By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Soon Confirmation in Hawaii will no longer be a high school sacrament but one received in the second grade, with first Holy Communion.
The change will be staggered for parishes over the next five years during which the Diocese of Honolulu will return the reception of the three “sacraments of initiation” to their “original” order — Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion.
First Penance, though not a sacrament of initiation, will continue to be administered in the second grade, before Confirmation.
Baptism will still be given to infants.
Bishop Larry Silva announced these changes last April. He published the details on Jan. 10 in a “Decree of Promulgation” for the “Norms for the Preparation for and Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation and First Penance.”
In his letter introducing the norms, Bishop Silva said “Celebrating the sacraments in this order was the universal practice of the early Church.”
He also said it is the sequence celebrated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and consistently practiced by Eastern Catholic Churches.
Hawaii’s parishes have divided themselves into three groups that will stagger the transition. (See charts below.) Each group has about two years to complete the change from administering Confirmation in high school to the second grade.
Each parish chose its group depending on its readiness to implement “comprehensive” high school-age youth ministry to supplant the programs now oriented toward preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation.
Parishes and Catholic schools will have to update their second grade sacrament curriculums to include Confirmation.
The bishop will delegate parish priests to administer Confirmation to the “catch up” students, those between grades two and 12 not yet confirmed. This will take place, after a year’s preparation, at one time on the feast of Pentecost. Catholic schools are being encouraged to provide catechesis for the “catch up” students. If they don’t, students must attend Confirmation classes in their own parishes.
The bishop will confirm high school students for three more years, 2016 to 2018, before beginning to confirm second graders in 2019. He may also choose to confirm some of the “catch up” students at Pentecost.
Catholic school students may receive Confirmation class instruction at their schools no matter which parish they belong to, but retreats, parent sessions, rehearsals and liturgical celebrations are to take place in their own parishes.
Essential to the change in the age of Confirmation is the adoption by each parish of a “comprehensive” youth ministry.
The diocese now prepares high school students for Confirmation through a required two-year program of classes, community service and retreats, usually from the ninth through tenth grade. These activities will be incorporated into youth ministry.
Nine other U.S. dioceses, out of 195, have made the change to the “restored order” of the sacraments of initiation.
In his announcement in April, Bishop Silva gave this practical reason for making the transition. “What we are doing (now) is not working very well. Confirmation is often experienced more as a graduation from the church than as a free gift of God’s grace.”
“We believe that Confirmation gives the gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and the fear of the Lord. Young people need these gifts as they grow up, not when they are nearly done growing up.”
Parish order for proper order
Each parish was asked to select the year it wanted to make the transition based on its implementation of comprehensive youth ministry.
GROUP 1: 2017-2018
- Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, Honolulu
- Annunciation, Waimea
- Immaculate Conception, Lihue
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Papaikou
- Maria Lanakila, Lahaina
- Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City
- Our Lady of Lourdes, Honokaa
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach
- Our Lady of the Mount, Kalihi Valley
- Our Lady Queen of Angels, Kula
- Resurrection of the Lord, Waipio
- Sacred Heart, Hawi
- Sacred Heart, Pahoa
- Sacred Heart, Punahou
- St. Anthony, Kalihi
- St. Anthony, Papaaloa
- St. Benedict, Honaunau
- St. Catherine, Kapaa
- St. Damien, Kaunakakai
- St. Elizabeth, Aiea
- St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani
- St. John the Baptist, Kalihi
- St. John Vianney, Kaneohe
- St. Joseph, Hilo
- St. Joseph, Makawao
- St. Jude, Kapolei
- St. Michael the Archangel, Kailua-Kona
- St. Pius X, Manoa
- St. Stephen, Nuuanu
- St. Theresa, Kekaha
- St. Theresa, Kihei
- St. Theresa, Mountain View
- Sts. Peter and Paul, Ala Moana
GROUP 2: 2018-2019
- Christ the King, Kahului
- Holy Cross, Kalaheo
- Holy Rosary, Pahala
- Holy Rosary, Paia
- Holy Trinity, Kuliouou
- Immaculate Conception, Ewa
- Korean Catholic Community, Manoa
- Mary Star of the Sea, Waialae
- Our Lady of Sorrows, Wahiawa
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Waikane
- Sacred Heart, Naalehu
- Sacred Hearts, Lanai City
- St. Ann, Kaneohe
- St. Ann, Waihee
- St. Anthony of Padua, Kailua
- St. Anthony of Padua, Wailuku
- St. George, Waimanalo
- St. Michael, Waialua
- St. Raphael, Koloa
- St. Rita, Haiku
- Vietnamese Martyrs Community, Kalihi
GROUP 3: 2019-2020
- Blessed Sacrament, Pauoa
- Holy Family, Honolulu
- Malia Puka O Kalani, Hilo
- Newman Center/Holy Spirit, UH
- Sacred Heart, Waianae
- St. Philomena, Salt Lake
- St. Augustine, Waikiki
- St. Joseph, Waipahu
- St. Mary, Hana
- St. Patrick, Kaimuki
- St. Rita, Nanakuli
- St. Roch, Kahuku
TRANSITION TO THE RESTORED ORDER
2016
PARISH GROUP 1: Parishes will begin planning for the introduction of the proper order of the sacraments of initiation and complete the implementation of comprehensive youth ministry
PARISH GROUPS 2 AND 3: Parishes will begin to focus on implementing comprehensive youth ministry
2017
ALL PARISHES: Bishop will confirm those in 10th grade and above (no change)
2018
PARISH GROUP 1: Parish priests will confirm those in grades 2-12 on Pentecost, May 20
PARISH GROUPS 2 AND 3: Bishop will confirm those in 9th grade and above
2019
PARISH GROUP 1: Bishop will confirm 2nd graders
PARISH GROUP 2: Parish priests will confirm those in grades 2-12 on Pentecost, June 9
2020
PARISH GROUPS 1 AND 2: Bishop will confirm 2nd graders
PARISH GROUP 3: Parish priests will confirm those in grades 2-12 on Pentecost, May 31
2021
ALL PARISHES: Bishop will confirm 2nd graders. Parish celebrations may be consolidated by region