8.310. Is there a contradiction between the post-Vatican II Rite of Confirmation (1971) and the traditional Catholic conferral of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost?

Yes. The traditional Roman Rite of Confirmation—standardized by Popes Innocent III, Pius X, and definitively codified in the 1962 Pontificale Romanum—identifies Confirmation as the sacrament that perfects baptismal grace, imprints an indelible character, and infuses the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost through a sacramental form explicit in its Trinitarian, Christological, and pneumatological content: “I sign thee with the sign of the Cross and confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

Paul VI’s 1971 “reform” (promulgated as Sacramentum Confirmationis) replaced both the matter-form complex and the associated catechesis. The new liturgy merely says, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit,” while encouraging a lowering of the age of reception, elimination of sacramental blows, and an ecumenical reinterpretation of the Gifts as “charisms for community building.” This shift minimizes the doctrine of militancy, attenuates the Trinitarian confession, and aligns with Protestant and Eastern-Orthodox wording that denies Confirmation’s priestly character and hierarchical import. Thus, the Novus Ordo rite contradicts centuries-old Catholic teaching on the sacrament’s nature, form, and effects.

1. The Traditional Doctrine of Confirmation

a. Divine institution and purpose – The Council of Trent (Sess. VII, Can. 1) defines Confirmation as a true and proper sacrament instituted by Christ, distinct from Baptism and necessary ad perfectionem. Its primary effect is to “strengthen the baptized soldier of Christ” (Trent, Can. 9) by sealing him with the Holy Ghost (sigillum doni Spiritus Sancti) and infusing the Seven Gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord (Isa 11:2-3).

b. Matter and form – The proximate matter is the anointing with Sacred Chrism on the forehead in the shape of a cross; remote matter is olive oil mixed with balsam, blessed by the bishop on Maundy Thursday. The form includes:

1. a personal sign of the cross,

2. the verb “confirmo” to signify strengthening, and

3. an explicit Trinitarian invocation.

Pope Innocent IV (1254) and Benedict XIV settle that the Trinitarian clause is de fide.

c. Minister – Ordinary minister is the bishop alone, emphasizing apostolic succession; priests may confirm only by faculty granted for danger of death or Eastern privilege. This preserves hierarchical dependency and the link to Pentecost.

d. Ceremonial catechesis – The traditional rite includes: renewal of baptismal vows, triple imposition of the bishop’s hands, signing of the cross, an obligatory slap on the cheek (spiritual militancy), and the prayer “Accipe signaculum”. Sponsors touch the shoulder, symbolizing ecclesial guardianship.

2. Paul VI’s 1971 “Reform”

The Consilium’s stated aims were ecumenism, “adaptation to modern mentality,” and simplification. Key changes:

1. Form – Latin: “N., accipe signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti.” (English: “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”) The Trinity is no longer mentioned; confirmo disappears, replaced by signaculum (seal), a neutral term used also by Anglicans.

2. Matter – Anointing remains, but the sign of the cross is optional; the oil need not be olive, any plant oil suffices (1971 Ordo praenotanda §9).

3. Minister – Faculties expanded: any priest may confirm at the Easter Vigil or when baptizing converts, dissolving the link to episcopacy.

4. Age – Episcopal conferences may move reception to early adolescence or even infancy, severing Confirmation from rational profession of faith and Christian soldiership.

5. Rubrics – The slap is abolished in favor of a “friendly gesture”; scrutinies are curtailed; Collect stresses witness and community building rather than sacramental character.

6. Catechesis – Official catechisms describe Gifts as “service charisms” for social justice rather than supernatural habits elevating the intellect and will.

3. Contradictions and Theological Consequences

Aspect	Traditional Dogma	1971 Confirmation Rite	Doctrinal Conflict
Form	Explicit Trinitarian invocation with verb confirmo	“Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit” — no Trinity, no confirmo	Risk of invalidity; eclipses confession of the Three Divine Persons
Primary Effect	Infusion of the Seven Gifts for supernatural combat	General “empowerment” for community service	Naturalistic reinterpretation of a supernatural grace
Minister	Bishop only (priests confirm only in danger of death)	Priests routinely confirm in parishes and missions	Obscures link to apostolic succession and hierarchical character
Symbolism	Cross-shaped anointing + sacramental slap (Christian soldiery)	Cross optional; slap abolished for a “friendly gesture”	Militant element of the sacrament removed
Age & Preparation	After age of reason with rigorous catechesis	Flexible — often infancy/early teens; minimal instruction	Breaks Trent’s order of sacraments; weakens explicit profession of faith
Validity of Minister	Bishops & priests ordained in the immutable traditional rite	Clergy ordained in the 1968 Paul VI rite (doubtful Orders)	Even a sound form is null if the minister himself lacks valid Orders

Validity Concerns. While most theologians concede material validity because “Holy Spirit” appears, moral theologians (e.g., Fr. Pierre-Marie, OP) argue the defect of substantial form and intention in vernacular translations can render the sacrament doubtful, especially when “seal of the Spirit” is interpreted symbolically, not ontologically. Apostolicae Curae (Leo XIII) judged Anglican Orders invalid partly due to elimination of sacrificial wording in the form; the 1971 form mimics that minimalist trend.

