Questo articolo è disponibile anche in: Italian English Spanish Portuguese

Good morning Father,
I received the sacrament of confirmation while in a state of mortal sin. Is my confirmation invalid? Should I repeat it? In order to receive the sanctifying grace, is it sufficient to confess that I was confirmed while in a state of mortal sin?
Thank you in advance. 

Priest’s answer

Dear reader,

  1. There are four sacraments that are still valid even when received in a state of mortal sin. These are: baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and marriage. 
    In particular, the first three sacraments mentioned infuse in a soul, aside from grace, what we call character or seal, which conforms the person to Christ. 
  2. This is how Saint Thomas describes the sacramental character:
    “A sacramental character is properly a kind of seal, whereby something is marked, as being ordained to some particular end: thus a coin is marked for use in exchange of goods, and soldiers are marked with a character as being deputed to military service.
    Now the faithful are deputed to a twofold end. First and principally to the enjoyment of glory. And for this purpose they are marked with the seal of grace according to Ezekiel 9:4: “Mark a Thou upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and mourn”; and Apocalypse 7:3: “Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we sign the servants of our God in their foreheads.”
    Secondly, each of the faithful is deputed to receive, or to bestow on others, things pertaining to the worship of God. And this, properly speaking, is the purpose of the sacramental character. Now the whole rite of the Christian religion is derived from Christ’s priesthood. Consequently, it is clear that the sacramental character is specially the character of Christ, to Whose character the faithful are likened by reason of the sacramental characters, which are nothing else than certain participations of Christ’s Priesthood, flowing from Christ Himself.” (Summa Theologiae, III, 63, 3).
  3. In a few words: character makes one a participant in Christ’s priesthood and enables its celebration.
    For example, the baptismal character enables a person to celebrate Christ’s priesthood by offering his life to God, making it a pleasing sacrifice to Him, a sacred reality, a reality that belongs to Him forever.
    Confirmation confers a new character and appoints us to worship God not only in spirit and truth in our conscience, but also publicly, by participating in the Sacraments and in Church life.
    In the Sacred Order people are given the opportunity to celebrate the divine mysteries, the Sacraments.
    Each one of these three sacraments conforms us, each in its own way, to Christ’s priesthood. 
  4. Now Christ’s Priesthood is eternal, according to Psalm 109:4: “Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.” Consequently, every sanctification wrought by His Priesthood, is perpetual, enduring as long as the thing sanctified endures.” (Summa Theologiae, III, 63,5).
    However, the soul which receives it is immortal and, therefore, the character lasts for all eternity.
    This power stays forever. Nobody can take it away. It is indelible. 
  5. In conclusion: if one receives the Sacraments mentioned while lacking God’s grace, these Sacraments do not produce their sanctifying effect – grace.
    It is necessary for the sinner to purify themselves through sacramental Confession.
    Mortal sin is an obstacle which prevents us from receiving sanctifying grace.
    Furthermore, it profanes the celebration of the Sacrament because it exposes it to this unfruitfulness by leading one to commit sacrilege.
    This is the reason why a person who received the Sacrament of Confirmation while in a state of mortal sin does not receive grace from it. 
  6. “But this impediment is removed by Penance, inasmuch as sins are taken away thereby. Hence it follows that deeds previously deadened, recover, through Penance, their efficacy in bringing him, who did them, to eternal life, and, in other words, they are revived. It is therefore evident that deadened works are revived by Penance.” (Summa Theologiae, III, 89, 5). 
  7. In other words, Confirmation received in a state of sin is valid because it imparts the character, but it does not communicate grace.
    However, since the character conferred is indelible, if one confesses their sins by saying they have been Confirmed in a state of mortal sin, they regain grace and, with it, the sacramental grace tied to Confirmation. 

I bless you, I remember you in my prayers and wish you well.
Father Angelo