Restoring Order
Families, catechists adjust to new confirmation guidelines

By Ambria Hammel, The Catholic Sun
March 1, 2007

It’s not every day that young religious education students begin class with a modern dance or other physical activity. It’s even more rare for parents to sit next to the young learners.

Yet such practices are becoming a regular part of confirmation preparation across the diocese. Parishes are using these strategies to connect students to a deeper spirituality at an earlier age.

Religious education leaders used to lead teens to seal their baptism through the sacrament of confirmation. Nearly two years ago, however, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted asked parishes to restore the order of the sacraments of initiation and begin confirming third-graders before they receive the Holy Eucharist.

He detailed the reasoning and the changes in a 2005 pastoral letter. After being baptized, young Catholics will next be confirmed and then, at the same Mass, receive first Communion.

Students, families and parish leaders are still adjusting.

Changing the order of the sacraments of initiation and the age of confirmation has required parishes to close the gap, so to speak.

For the last two years parishes in the diocese have hosted confirmation programs for young Catholics between the ages of 8-16. This is the last year in the restoration process.

The need for restored order

Carol Gastelum, associate director of catechesis for the diocese, said many Catholics viewed confirmation as a sign of maturity. It isn’t.

“It’s a seal on one’s baptism,” she clarified.

The early Church recognized the link between what were the first two sacraments of initiation when Christians received confirmation immediately after baptism or as a child. They received the Eucharist as the final sacrament of initiation.

In 1910, Church leaders determined the appropriate time for first Communion as the “age of discretion,” normally age 7 or 8, when baptized Catholics are thought to recognize Christ’s Real Presence. Confirmation followed by age 18.

“This sacrament is often mistakenly seen as bringing to completion the need for continuing education and ongoing growth in faith — more like a graduation than an initiation,” the bishop said in the 2005 pastoral letter.

He reported that 40 percent of eligible adolescents accepted the invitation to receive the sacrament. A diocesan task force analyzed the issue as a result and unanimously agreed to lower the age for confirmation.

With this year’s preparation sessions underway, religious leaders and candidates reflected on the impact of the changes.

“At first I thought, ‘What do you mean?’” said Carmen Smith, a St. Theresa Parish religious education coordinator. Then she understood the bishop’s desire to offer God’s grace earlier. It would help the children make wise moral decisions.

She now senses a strong energy from her 100 students. On a recent night, the fourth- through sixth-graders danced the “cha-cha slide” in class to simulate movement of the Holy Spirit.

Maria Buhrman, coordinator of Christian formation at St. Thomas More in Glendale, prompts her students to further study the faith. The third- through fifth-graders examine classroom topics during weekend Mass and compile their observations in a report.

Yet some Catholics still wonder if the students understand the sacrament at that age.

Buhrman thinks so. She said their innocence allows them to embrace it without questioning every detail of how it works.

Ginnie Weingartner, coordinator of elementary catechesis at Resurrection Parish in Tempe, agreed that children understand what they can.

“I don’t think anyone fully understands the graces of God in his or her life,” she said.

The bishop said the restoration of the original order of the sacramental initiation into the diocese has heightened Catholic appreciation of the Holy Spirit and His gifts.

“We are keenly aware of the need for the Spirit’s gifts among our young people, very early in life, as they face grave temptations and severe obstacles to the practice of their faith,” he said. The gifts help them live their faith with courage and joy, the bishop added.

Adjusting to a new order

The change hasn’t come without road bumps, though. The restored order of the sacraments has left parishes playing catch up.

They’re working to get students from age 16 down to third-grade confirmed and prepare third-graders for first Eucharist as well. This often means larger class sizes.

The change has also awakened within some parents the opportunity for continued growth in faith. Some began to seek ways to live a more sacramental life themselves, such as through confirmation.

The policy changes also considers the national trend toward family-centered faith formation processes. Many religious education leaders have met parent resistance.

“I feel pretty strongly against the changes,” said a St. Theresa sponsor. She was confirmed in seventh grade and merely remembers a new dress and a party.

The woman recently sponsored a teen nephew. Not only did she learn a lot about the sacrament in the process, but she could also tell the teens understood as they immediately related it to struggles in their own lives.

She is now sponsoring a fourth-grade nephew who doesn’t understand yet and appears to be going through the motions because he thinks he’s supposed to.

Others are still evaluating the changes.

“The jury’s still kind of out,” said Cindy Hynes, a St. Theresa parent.

Those favoring the restored order note more involvement in their child’s faith formation.

Parents at St. Thomas More attend separate formation sessions for part of each class. They learn the same topic as their children and then prepare a skit or poster for the young learners.

“The dads love to be Jesus,” Buhrman said. She also noted that the kids enjoy seeing their parents in such roles.

The increased role of parents in the formation process caused many to evaluate their own faith life.

Gastelum, the diocese’s associate director of catechesis, said that resulted in some civilly married couples inquiring about the sacrament of matrimony.

Some catechetical leaders agree the restored order has led to greater family interaction at the home and parish levels.

“We’ve already had children stepping into ministry,” Weingartner said.

They’re serving Resurrection Parish at the altar and in various choirs, she said. Families are becoming more involved with each other through retreats and service projects.

Shortly after their February retreat, one young Resurrection parishioner asked her mom to join her in the Liturgy of the Hours.

At their March retreat, St. Thomas More students will work on two service projects: sorting and bagging boxes of small toiletries collected for a homeless shelter and making quilts for nursing home patients.

Retaining confirmed Catholics

The older students are staying involved in the parish, too.

Alexis LaBenz, a seventh-grader at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Chandler, said her family has become more active. She began liturgical dance and will be confirmed later this year.

“It’s kind of nice that you get to do it now and be a member of the Church earlier,” she said.

“We’re lucky,” said St. Theresa sixth-grader Jared Wagner about being confirmed now.

Barb Lishko, coordinator of youth ministry at St. Andrew the Apostle, fosters continued parish involvement. She already asked the youth what ministries they are interested in and will hold training during confirmation class later this month.

The idea is to “sort of catch them while they’re on fire,” Lishko said, “while they’re filled with the Holy Spirit.”

She also encouraged continued faith formation. Nearly 200 confirmed teens returned this year for classes that apply biblical principles to their daily life. Many enjoy the classes so much, they already suggested additional topics for next year, and Lishko may begin summer retreats and bible studies.

Bishop Olmsted said the restored order “has gone remarkably well” thanks to the priests, deacons, catechists, youth ministers, parents and candidates who worked together.