Age for receiving 1st communion

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maggiec

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At what age do most children receive 1st reconcilliation and then 1st communion? At our parish children must attend ccd for two years before receiving and they make no exceptions for home schooling. Is this the norm now?
maggiec
 
Generally speaking, children receive these sacraments at age 7, although some dioceses have pushed back the first confession to 4th grade or about age 9.

The age for recipiency of the sacraments has changed several times over the centuries, this is hardly set in stone.
At our parish children must attend ccd for two years before receiving and they make no exceptions for home schooling. Is this the norm now?
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No, that isn’t any kind of rule of the church. The parish priest just has to be satisfied that the people are sufficiently catechised and know about the sacraments before they are admitted to them.
 
I teach Catechism in our little parish, and it is the same for us. The children receive their first confession and 1st Communion in grade 2 at the age of 7 or 8. Homeschooled children join in.

By the way, we have permission from our bishop to teach the “Faith in Life” series, rather than “Born of the Spirit”. It’s more traditional, and actually teaches the faith.
 
The age of reason is seven. Somewhere in there falls first, second or third grade. Here, home education is considered a private school, as I know it is in Texas. Pastors have the right to make sure all children are properly catechized for these two sacraments, but generally the home educated are just as, if not better, prepared than the kids in the parish school and CCD. They are not subjected to further instruction, other than what they receive through their home school. I’ll PM you.
 
I don’t know how I’ll handle this now. My 3 granddaughters live with their poppy and I while our daughter is away in the air force so they have only been in class this year (to late to start last year when they moved here). They haven’t attended for two years (which is the requirement). They are in ccd for 1st communion and the 7 year olds (twins) have been told they can’t receive until next year when they are in 2nd grade. Their birthdays are on 1 Oct so they started school late. I told the ccd coordinator that they are schooled everyday in their faith at home and not just once a week in class as many other children are.
I have been teaching them from the book Called to His Supper, Our 3rd grader wrote a paper in class that her teacher sent home for me. It said one of her wishes is that she receive the Body and Blood of Christ. I would think that should be the issue.
Why does everything seem so difficult these days?
maggiec
 
In the Byzantine Catholic churches (at least Ruthenian and Ukrainian) 1st Communion, Confirmation (chrismation) and baptism are given at the same ceremony, even a young infant gets this.
 
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maggiec:
I don’t know how I’ll handle this now. My 3 granddaughters live with their poppy and I while our daughter is away in the air force so they have only been in class this year (to late to start last year when they moved here). They haven’t attended for two years (which is the requirement). They are in ccd for 1st communion and the 7 year olds (twins) have been told they can’t receive until next year when they are in 2nd grade. Their birthdays are on 1 Oct so they started school late. I told the ccd coordinator that they are schooled everyday in their faith at home and not just once a week in class as many other children are.
I have been teaching them from the book Called to His Supper, Our 3rd grader wrote a paper in class that her teacher sent home for me. It said one of her wishes is that she receive the Body and Blood of Christ. I would think that should be the issue.
Why does everything seem so difficult these days?
maggiec
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Just talk to your priest. Last year, I had a home schooled boy who skipped up to my class because he was so far ahead of the others, since his mom really knew her faith. Our priest recognized that and made allowances for him.
 
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maggiec:
Why does everything seem so difficult these days?
maggiec
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It’s a fairly common practice in most parishes to expect children to attend two years of CCD before receiving First Reconciliation or First Communion. A lot of parishes refer to their kids as “First year Sacrament Preparation” kids and “Second year Sacrament Preparation” kids. That normally means they receive the Sacraments when they are in the second grade of regular school but it’s pretty common to have 1st year “Sacrament Preparation” students who are in the second grade and 2nd year “Sacrament Preparation” students who are in the third grade. My parish has a separate class for older kids who have been baptized but for some reason have never received their First Reconciliation or First Communion. Again, it is a two year program.

I believe the idea is that knowledge alone isn’t the point. They want the kids (and I’m speculating even more so the adult guardians) to have some time to grow in formation. I guess the idea is kind of the same as RCIA for adults.

I know some parishes allow parents (or grandparents) to privately instruct their children. Other parishes just won’t permit it. (My parish doesn’t.) But two years is generally the norm no matter how old the kids or who is teaching. If your parish doesn’t recognize the previous home instruction you will have to decide whether to follow the local rules or to find another parish that does recognize what they have already leaned at home.
 
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maggiec:
I Our 3rd grader wrote a paper in class that her teacher sent home for me. It said one of her wishes is that she receive the Body and Blood of Christ. I would think that should be the issue.
Why does everything seem so difficult these days?
maggiec
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this is exactly what I was referring to in another thread on another forum about making up rules just to make things harder. It is up to the pastor, ultimately, not the DRE or catechist to determine when a child is ready to receive. Please make an appointment for an interview with him. Bring the instructional materials you are using, and by all means the paper your 3rd grader wrote. What is required is that the child have reached the age of reason (catechetical age, usually at least 7), understand the difference between the Eucharist and ordinary bread and wine, understand who Jesus is and that He is present in the Eucharist, and show the desire to receive Jesus.

