Age for Penance

[h1478971]

What is the age in which children should first receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

 

[mom2em]

For me, if I remember correctly, it was fourth grade. So about nine or ten. First Communion in second grade. I don’t believe it was the third grade. Then in the 8th grade, we were to make our Confirmation. Perhaps it varies?

 

[puzzleannie]

What is the age in which children should first receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

there is no specific age, other than the age of reason generally considered to be about age 7, when they are old enough to know right from wrong, to understand choices and consequences, to engage in the elementary stage of moral reasoning, to understand how actions can hurt or help themselves and others. The baptized child must make a sacramental confession before receiving first communion. Dioceses or parish who had been delaying first communion have been reprimanded and corrected and the correct practice should now be the norm everywhere. In this diocese children have an initial year of faith formation beginning in 1st grade, prepare for 1st confession in 2nd grade, with first communion in 3rd grade.

 

[Mumbles140]

The baptized child must make a sacramental confession before receiving first communion. Dioceses or parish who had been delaying first communion have been reprimanded and corrected and the correct practice should now be the norm everywhere. In this diocese children have an initial year of faith formation beginning in 1st grade, prepare for 1st confession in 2nd grade, with first communion in 3rd grade.

I can’t remember if I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, but I had my first confession about a week or two before First Communion. My understanding was that it should be Confession before Communion since they have reached they have already been baptized and reached the age of reason (unlike RCIA candidates, who are washed clean in Baptism before Communion).

 

[Corki]

Preparation for First Penance/Reconcilliation/Confession is usually tied to preparation for First Communion. First Communion is usually somewhere between 2nd and 4th grade, with First Penance anywhere from a few months to a year prior.

 

[powerlinemom]

My boys are in their second year sacramental preparation class this year. They are 9 and 11, but we were still attending a Methodist church when they were younger. For the children in our parish who are on schedule with their sacraments, they start their preparations in first grade. Then in second grade they have First Reconciliation in November and First Communion in May of their second grade school year, so around age 7 or 8 depending on when their birthday falls. Confirmation classes start in the 8th grade and then they are confirmed at the end of 9th grade.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

In my diocese children need to be enrolled in faith formation for one year prior to starting any sacramental prep. In most cases, First Reconciliation occurs in the fall/winter of the child’s 2nd grade year and First Eucharist in the spring.
Confirmation prep varies greatly. In most parishes Confirmation is in middle-school, between 6th & 8th grade. There are a couple of parishes that wait until 10th grade. It can be as short as a 4-6 week,intensive program to a 2-year program, depending on the parish.

And then there are the parishes which do "restored order" where children as young as 7 or 8 are being Confirmed at the same Mass they receive First Eucharist. The formation process for ‘restored order’ is a 2-year program with First Reconciliation celebrated at the end of the first year.

FWIW, when I was young, in the late 70’s & early 80’s, it was First Eucharist in 2nd grade, First Reconciliation in 4th grade & Confirmation in 8th grade.

 

[Vico]

What is the age in which children should first receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

**In quibusdam Ecclesiae partibus, 1977, SCSDW and SCC Prot. N. 2/76)

For this reason in no. 1 of the legislative section, the Decree prescribes that there is only one age for these sacraments and that when it is reached, the obligation begins of receiving both according to the designated order, i.e., confession before communion: “The age of discretion both for confession and for communion is the age at which the child begins to reason, i.e., around the seventh year, either before or after. That is the time when the obligation begins of fulfilling the precept both of confession and of communion.”

ewtn.com/library/liturgy/firstcc.htm

 

[mom2em]

FWIW, when I was young, in the late 70’s & early 80’s, it was First Eucharist in 2nd grade, First Reconciliation in 4th grade & Confirmation in 8th grade.

That is the way it was for me. In the 80s. It would have been '87 for grade 2. 89 for grade three and grade 8 in the 90s. It wasn’t until I’d started reading the forums that I knew other places did things earlier.

When I returned to the church, I was told that my daughter could start formation classes at age six. Grade 1. Of course, I have the option of starting earlier at home with her, which I have more or less. I very much look forward to the day when she too comes with me to receive and not only to hold my hand in line.

 

[_Jenn]

At my parish, it is in 2nd grade. My son (now going into 4th) made his First Penance in January during second grade, and FHC that May. He won’t be confirmed until fall of his 9th grade year (7th/8th grade CCD will be his confirmation prep years).

It was the same way at the parish I grew up in. I made my penance/communion in 2nd, then confirmation in 9th. Years would’ve been '83 and then '89 or '90 (can’t remember which half of 9th grade confirmation occurred during)

 

[PatriceA]

At my parish, it is in 2nd grade. My son (now going into 4th) made his First Penance in January during second grade, and FHC that May. He won’t be confirmed until fall of his 9th grade year (7th/8th grade CCD will be his confirmation prep years).

It was the same way at the parish I grew up in. I made my penance/communion in 2nd, then confirmation in 9th. Years would’ve been '83 and then '89 or '90 (can’t remember which half of 9th grade confirmation occurred during)

Pretty much the same schedule for my daughter, now going into 7th grade and mine as well. I made my First Penance Spring 1974, FHC two weeks later and confirmation when I was in 8th grade. I had never heard of FHC taking place before Penance before reading some of the posts in this thread.

 

[Vico]

Pretty much the same schedule for my daughter, now going into 7th grade and mine as well. I made my First Penance Spring 1974, FHC two weeks later and confirmation when I was in 8th grade. I had never heard of FHC taking place before Penance before reading some of the posts in this thread.

In the eastern Catholic churches, is the norm for first Holy Eucharist to be given just after Holy Chrismation which occurs at the baptism of an infant. It is a different emphasis of the nuturing of the Holy Spirit from infancy.

 

[Phemie]

Pretty much the same schedule for my daughter, now going into 7th grade and mine as well. I made my First Penance Spring 1974, FHC two weeks later and confirmation when I was in 8th grade. I had never heard of FHC taking place before Penance before reading some of the posts in this thread.

My children received First Communion between 1986 and 1992 and in all 3 dioceses, in 3 separate provinces, First Confession came a year or two after First Communion. It seemed to be that way across Canada. In my present diocese that situation ceased with the elimination of the Catholic school system in 1999. I don’t know why it was that way since the present Code of Canon Law came into effect in 1983 and is quite clear about the order in which those two sacraments are supposed to take place. Of course the average parent would not have known that.

 

[MissRose73]

When I was growing up in the 1980’s, the order then was my First Communion was at age 8 (grade 2), First Confession at age 10 (grade 4) and Confirmation age 17 (grade 11).

I am noticing more places having kids make their first Confessions before first Communions which is a good thing.

 

[Phemie]

I am noticing more places having kids make their first Confessions before first Communions which is a good thing.

They should all be doing that, it’s what Canon Law dictates:

Can. 914 It is primarily the duty of parents and those who take the place of parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that children who have reached the use of reason are prepared properly and, after they have made sacramental confession, are refreshed with this divine food as soon as possible. It is for the pastor to exercise vigilance so that children who have not attained the use of reason or whom he judges are not sufficiently disposed do not approach holy communion.