CONFIRMATION 121 



b) After having their child baptized, parents 

 are in duty bound to give it a good Christian edu- 

 cation, in order that the grace conferred by Bap- 

 tism may be preserved. In case of death or 

 neglect, this duty devolves upon the sponsors, of 

 whom there should be at least one and not more 

 than two. 10 



2. Confirmation. — The Sacrament of Con- 

 firmation bestows the grace to be "a good soldier 

 of Christ Jesus," 1X to profess the Catholic faith 

 courageously, and never under any circumstances 

 to deny it. Hence all who are able to receive this 

 Sacrament are in duty bound to do so. 12 Culpable 

 neglect in this matter exposes one to great 

 spiritual danger and is a mortal sin if inspired by 

 formal contempt for the Sacrament or accom- 

 panied by grievous scandal, or when there is 

 proximate danger of losing faith or charity. 



Bishops are under a grave obligation of afford- 

 ing the faithful an opportunity to receive this 



can. 743. — Rit. Rom., De Sacr. Bapt., 10 Codex Iuris Can., can. 760, 764 



tit. 2, c. 1, n. 13. — The decree of — Rit. Rom., De Sacr. Bapt., tit. 2 



the Holy Office of Jan. 11, 1899, al- c. 1, n. 25. — Cfr. C. Krieg, Wissen 



ready quoted, says: "Tunc vero per- schaft der Seelenleitung, Vol. I, p 



mitti poterit, ut obstetrix ilium con- no. Under the new Code no spirit 



ferat, quando periculum positive ual relationship is incurred by Bap> 



timeatur, ne puer dilationis tempore tism except between the baptizing 



sit moriturus." — Cfr. J. B. Geniesse, minister and the person baptized, 



La Mort Reelle et la Mort Appa- and between the latter and the 



rente et leurs Rapports avec VAdmi- sponsors (can. 768). 



tiistration des Sacrements, Paris 11 2 Tim. II, 3. — Cft-. St. Thomas, 



1906; J. Antonelli, Mcdicina Pasto- Summa Theol., 3a, qu. -j2, art. 1 



ralis, Vol. I, 2nd ed., Rome 1906, pp. and 7. 



265 sqq. 12 Codex Iuris Can., can. 787. 