After doing this (sacramental prepartion) for over 15 years frankly I have to agree with our bishop that nowdays few 2nd graders are ready, although there may be exceptions, and the 3rd grade is preferrable, but if a parent came to me, who was convinced her child was ready, I would arrange an interview with pastor, parent, child and catechist and if the pastor agreed, the child would receive communion without delay. In my experience the fact that the vast majority of parents do not continue any form of religious education for their child after first communion proves that neither the parents nor the child have an appreciation for what is happening.
 
This is hypothetical, but Annie: If a child had received that first year of sacramental prep in another venue, say North Dakota, and as a family transfer to, oh, Texas, during the summer. Would a lot of DREs just say “no” because the first year was not at their parish?

I ask because there are a lot of families who move that don’t always have the benefits of such organizations as the military archdiocese, which helps out with Catholic chapels and rel ed.
 
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OutinChgoburbs:
This is hypothetical, but Annie: If a child had received that first year of sacramental prep in another venue, say North Dakota, and as a family transfer to, oh, Texas, during the summer. Would a lot of DREs just say “no” because the first year was not at their parish?

I.
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in this diocese we are explicitly told to “honor” transfers from other parishes, or dioceses and if they come with a letter or attendance certificate to credit them for time attended in another program, including children migrant workers, who must be admitted to CCD any time of the year.
 
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Kielbasi:
Generally speaking, children receive these sacraments at age 7, although some dioceses have pushed back the first confession to 4th grade or about age 9.
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It is Canon Law that children go to first Penance before recieving their first communion.

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.
 
What I don’t understand is that most in our parish know us. We sit in the 3rd pew from the front every sunday. Father blesses the children every sunday. Its not like we’re strangers here. Since Dec. when the girls mom left for af duty the girls go to mass every sunday with us. Our friends remark on the fact that the girls know most of the mass and prayers. Its not like we just came in so they could receive.
The girls pray every night, before every meal, no matter where they are, even in school, and have a true love for our Lord. There are exceptions to every rule. Our daughter was suppose to go to Iraq but we don’t know what will happen now. It is important to all of the girls they receive while there mother is here in January. I don’t understand the problem. I think we have decided to do what a friend suggested and take them to Randolph AFB for their first communion. I wish it would have been able to receive where they were baptised, but this will be good too.
Thanks for your imput,
maggiec
 
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bogeyjlg:
It is Canon Law that children go to first Penance before recieving their first communion.
.
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Several years back, the bishops allowed some parishes to put penance in 4th grade, reasoning that most 2nd grade children don’t really “get” confession. Then this was later revoked, but some parishes, ours included, still follow this.

Our boys all had 1st communion in 2nd grade, followed by 1st Penance in 4th grade. They understood it a whole lot better, IMO.
 
Age for First Eucharist?

😃

I think some of you know what is coming next…

😃

The age is immaterial. The proper time for First Eucharist is at the Divine Liturgy that follows the Baptism and Chrismation.

So for many Byzantine Catholics that would be as an infant.
 
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Catholic90:
Several years back, the bishops allowed some parishes to put penance in 4th grade, reasoning that most 2nd grade children don’t really “get” confession. Then this was later revoked, but some parishes, ours included, still follow this.

Our boys all had 1st communion in 2nd grade, followed by 1st Penance in 4th grade. They understood it a whole lot better, IMO.
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Well, they are acting contrary to Church Law then.

If the children of your parish ‘get’ confession better at 4th grade, then push back 1st Communion to then as well.

It is not the funciton of a pastor or DRE to pick and choose which parts of Canon Law their parish will follow, and which ones they will not.
 
My 7 year old made his first confession on his 7th Birthday.

Why? primarily because he asked to.

As a Baptisted Catholic who is past the age of reason, I could not licitily prevent him from requesting that Sacrament from a priest, and a priest could not licitly refuse.

In addition, as his parent, I have an obligation to attend to my children’s Sacramental welfare. If he requestes a Sacrament that he is not prohibited by law from recieving, I HAVE to both encourage and assist.

Per Canon 914, it was also my obligation to make sure he knew the form of the Sacrament, including his Act of Contrition, and to recieve instruction on the nature of the Sacrament includling what consititues sin.

So keep that in mind if your children ever ask if they can go to confession. If they are over 7, you are obligated to prepare and take them.
 
If children have reached the age of reason, then they are capable of committing mortal sin.

Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.

I was certainly capable of understanding this when I was in 2nd grade and I am of no great mind. If they do not understand the concept of mortal sin then I would venture to say the age of reason has not come upon them.
 
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