Posted on 04/10/2014 1:49:20 AM PDT by NYer
I don’t even think the 2 1/2 year old son should be taken to church. I remember back in the 70’s at the school I went to. They set up a special day care room on Sunday’s were parents could leave their children while they attended service (Lutheran, Missouri Synod).
Not a fan of the teach children about Jesus, Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny.
In my parish church, once a month on a Sunday morning, the kids choir sing and the Sunday CCD classes process into my church. The older kids do the readings. The only adults who are involved are the cantors for the psalm and either a priest or a deacon does the Gospel.
Forgot about first Confession. Maybe that’s because in those days your typical seven year old didn’t have a whole lot to confess.
“Uh, bless me Father, because I have sinned. I uh, uh what did I do that was wrong? Oh - I made a face at Shirley on the playground and she ran away.”
“Three Our Fathers & three Hail Mary’s, young man, & now make a good Act of Contrition.”
Because he’s not a pro-abort Democrat politician?
I didn’t say that other churches Communion wasn’t holy and special. That being said, Catholics view the Body and Blood of Christ very differently than many other Christian religions. For example... Penance, First Holy Communion and Confirmation has to be age appropriate. The child has to be aware of the full undertaking, responsibility and sacredness of the Sacrament. Sorry if you are offended by what I wrote. Perhaps if the writer of the article is really upset about the Church’s stance... she can convert to another religion. IMHO.
Yet if my memory is correct, does not the Church require that, based on what Paul said to “examine oneself”. I know with kids getting ready to make First Communion, they may not understand, but it is more or less a teaching moment.
Also in the years following VC II, the sacrament of cofession was often delayed until either 3rd or 4th grade. I think Blessed John Paul II put back the requirement that it be done in the 2nd grade.
Because babies spit up.
There is no reason to change the way things are done, even if a mother writes an emotional article about it.
You have to know what you’re receiving and understand the meaning of what’s going on. Two and half-year old boys don’t. End of story.
I’m happy to hear this mother takes her son to church, and that he’s hopefully learning to sit still and absorb what is going on.
But, she also sounds like one of these modern parents who can’t say no to her children, and becomes one of these parents who wants an exception to the rules and regulations because, well just because, her baby is sooo special.
I find myself agreeing with the poster. As was pointed out the RCC did allow infant communion until the middle ages (or should we just assume the early Catholic Church was clueless not having enough time to distance themselves from Christ - please read that last comment as sarcasm, not an insult). I previously took a brief look at this and it was confirmed in the Vatican archives.
I think the real issue is 7 year olds receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord! The Eucharist is reserved for members of the church in good standing. Confirmation or Chrismation (West vs East) is required for membership. In the RCC most don’t get confirmed till about 17 (please correct if I have the age incorrect - however if in error, it will be slight and unintentional).
Until the Middle Ages the RCC, and still currently the Eastern Catholics and Orthodox will give infant communion, but there is a significant part that the author of the piece pointed out but was somehow relegated to cursory comment. The child was already a full member of the Church due to Confirmation/Chrismation! The order is Baptism, Confirmation and then First Holy Communion. The change to the RCC in the Middle Ages significantly altered this.
Maybe the question should be, “Should my child wait until they’re Confirmed to received?” and then followed up with, “When should my child be Confirmed?”
“... RCC most don’t get Confirmed till about 17...”
No. My other daughter got Confirmed last month. She was 13. Eighth grade is the age for Confirmation (13 or 14 depending on the birth date of the child).
It varies by diocese, in the United States. In Tulsa, it was 11th grade, average age about 17. In Charlotte, it’s 9th grade, average age about 14. In some places it’s as early as 6th grade.
My personal preference would be for any time after about 12 years old, if the child went through the preparation process as decided by the local Bishop. I’m not a fan of age-cohorts or “seat-time” requirements. Just give them the exam or other assignments when they’re ready to do it.
Again, my apologies on the age for Confirmation. I’m not Catholic so I wasn’t quite sure even though I’m generally very familiar with RCC teaching.
Again, I feel the issue is giving the Body and Blood of our Lord to a non-member of the Church (Confirmation/Chrismation grants membership in the Church). Besides being Baptized Catholic and being 7 or older, what other requirement is there to receive? The RCC doesn’t rebaptize those from proper Trinitarian faiths, so should they receive if they are over 7? The RCC allows Eastern Catholics and Orthodox to receive in an RCC Mass, so someone from the East could bring up their infant or younger child (for purposes of this article 2½) and have them receive in front of everyone (it might look scandalous, but it would be proper).
I’m not 100% certain of this next item, but I believe it to be true. Your child at say 11 has been receiving in the RCC for several years, but you decide to visit an Eastern Catholic Church (ECC for short as there are more than just Byzantine). Would your child be allowed to receive as they have not yet been Chrismated? I suspect not, but an ECC child younger than 2 could receive in the RCC.
Obviously full membership was important (Confirmation/Chrismation) to the first millennium of the RCC as they offered Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion in that order even to infants and this practice is carried by the Eastern Churches.
Eastern Catholics *are* Catholics. They aren’t “members of another religion”.
Regarding attendance in churches other than what one is used to, the wisest course, in my opinion, would be to ask the “host” pastor or a representative. You usually can’t go wrong by using good manners.
My parish waits until high school age, around 15-16.
“Obviously full membership was important (Confirmation/Chrismation) to the first millennium of the RCC as they offered Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion in that order even to infants and this practice is carried by the Eastern Churches.”
The only time that the sacrament of confirmation is given in its true proper order is when there adults in the RCIA.
That is true now for the RCC, but was otherwise for the first millennium and is still otherwise for Eastern Catholics and Orthodox.
The order changed for the RCC in the middle ages as stated in the Vatican Archives.
If what you are saying is correct then the first millennium of the Church including the specific acts of the Apostles would not have been in the proper order.
I just reread your post and believe I captured the wrong meaning the first time. Please ignore my previous post to you.
If you are agreeing on the same proper order only occurring with adults in RCIA then I will definitely agree with you.
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