By Maryangela Layman Román Catholic Herald Staff

ST. FRANCIS — There will be no change in the age for reception of the sacrament of confirmation in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, according to a letter from Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan and Bishop Richard J. Sklba written to the people of the archdiocese and released in this issue of your Catholic Herald.

According to the letter, two weeks ago, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council unanimously recommended the practice of young people receiving the sacrament at age 16 or 17 be continued. The bishops accepted its recommendation.

Discussion concerning the age began after Archbishop Dolan received written requests, including a letter signed by 500 to 600 Catholics, requesting that the age for reception of confirmation in the archdiocese be lowered to junior high age.

Consultation surfaced varying views

In response to their request, Archbishop Dolan asked the APC to conduct a consultation on the topic and to offer to him a recommendation. The consultation was conducted in two sessions, the first on Jan. 28 at Dominican High School was a study day where the 230 participants heard about the history of the sacrament and the practices of dioceses across the United States.

Part two was held at the Cousins Center on Feb. 25, open only to those who had participated in part one. During this gathering, individuals with similar thoughts on the proper age were grouped and formulated written proposals defending what they believe to be the proper age for reception of the sacrament.

A majority, 121 participants, believed the archdiocese should retain the current practice, while 10 asked that it be changed to grades 6 to 8; the remaining people who participated in the full consultation process suggested a variety of changes from grade 10 to grades two and three to no age, rather individual choice.

Explaining the decision in an interview with your Catholic Herald, Archbishop Dolan said, “In general, I think the pastoral practice in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee that we would celebrate the sacrament as a junior in high school is a sound one. While there are disadvantages in any age, I think the whole engine of catechesis that we have, while we’re always trying to strengthen it, works very well and I’d hate to tamper with it,” he said. “Bishop Sklba and I, as the ones who are supposed to make the prudential, pastoral decisions for this archdiocese, we think to keep it where it’s at is a good thing,” he said.

In an e-mail interview, Bishop Sklba said he “was happy that the APC took the time to think this question through so carefully and that our experience and our knowledge meshed so completely.”

Archbishop prepared not to like practice

Archbishop Dolan admitted that four years ago when he was appointed archbishop of Milwaukee, he expected not to like conferral of the sacrament at age 16 or 17.

“I was used to St. Louis where they do it in seventh and eighth grade. So I was prepared not to like it. As with some other things, once I got here, I said, ‘Hey, this works pretty well.’ Is it perfect? No. Does it need some refinement, you bet, but I like it. I have to be honest with you I had a very open mind when I proposed (the consultation) to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council.”

He said the consultation brought to light catechetical flaws.

“One of the problems we’ve got in the age that we do it —as enthusiastically we reaffirm that age — is sometimes the catechesis leads them to believe that they are earning the sacrament and that asking for the sacrament of confirmation is a big favor that they are doing for God. Now, of course, in our sacramental theology of the church, the opposite is true. One never earns a sacrament, one never merits a sacrament. That’s why we do infant baptism.”

He said that leads to the incorrect belief that young people are saying, “I am now choosing the church.”

“Well, God chooses us, we don’t choose the church, we inherit it. So in our catechesis, we want to correct that,” said Archbishop Dolan. “That’s why this consultation was good, even though I think the advantages of 16 far outweigh the disadvantages, I can’t deny there are some disadvantages we need to tend to.”

Grace not exclusive to confirmation

The consultations emphasized what Archbishop Dolan described as different theological approaches to the sacrament.

“Those who would want the sacrament earlier are laudably emphasizing the fact that sacraments are occasions of grace and that the major posture, the definitive posture we take in any sacrament, is one of receiving.

Others “would say we like it a little later because part of the posture of receiving the grace of the sacrament is the readiness and eagerness to indicate an adult commitment to the faith,” he said.

Both are correct, he said, but added that grace is available not exclusively through the sacrament of confirmation.

