fast
ing. Yesterday was the feast of the
holy name of the Blessed Virgin. Father
Kerrigan's theme was Confirmation"
He said in part.
When a child attains the age of seven
years or Whereabouts, It is. said to have
reached the age of reason; that is 1t be-
gins to distinguish, with more or less
accuracy, between right and wrong and
becomes responsible, in a corresponding
degree, for any infraction of the law of
God. This is a crucial period in the
childs life. The words of the wise man,
LAS the twig is bent, the tree is Inclined"
find their exact application just here. 1t
is a period when the child's inexperienee
needs a very special help enabling it
to withstand the insidious attacks Of the
evil one against it's faith and its in
nocence. Holy Church, our wise and ever
solicitous mother, is prepared for just
such an emergency, with the sacrament
of confirmation.
Now begins to unfold that profound
wisdom in the number and arrangement
of the sacraments referred to in my ex-
position of the sacraments in general;
that wisdom Indicating q divine intelli-
gence.
Significance of the Term.
The term itself-confirmation- signifies
a strengthening. That the sacrament of
confirmation carries out this Specification
is evident from its definition. Confirma-
ton is defined as a sacrament in which,
by the imposition of hands the JUNCTION
of chrism, and sacred words, those who
have been baptized receive the strength
of the Holy Ghost steadfasty to confess
the faith which they have received In
| baptism Another definition calls it a
Sacrament which make strong and
perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus
Christ" In baptism we become Chris
tians but, being children, weak and pas
sive Christians Our faith and our NOR
ais were not open to attack during the
being incapable of forming a judgment
no influence could have any perceptible
effect on our will. the action of which
faculty determines the imputability of a
human act. Now, however when our
faith and our morals are open to temp
tation, and our inexperience in such war;
fare leaves us liable to defeat, our faith
must be strengthened; our innocence
must be safeguarded we must become
more perfect Christians active and agrees
sive against the enemies of the soul; not
cravens ready to capitulate at the first
onslaught, but prepared to give and take
sturdy strokes for the standard of Jesus
Christ. Baptism gave us spiritual life
but confirmation strengthens it. Baptism
which is a spiritual birth, brings forth
children of God. Confirmation gives them
spiritual growth and make them strong
men and soldiers of Jesus Christ.
Concerning Date.
The precise time when confirmation was
instituted is not fixed with certainty.
Some of the doctors of the church place
1t at the last supper, but, according 70 a
more probable opinion, it was after the
resurrection when our Lord spoke of the
Kingdom of Heaven. announced the COM
ing of the Holy Ghost and, as st. Leo
says. established great sacraments and
revealed great mysteries.
That the apostles practiced confirmation
Is evident from Holy Scripture In Acts
viii, 14-1S we read of st. Peter and st.
John confirming the Samartans. "They
prayed for them that they might receive
the Holy Ghost-'then laid they their
hands on them and they received the
Holy Ghost etc. Also in Acts XIX, SIG,
''They were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus, and when Paul had laid his
hands upon them the Holy Ghost came
upon them" St Paul also speaks of con-
frmation in Act viz and in Ind. Cor. l,
20.
That confirmation is a sacrament is
evident for two reasons First-From the
words of the Book of the Acts of the
Apostles, just quoted we see plainly that
the visible outward sign of the i'm
position of hands has annexed to 1t an
invisible grace viz. the imparting of the
Holy Ghost; consequently confirmation is
a visible sign of invisible grace and. there
fore, sacrament. Second-Because the
church of God. from the Apostles days
has always believed it to be a sacrament
and administered it as such. There Is a
long catalogue of fathers and councils
from the fourth century, and hence
contiguous to the Apostles up to
Gregory, the Great, whose writings and
decrees clearly show that this rite was