The Rites of Passage have long been a subject of discussion since, in many ways, they are not in line with the modern perception of adolescence as a continuous process that lasts well into a person’s twenties. However, the Rights of Passage, established long before the modern system of education was formed, have a deeper meaning that makes them an essential part of every believer’s life. This paper hypothesizes that the Rites of Passage carried throughout the centuries teach a child essential elements of life such as assuming responsibility, self-confidence, and the readiness to embrace faith wholeheartedly as a guidance in all difficulties of life.
The Catholic teaching on the sacrament of confirmation singles out three key destinations of this rite that underlie its significance in Catholic tradition. First of all, confirmation serves to strengthen a believer’s connection with the Church through embracing responsibility for one’s church life. Secondly, confirmation communicates a special gift, or special power of the Holy Spirit that is believed to boost a person’s self-confidence. This power underpins a believer’s conviction that he or she is able to overcome whatever difficulties may come across his or her road. Finally, confirmation gives a believer the ability to spread and defend the faith as true witnesses of Jesus Christ.
In Jewish tradition, Bar Mitvah is closely associated with the coming age of awareness when a child begins to discern what is good and what is bad. If earlier it was parents’ responsibility to guide a child’s actions, Bar Mitvah ritual serves to shift this responsibility from parents to the child himself. From that moment on, it is a child who independently distinguishes between bad and good and chooses his or her path. Thus, in both Catholic and Jewish traditions the Rites of Passage are seen as a stage of growing up when a child assumes full responsibility for his or her actions. The need of the Rights of Passage is brought about by the necessity of assuming responsibility for one’s actions, since these rites are seen as a step toward adulthood.
In terms of the use of rites, the confirmation in Catholicism and Bar Mitvah in Judaism take place at the age 12-14 years. It is considered that this is a conscious age for making a decision. Confirmation presupposes attending a certain number of services throughout the year and talking with the pastor before the ceremony is carried out (Hoering, 2022). Thus, a child prepares for adult life and has an opportunity to discuss the issues that trouble him or her before the confirmation. Bar Mitvah in Judaism is seen as the stage when parents ‘report’ on the results of their ‘work of upbringing’ to the community, which represents the whole nation during this rite. After the ceremony, the child becomes a full-fledged member of the community.
The Rites of Passage mitigate against the adolescence as it is understood in American Christian homes in the sense that these rituals serve to establish a child’s responsibility at an early age. The fact runs counter to the perception of adolescence that stretches until the end of education where young people are not expected to take on obligations until they are financially independent from their parents. At the age of 13, I underwent confirmation which is my congregation’s usual practice. It is one of the most memorable moment of my life, as the ceremony was very beautiful, and, most importantly, after it my parents began to treat me differently, as an adult and not a child. I believe confirmation helped me to feel mature and endowed me with responsibility for my actions, at the same time giving me a sense of elation and freedom that goes with being responsible for one’s life and actions.
Reference
Hoering, P. C. (2022). Confirmation and its Preparation–Expectations and Effects. Journal of Youth and Theology, 1, 1-25.