Most couples are still together when the child is receiving 1st holy communion so those problems are not necessarily present then. Policies can be changed and if it is reordered, then you have a time, high school, to add other classes - TOB, apologetic, etc.
From my experience when my daughter received her first communion, MANY of her fellow classmates, both from the CCD program and the parish school, came from separated families. Its not a given anymore that children come from a stable family household. There were too many families even at the parish school that were separated and the children were being raised by a grandparent.
If the priest, who is helping the prepare the child, has no reason to believe the faith will be continued, he can deny/delay the sacraments whether it is baptizing a baby or the youth you spoke of. I had to wait to enter the Church till I was 14 because of that very reason even though I wanted to at 5. My parents were not Catholic and still aren’t. Those calls are made by the priest. If he does see that the child’s faith/formation will be continued, then most likely he will allow the sacraments.
It isn’t like that where we are, yet. Most are still together and occasionally you will have those who are under the care of guardians.
I know that the priest CAN delay them, and can deny baptism if need be. But we don’t entirely give up on infant baptism because some people do the wrong thing. It is still available.
Other than the main parts of the Bible, which wasn’t something emphasized when I was in the lower grades, I knew all that in grade 1 before I made my First Communion. In those days in my diocese, when the Sisters knew that the Bishop was coming to confirm, all those who’d received their First Communion since the last time the Bishop was there were prepared for Confirmation. I was confirmed when I was 7.
My 8 and 9 year olds know all this and much more. This certainly should be required knowledge, but it doesn’t require an 11th grader to know these.
I would further your argument by saying that we should never be “finished” studying the faith. Where is the ongoing catechesis for adults? Many Protestant denominations have this. We have nothing, for the most part, in most places that I’ve seen. That’s why 75% of those claiming to be Catholic in this country don’t even attend Sunday Mass! And attending Mass is good, but it’s a bare-bones beginning to the faith! We have so many adults in this country with high school diploma’s, college degrees, etc., but a 2nd grade education in their Catholic faith! We’re failing to learn our Catholic faith, as a group. That’s why we’re in so much trouble.
I agree, I agree, I agree. :tiphat:
Well said, even as an adult, I still learn about my faith by going to Bible Studies and other adult faith formation opportunities when I am able. If I cannot go to a formation class, then I read from my various catechism books and/or the Bible for a few minutes a day if I am able to do so.
Well, I think each bishop can set his own policies, at present, as to when he thinks it best to have Confirmation. But the Church allows it anytime after Baptism, I believe. And I think including it as a group (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion), like the Eastern Orthodox do, is best. That way, the person gets the spiritual benefits of all three Sacraments for their whole life! I agree with the Bishop of Fargo ( Bishop Samuel Aquila), who has begun to do this, said that having all three Sacraments together distance the Sacrament of Confirmation from some false theologies that see it as being a Sacrament of maturity or as a Sacrament for ‘me choosing God.’ Bishop Aquila told the Pope what he was going with this, and the Pope, it is said, was very happy and approving. In case you missed the article I posted earlier, here it is: wdtprs.com/blog/2012/03/american-bishop-receives-kudos-from-the-pope-for-reordering-sacraments/
That is one of the reasons why I chose to be a catechist. It forces me to keep growing as a Catholic, I have to look at the faith from different perspectives and that is really helpful. You cannot just say; " Now I know enough".
That is so very sad.
The discipline of the Church at this time is that other than in danger of death, when even infants should be confirmed, Confirmation is at the age of reason (~7) after a period of catechesis. Unlike Communion, reception of which requires Catholics to understand Whom they are receiving and be able to do it reverently, Confirmation has no such canonical requirement, just ‘instruction’. Canon Law does allow the Conference of Bishops to set another age.
But correct me if I’m wrong, please. The Conference of Bishops really doesn’t have any authority over individual bishops, except as each may agree, and the individual bishops can set their own policy, n’est pas, apart from the Conference of Bishops? Although, maybe the Pope needs to approve of these type of disciplinary changes? It seems that the Pope was very pleased and agreeable that the Bishop of Fargo (Bishop Samuel Aquila) had requested and received permission to give the Sacrament of Confirmation along with Baptism and Holy Communion. “I was very surprised in what the Pope said to me, in terms of how happy he was that the sacraments of initiation have been restored to their proper order of baptism, confirmation then first Eucharist,” said Bishop Aquila, after meeting Pope Benedict on March 8.