“It’s available through baptismal covenant, it’s available daily in the Holy Eucharist, it’s available as often as we wish in the sacrament of reconciliation and it’s ours for the asking in daily prayer,” said Archbishop Dolan.

Bishop Sklba added, “Grace comes with two aspects, not only the works of God (ex opere operato) but also the work of the human recipient (ex opera operantis) and I fear that some parents forget the essential importance of the latter.”

Staff coordinator for the APC, Noreen Welte, director of the department for worship and pastoral services, noted it’s good parents want their children to have grace to support them through adolescence.

“That’s exactly what the confirmation program provides in a community of peers and catechists who can help teens articulate those struggles and can help them develop a prayer life during the teen years and strengthen them for the future,” she said.

Archbishop Dolan said he found it interesting the so-called “professional religious educators” were virtually unanimous in wishing that the age remain as it is.

Parents sought change in age

“The major thrust of those who felt it should be changed were parents. Now, that says something. Obviously parents are the primary catechists of their children. On the other hand, we had a lot of feedback from parents who said no, we like it where it’s at,” he said.

In arriving at his decision, Archbishop Dolan said the fact that teens might not come to church functions after confirmation was not a factor.

“One of the more dismal times was when I met with religious educators and one of them stood up and said, ‘Archbishop, please don’t change the age of confirmation, because then we’ll lose our jobs.’ In other words, the kids won’t come anymore. I said, ‘Well, I sure would hate to see that happen but that can’t be the reason why we keep the sacrament where it is.’”

The archbishop said he is heartened when he reads letters from the confirmands who admit they were initially reluctant to go through the process of confirmation, but have come to see the value of the sacrament and faith in their lives. In spite of busy schedules, he said they write they are never too busy for their faith.

“That in a way is a real sign of maturity and responsibility. Boy, to come to that insight, alone, is tremendous, because at that stage of their lives, things are only going to get busier. So they learn at 16 to make some time every week for the Lord, that in itself is a tremendously rich experience.”

Bishop Sklba agreed.

“The current age catches young people as they begin to settle into adult Catholic attitudes and practice. Although they are very busy, they are forced to make space for God amid it all and this is very helpful. The consistent research of Andrew Greeley insists that one of the most important factors in life-long Catholicity is a strong retreat/service program in adolescence … much more valuable than earlier involvement at the grade school level … which might suggest that the church consider greater emphasis on high school over the grade school system for long term socialization in the church.”

Archbishop thankful for discussion

The archbishop thanked those who instigated the discussion, noting they brought to light changes to be made in the current practice and reminded the archdiocese that sacraments are occasions of grace.

“Even though I didn’t end up granting their request I sure respect them and sure are very grateful to them in raising the issue because I think what they’ve done is succeeded in making the confirmation household conversation,” said Archbishop Dolan.

“I rejoice in the whole consultation process for a number of reasons. I think it made the whole sacrament of confirmation issue a real front burner issue. People all over the archdiocese were talking about it,” he said, chuckling, even his dentist as he was about to inject him with Novocain.

“It became meat and potatoes conversation and caused quite a buzz throughout the archdiocese,” said Welte. “People were very willing to talk about their belief as to what the right age is and in that way, it is very good.”

Addressing a concern voiced by some that lay people were left out of the discussion, Welte noted the overwhelming majority of the people at the second session were laity.

“I think what they forget is that most of our DREs and some of our youth ministers are also parents,” she said.

She added that the APC and bishops also considered a huge volume of feedback from letters sent by people who did not attend the sessions.

The archbishop said he was happy people on both sides took the sacrament seriously.

“Both sides had excellent points. Both sides had some tremendous insights,” he said.

He noted that contrary to his expectation the issue did not divide along “liberal-conservative lines.” While he expected those with liberal leanings to want the age to remain as it is and conservatives to push for a younger age, he discovered that not to be the case.

“The thoughts on it seemed to bridge ideology,” said the archbishop.