This is precisely the order followed in the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Baptism and Chrismation are usually administered together. In some of the Eastern Churches, First Eucharist is administered on the same day.
As a result, the preparation and reception of the Sacraments of Initiation throughout the Diocese of Phoenix will be: Baptism: in Infancy, Reconciliation: Second Grade, Confirmation and First Eucharist: Third Grade.
The Restored Order of Sacraments of Initiation - Diocese of Phoenix
I think the late Confirmation has everything to do with keeping attendance up at high school youth groups and full employment for youth ministers, and not much to do with whether the sacrament needs to be done at high school level to be understood or appreciated.
When I was on my parish’s confirmation team, although the program was two years long, I think the whole crux of it was accomplished in one weekend retreat with the Salesians. They taught the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit and whatever the kids needed to know to “get it” about what they were doing. One weekend, just like the “Engaged Encounter” which does marriage prep. If preparing for a lifetime of marriage can take only a weekend and a couple meetings with a priest, how come confirmation teams can hold a kid hostage for two years?
LOL!
If they did this in the Archdiocese of Detroit, heads would explode!
I say, Bring it on!
We do Confirmation in 8th grade, but we don’t make our cash from our program (it’s 40.00 a year). I’m sure our parish would have NO problem moving the sacraments around. But lots of parishes make their money from the programs. They like the cashflow.