What happens when you switch the order of two of the purposes of marriage? We’ll see why this shift happened, and what the reaction was. But first we’ll start with the consequences. Can this simple change explain the degradation of the modern family?

Today we’ll be looking at the basis of marriage. We’ll look at its institution, and we’ll also look a the purposes of marriage – are there some that are more important than others? We’ll also look at what marriage is, in its essence. Is it a natural union, a supernatural union, or both? And what about the sacramental grace of this sacrament – is it different than the other sacraments in any particular way?

We’ll take last week’s concepts and look at the new rite of this sacrament. Is it really preparing our loved ones for this most critical moments before eternity? Is it focusing the prayers of priest on the soul’s eternal salvation, instead of just on physical well-being?

While it can often seem that this sacrament is sad – and indeed, it is often given when a loved one is close to death – we’ll look at what this sacrament can give a soul as it is about to enter eternity. And we’ll see that instead of bringing sadness, it brings peace, and even joy to these final moments.

We’re going to approach this episode in two different ways – we’ll look at the teaching and the prayers surrounding the sacrament, then we’ll look at the specific characteristics of this sacrament, especially the matter and the form. Of all the New Sacraments, Confirmation is the one where there is most serious cause for concern.

In this first of two episodes on Confirmation, we’ll first take a step back and look at the Institution of the Sacrament, its history, and why its practiced differently in the Eastern Churches versus the Latin Church. We’ll also look briefly at the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, the Matter and Form of Confirmation, and why the Church talks about the Perfection of Catholic Virtues in this Sacrament more than the others.