When can pastors perform confirmation?

Answer 1

A bishop is the ordinary minister of the sacrament of confirmation. Pastors/priests may administer the sacrament only in rare cases when there is a Catholic in danger of death who has not yet been confirmed. In this circumstance, the priest may request from his local ordinary (bishop) to be empowered to administer the sacrament. Receiving the sacrament is not necessary for salvation, but it places a permanent mark upon the soul and thus gives one more grace and thus more capacity to merit and do good and thus more glory in heaven. If the person recovers from his/her illness, the confirmation is considered complete and no conditional confirmation is needed from the bishop.

Normally, a candidate for Confirmation must spend a period of time in preparation, both in studying the sacrament in order to understand what it is, why it is given and what it involves as well as spiritual tasks such as prayer and perhaps penance. When a priest or catechist has judged a candidate ready, he will list them as ready to be confirmed at the next visit of the bishop to the parish for that purpose. Usually such visits are planned months ahead, or happen annually on the same day - this allows the priest to prepare several candidates at once with their training culminating with the bishop's visit.

Answer 2

A bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation, but at the Easter Vigil a priest (pastor or priest he delegates) may confirm an adult who has studied in the Rite of Christian Initiation Program ansd received into the Church

Answer 3

The only time that a priest may confirm is either if

1) he seeks and receives special permission from the Bishop,

2) in danger of death, for instance when baptizing a baby in the hospital that is not expected to live, and

3) when bringing converts into the Church such as at the Easter Vigil.

However, those who are going through the RCIA because they were never brought up in the faith, but have received Catholic baptism CANNOT normally be confirmed by a priest at the Easter Vigil but should be sent to the Bishop for confirmation.