Q:  I have two Catholics in RCIA preparation. Both were baptized but got no further sacraments. They are civilly married to each other. Which comes first: their confirmation and communion or their sacramental marriage? == A:  Their sacramental marriage. In fact, you may do that at any time now when you feel that they have […]

Q:  I have a question: a person who is Catholic but not yet confirmed. Does he have to be confirmed before he receives the Sacrament of Matrimony or he can get married in the church and then get to RCIA class and then receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil ? As usual, […]

Q:  I have two parishioners scheduled for a convalidation in two weeks, Ricardo & Irasema.  Both are baptized Catholics but Irasema has not been confirmed or received First Communion.  She participated in our catechumenate with her daughter.  I had planned to convalidate their marriage before Easter and have Irasema receive her sacraments at the Vigil (as […]

Q:  One blog post you wrote about confirmation isn’t correct. You said that at confirmation, the concelebrating priests join the bishop in extending hands during the prayer that begins “Almighty God” (https://paulturner.org/handlayings-at-confirmation/). When I was archbishop, I would not let the priests do that. The Order of Confirmation 9 is not referring to any priest […]

Thank you in advance for your great work. Question about Confirmation sponsor. Cannon 893 §1  – A person who would undertake the office of sponsor must fulfill the conditions mentioned in 874. Canon 874 – That states that it not be the parent of the candidate. The Rite of Confirmation introduction #5 says a parent […]

Q:  Could I get a clarification on a confirmation name. Does the person the candidate picks have to be a Saint or can it be a person who has been beatified. The family would like to use the name Alberto Marveli.    Your advice is greatly appreciated. A:  There are absolutely no universal laws governing confirmation […]

Q:  If we have confirmation during Lent, do we omit the Gloria? A:  It depends on what day it is. If the confirmation takes place on a Sunday in Lent, then there is no Gloria. You do the complete Lent liturgy and shove in the parts that pertain to confirmation. The presidential prayers and readings all stay […]

Q:  We have a situation here in which we were told about a person who is of another Christian tradition and has been baptized and confirmed in their faith tradition.   Would that person need to be re-confirmed upon entering into the Catholic faith?  Is there a book or article that we could also refer […]

Q:  Quick question re Confirmation:  Is there any canonical or liturgical prohibition on candidates taking a Confirmation name of the opposite sex? A:  There is no official legislation anywhere on confirmation names. Nothing at all in the Rite of Confirmation, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the Code of Canon Law, or the Catechism of […]

  Q:  My Bishop is currently reviewing the order of celebrating the Sacraments of initiation and is seeking to return Eucharist to being received before Confirmation.  If Confirmation is the Gift of the Holy Spirit, (which you affirm so strongly in your book, “Guide for Celebrating Confirmation”), and by that gift we are one with […]