Vatican II and the Sacraments: Confirmation

This is the second in a series of posts on Vatican II and the Sacraments. What did the Council say regarding the sacrament of Confirmation? Not too much, really. It didn't redefine it (or call for its redefinition), although it did call for a revision to the rite of Confirmation (without being specific). It didn't, for example, abolish the term "soldier for Christ" (cf. Phil. 2:25; 2 Tim. 2:3; Phlm. 1:2).


Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

71. The rite of confirmation is to be revised and the intimate connection which this sacrament has with the whole of Christian initiation is to be more clearly set forth; for this reason it is fitting for candidates to renew their baptismal promises just before they are confirmed.


Lumen Gentium (1964), Dogmatic Constitution on the Church

26. [Bishops] are the original ministers of Confirmation...

33. The apostolate of the laity is a sharing in the salvific mission of the Church. Through Baptism and Confirmation all are appointed to this apostolate by the Lord himself.


Orientalium Ecclesiarum (1964), Decree on the Eastern Catholic Churches

13. The established practice in respect of the minister of Confirmation that has obtained from most early times in the Eastern Church should be fully restored. Therefore, priests validly confer this sacrament, using chrism blessed by a patriarch or a bishop.


Apostolicam Actuositatem (1965), Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity

3. The laity derive the right and duty to the apostolate from their union with Christ the head; incorporated into Christ's Mystical Body through Baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself.


Ad Gentes (1965), Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church

36. As members of the living Christ, incorporated into Him and made like unto Him through baptism and through confirmation and the Eucharist, all the faithful are duty — bound to cooperate in the expansion and spreading out of His Body, to bring it to fullness as soon as may be (Eph. 4:13).