The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Sacrament of Confirmation
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION.
PRAYER
For obtaining right dispositions for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.
O MY God, through thy great mercy I have received three of thy most holy sacraments; the first to make me thy child, the second to efiace the stains which sin had made in my soul, the third to unite me with thy divine Son. Grant, then, I beseech thee, that the sacrament which I am now preparing to receive may avail to the making me a perfect Christian; that it may give me strength and courage to combat my evil habits, to overcome all my temptations, to conform myself perfectly to thy Law, and to become a true soldier of Jesus Christ, ready to suffer anything rather than renounce his holy religion, and to maintain it, if need be, even at the peril of my life. This I most earnestly beseech thee, O my God, through the merits of thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE TWELVE FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST.
O Holy Spirit, Eternal Love of the Father and the Son, vouchsafe to grant unto me, I beseech thee, the fruit of Charity, that I may be united to thee by divine love; the fruit of Joy, that I may be filled with a holy consolation; the fruit of Peace, that I may enjoy inward tranquillity of soul; the fruit of Patience, that I may endure humbly everything that may be opposed to my own desires; the fruit of Benignity, that I may willingly relieve the necessities of my neighbour; the fruit of Goodness, that I may be benevolent towards all; the fruit of Longanimity, that I may not be discouraged by delay, but may persevere in prayer; the fruit of Mildness, that I may subdue every rising of evil temper, stifle every murmur, and repress the susceptibilities of my nature in all my dealings with my neighbour; the fruit of Fidelity, that I may rely, with assured confidence, on the Word of God; the fruit of Modesty, that I may order my exterior regularly; the fruits of Continency and Chastity, that I may keep my body in such holiness as becometh thy temple; so that having, by thy assistance, preserved my heart pure on earth, I may merit in Jesus Christ, according to the words of the Gospel, to see God eternally in the glory of his kingdom. Amen.
ACTS BEFORE CONFIRMATION.
An Act of Faith.—O Holy Spirit, I firmly believe that I am about to receive thy gifts in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Enlighten my mind, that I may know the greatness of the blessing thou bestowest on me.
An Act of Hope. — Relying on thy infinite goodness, O Holy and Sanctifying Spirit, I confidently hope that, receiving thee in the Sacrament of Confirmation, I shall receive the abundance of thy graces. I trust in thee that thou wilt make me a perfect Christian, and that thou wilt give me strength to confess the faith, even at the peril of my life.
An Act of Charity. — I love thee, O Holy Spirit, with all my heart, and with all my soul, above all things, because thou art infinitely good and worthy to be loved. Kindle in my heart the fire of thy love; and grant that, having received thee in the Sacrament of Confirmation, I may faithfully perform all the duties of my state to the end of my life.