Age of Reason

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Montie_Claunch

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I was wondering, From my understand one is confirmed, starts confession, and communion, ect. at the age of reason. I can’t remeber. What does the Church hold the age of reason to be? Thanks and God bless.
 
Montie Claunch:
I was wondering, From my understand one is confirmed, starts confession, and communion, ect. at the age of reason. I can’t remeber. What does the Church hold the age of reason to be? Thanks and God bless.
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As I understand it, it’s usually around the age of 7, but exceptions will be made based upon the maturity level and knowledge base of the individual child.
 
Here’s a nice quote, semi-germane:

Can. 11 Merely ecclesiastical laws bind those who have been baptized in the Catholic Church or received into it, possess the efficient use of reason, and, unless the law expressly provides otherwise, have completed seven years of age.

Canon Law
 
Question relating to this topic.

In the Latin rite, when was confirmation changed from being received in infancy to the age of reason?
 
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Walking_Home:
Question relating to this topic.

In the Latin rite, when was confirmation changed from being received in infancy to the age of reason?
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Well…from what I understood to be true…

The bishop used to baptize and confirm all infants. As time went on the bishop stopped doing all baptisms, but maintained confirmations as part of his office. Consequently, it took so long for bishops to visit all the parishes in a diocese (horseback and all), that confirmation started getting delayed for many faithful. Thus, the change of the age.

Regarding the age of reason…you only have to be confirmed at the age of reason if you are not baptized before you reach the age of reason.

Some dioceses in the US confirm at the age of reason, thus putting confirmation before communion, and some do so in jr high/high school
 
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Batjacboy:
As I understand it, it’s usually around the age of 7, but exceptions will be made based upon the maturity level and knowledge base of the individual child.
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That is correct. The Church defines the ‘age of reason’ to be that of an average 7 year old.

Some children might achieve this level of reason earlier, some later.
 
Ohhhh I just read something on this and I wish I remembered where so I could give you all the link. Basically it said that communion should be about age 7 and confirmation should be somewhere between 7 and 16. I think it was the US Bishops site but I am not sure.
 
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