Does America consider it legal for a minor under 21 to take communion. If so, how… because they are drinking alcohol? Just curious.
it is legal due to religious usage and small volumes.
most states have a religious exemption for alcohol. Taking just the consecrated wafers is fine, Christ is fully present under both species (historically only the wafers were offered to the laity so it’s not like they are spitting on tradition).
There isn’t a uniform law that says a sip of alcohol under age 21 is forbidden. In my state, minors are allowed to drink alcohol any time their parents are present and give permission.
“Prohibition in the United States focused on the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Drinking itself was never illegal, and there were always exceptions for medicinal and religious uses.”
If it wasn’t targeted during Prohibition, you know it isn’t a problem now.
Absolutely 100% legal. Even during prohibition, churches were exempt and could buy and use sacramental wine.
The laws associated with alcohol in the U.S. will make your head spin. There are federal laws, and there are state laws. The rules are broken down even further, dealing with possession, sale, etc. Even though the rules vary greatly, there is an exemption for religious purposes.
In my experience, it is very rare for a minor to receive the Precious Blood. In fact, I can’t remember one instance in my entire life seeing it in person.
That is vastly different than my experience. All children receive the Precious Blood at their FHC and probably half of the children receive from the Chalice when it is offered at parishes I have attended/been part of.
It is not legal for underage people to receive Communion wine in many US jurisdictions. It is not legal in Oregon - there is no religious (or other) exemption, and the law does not stipulate any particular quantity.
So far, no politician or prosecutor has had the gumption to take on the Church over this issue, and it’s unlikely that any ever will. It would be political suicide over an insignificant sip of wine once a week, and would likely result in nothing more than the legislature passing a religious exemption (and the ridicule and career destruction of the guy who tried to arrest priests for serving alcohol to minors).
I don’t know about every state but the usual laws against minors and alcohol involve sale and possession. Usually consumption of alcohol by minors is not in and of itself a violation of the law.
In a church or home setting, the minor does not possess the alcohol nor do have they bought it.
Huh? This is vastly different from my experience. I have never seen the cup offered at First Communion. I can’t even imagine doing that. The taste of alcohol is a learned experience and 2nd-graders being exposed to that at their FHC would seem to run a huge risk of desecration of the Precious Blood as children spit it out, possibly choke, etc. – to say nothing of getting a legion of small children to drink from the cup without spillage.
The alternative would be to have gotten the children accustomed to the taste of the wine via administering small sips of it during their FHC preparation, and I can’t imagine that, either.
Eastern Catholic children seem to manage perfectly well 
This surprises me. Far from “political suicide,” if we’ve learned anything from the current political climate, it’s that taking on the Church is at this time a career-building experience for a politician. In a liberal state like Oregon, I can truly see an ambitious politician or DA raiding a church and arresting clergy and youth volunteers for “contributing to the delinquency of a minor” or some such in connection with the use of sacramental wine.
Having a minute sip of communion wine is not drinking alcohol in the normal definition of drinking alcohol. Though I do know that people with alcohol issues will not always accept it in fear of one sip leading to them getting to the taste of alcohol again…
Being Anglican and although many people think that shouldn’t be confirmed until 16 years old, many are a lot younger sometimes still at junior school and if they are confirmed then they join in equally with communion. One tiny little sip hardly the amount one gets on a medicine spoon will not see anyone arrested for drinking alcohol…
It is required by the Church that the First Communicants be offered the Precious Blood. I will find the reference and enter it here.
That is the reason that the parents are strongly encouraged to have the children practice with wine as part of preparation.
It’s under adult supervision and the purpose is not to get drunk. It is legal because it is the practice of religion and the law cannot infringe on religion unless it is perverse or dangerous.
It isn’t and you won’t.
No issues in my state regarding minors under age 21 having a sip of Communion wine. I don’t see the EMHC’s carding people either nor priests telling them not to partake. Then again, I do not notice many minors and young people/young adults receiving from the cup anyways. Then again, not every adult partakes of the cup either for different reasons.
At First Holy Communions, yes they take both forms at the churches I attend and I certainly did many years ago when I had my first Communion at age 8.
Agreed; usually cultures from a European background where children are involved are used to daily consumption of alcohol in the traditional custom form of wine under the watchful eyes of parents. This is most often traditional in homes at lunch and supper meals in cultural communities of French and Italian’s in North America.
European families themselves have always drunken wine at meals for many centuries if not thousands of years usually due to poor quality fresh water supply. It was commonplace in my family and nobody abused it.
So I assume that in the Peoples Republic of Oregon it is also illegal for minors to imbibe such harmful potions as cough syrup, and food prepared with wine, sherry. bourbon or any other cooking spirit?
This.
I attended daily Mass with my classmates and teachers for years and years, and we were always offered the Precious Blood.
Luna