Doubtful ministers. Most clergy ordained since 1968 received Holy Orders in Paul VI’s new priestly-ordination rite, and almost all post-conciliar bishops were consecrated with the 1968 episcopal rite. Because the 1968 priestly-ordination and episcopal-consecration rites removed the sacrificial wording that Leo XIII declared essential for valid Orders (Apostolicae Curae), the Orders conferred by these new rites are themselves gravely doubtful. Even if the 1971 Confirmation form were sound, a priest or bishop lacking valid Orders cannot validly confer the sacrament. Thus, for Catholics under roughly eighty years of age, the defect of the minister compounds the defect of the form, making most post-conciliar Confirmations highly suspect, and more likely invalid.

Loss of the Seven Gifts. St. Thomas (ST I-II q. 68) teaches the Gifts perfect infused virtues. Post-conciliar catechisms (e.g., USCCB Confirmed in the Spirit) speak of “discovering talents for building community,” replacing supernatural habits with natural aptitudes—an implicit naturalism condemned in Humani Generis #12.

Ecumenical Agenda. Official commentary admits the form was chosen after dialogue with Orthodox and Protestants (A. Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, ch. 36). The result aligns with the Anglican “Receive the Holy Ghost.” Quo Primum’s principle—no innovation in substance—was discarded.

4. Witness of Popes, Councils, and Saints

• Trent, Sess. VII, Can. 3: “If anyone says Confirmation is not a true and proper Sacrament, or those confirmed are not strengthened, anathema sit.”

• Pope St. Pius X, Quam singulari (1910): children must understand basic doctrine before Confirmation; lowering age without instruction “does grave harm.”

• Pope Leo XIII, Divinum illud munus (1897): the Spirit’s Gifts are infused “by sacramental sign,” not by communal experience.

• St. Thomas Aquinas: “The sign of the cross impressed with chrism confers strength to profess faith boldly.” (ST III, q. 72, a. 9)

5. Fruits of the Two Rites

Statistics from Western dioceses show plummeting Confirmation retention: fewer than 50 % of confirmandi attend Mass a year later; many treat Confirmation as “graduation.” Meanwhile, traditional parishes that use the 1962 rite report near-total Mass fidelity and high vocation rates. Lex orandi, lex credendi: a diluted rite yields diluted belief.

Category	Traditional Catholic Teaching	Post-Vatican II Confirmation (1971)	Remarks
Form of the Sacrament	“I sign thee… and confirm thee… *in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost*”	“Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit” (no Trinity, no *confirmo*)	Removes explicit Trinitarian confession; follows Anglican wording
Minister	Bishop ordinarily; priest only with faculty in danger of death	Priests routinely confirm at Easter Vigil, receptions, missions	Weakens link to apostolic hierarchy and Pentecostal outpouring
Matter & Symbolism	Cross-shaped anointing with olive chrism; sacramental slap	Anointing may omit cross; slap removed	Militant character and Christic imprint lost
Age & Preparation	After age of reason, following thorough catechesis	Age flexible—infants to teens; catechesis minimal	Destroys logical sacramental sequence; weakens assent
Primary Effect	Strengthen against error; infuse Seven Gifts for spiritual combat	“Empower” baptized to serve community and witness	Naturalistic re-interpretation of supernatural Gifts
Doctrinal Emphasis	Indelible character; soldier of Christ; necessity for perfection	Focus on belonging, dialogue, ecumenical openness	Missionary militancy eclipsed by humanistic fraternity

Summary

The traditional Roman Rite of Confirmation, rooted in Scripture and codified by Trent, completes Baptism by sealing the Christian with the Holy Ghost, imparting the Seven Gifts, and enrolling him as a soldier of Christ. Its distinctive elements—cross-shaped anointing, explicit Trinitarian formula, bishop as minister, sacramental slap—teach doctrinal clarity, hierarchical order, and militant charity.

Paul VI’s 1971 reform replaced this with a minimalist ceremony: oil of any vegetable origin, optional cross, priests as ordinary ministers, and a form that omits both the Trinity and the verb confirmo. The new text, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit,” is ecumenically crafted, echoing Anglican usage condemned by Leo XIII. At the same time, post-conciliar catechesis reimagines the Seven Gifts as natural talents for community engagement, reducing the supernatural elevation of the soul to a sociological empowerment.

These changes clash with dogmatic standards. Trent anathematizes anyone who denies Confirmation’s character or necessity; the new rite’s vagueness leads many to view it as an optional coming-of-age ritual. The expansion of priestly ministers dilutes the apostolic symbolism of episcopal laying on of hands. The abolition of the slap eliminates the visible sign of Christian militancy—precisely when aggressive secularism demands courageous witnesses.

Practical results confirm the doctrinal rupture: after fifty years of RCIA-style preparation and the 1971 rite, surveys show massive ignorance of the Gifts, scant Mass attendance among confirmandi, and widespread moral dissent. By contrast, communities using the 1962 rite retain high doctrinal fidelity and produce vocations—evidence that authentic sacramental forms bear supernatural fruit.

In sum, the post-Vatican II Confirmation rite is not a harmless simplification; it constitutes a theological and pedagogical overhaul that obscures dogma, diminishes sacramental character, and aligns with Protestant ecclesiology. Faithful Catholics must recognize this contradiction, cling to the immemorial rite, and demand the restoration of a sacrament that truly confirms soldiers for the battles of the Church Militant.