2697. The Sponsors in Confirmation.—(a) Qualifications.—The requirements for validity are, _mutatis mutandis_, practically the same as for baptismal sponsorship. Thus, the sponsor must be designated by the parents or the candidate, or, in default of them, by the pastor or minister; he must not be the parent or spouse of the confirmandus; he must physically touch the confirmandus at the moment of Confirmation. Further, it is required that the sponsor be already confirmed himself. The requirements for licitness are the same as for Baptism, and moreover, as a rule, the sponsor at Confirmation should be of the same sex as the recipient and be different from the baptismal sponsor (Canons 795, 796).
(b) Duties.—The godfather at Confirmation contracts a lifelong spiritual relationship with his godchild (which does not constitute a matrimonial impediment). The latter should have a special place in his prayers according to the order of charity, and, if necessity arises, should receive his protection and assistance in spiritual matters (Canon 797).
2698. Duties of the Pastor in Reference to Confirmation.—(a) The pastor should instruct his people on the nature and advantages of Confirmation and should see to it that they receive the Sacrament in due time (Canon 787). He should also instruct his parishioners about the terms of _Spiritus Sanctus_. His power as extraordinary minister imposes an obligation _per se_ grave to use it when the cases arise; excusing causes, however, are possible, and neglect in a single case would be only venial. At appointed times each year he should hold a continuous course of instructions over a period of several days in order to prepare the classes of children for the proper reception of Confirmation (Canon 1300).
(b) The pastor should see that the Confirmations of his parishioners are entered in a special book of record, and should also note in the baptismal register the fact of Confirmation (Canons 798, 470, n. 2).
2699. The Sacrament of the Eucharist.—This is the chief Sacrament, for, while the other Sacraments produce the grace or the grace and the character of Christ, this one contains Christ Himself; and, while the other Sacraments are means that prepare man to consecrate or to receive the Eucharist or at least symbolize it, the Eucharist is the end of them all. The Eucharist may be defined as follows: “The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ present through the words of consecration under the appearances of bread and wine to be offered to God and to be received by man.” Thus, we may distinguish various aspects of the Eucharist.
(a) It is a sacrifice, since the Mass is the supreme act of worship and is one with the sacrifice of the cross (see 2178 sqq.).
(b) It is a permanent Sacrament, since unlike the other Sacraments it does not consist in the passing application of a sacred sign to a recipient, but in the abiding presence of a thing absolutely sacred contained under sensible forms.
(c) It may be considered in its passing phases of beginning, in which it is consecrated by the priest (performance of the Sacrament), and termination, in which it is received by the communicant (application, dispensation of the Sacrament).
2700. The Matter and Form of the Eucharist.—Since the essence of a Sacrament is found in the outward sign, it is commonly held that the Sacrament of the Eucharist consists in the species of bread and wine as signifying the body and blood of the Saviour, which is really, truly and substantially contained under them.
(a) The matter of the first consecration is that which Christ used, namely, bread. The bread must be true bread in the strict and usual Scriptural sense of the word. Hence, for validity it is necessary that it be made from wheat flour (bread made from beans, peas or other legumes, bread made from non-wheaten cereals such as corn, oats, and probably also rye and barley, is not valid matter); that the flour be mixed with water (bread made from a notable quantity, i.e., about one-third of other liquid, such as milk, oil, wine, is invalid matter); further, that the mixture be sufficiently baked (dough or half-baked cakes are invalid matter). The bread must be entire and not substantially adulterated or changed; hence, bread from which all the gluten has been abstracted, bread to which a notable amount of foreign substance (such as sugar or non-wheaten flour) has been added, bread so old that it has corrupted, cannot be consecrated. Accidental qualities do not affect validity, and hence any kind of wheat may be used (hard, soft, red, or white). But the church law strictly requires that a priest observe the tradition of his own Church (i.e., among Latins the bread must be unleavened and the host round), and that all consecrated matter be new (i.e., not baked more than fourteen days, or, according to others, twenty or forty days), clean, and unbroken. The small particles for the laity should be about one inch in diameter, the large hosts about two or three inches; and all altar breads should be of moderate thickness.