Q. All bishops have the ability to administer confirmation validly, but a priest can only do so if he is granted the necessary authorization. Orthodox bishops are not in communion with the Catholic Church, and so they cannot delegate the power to confirm to Orthodox priests, but the Church has always recognized the confirmations performed by the latter as valid. How is this possible? Does it imply that the Orthodox are in some kind of “partial communion” with the Church by having validly ordained clergy?