Are childhood promises to God binding?

[Barricade]

I’m curious as to what the Church teaching is on whether certain promises made to God in childhood are binding. Like for example if you rashly and ignorantly promised to God to abstain from something (activity, certain food, etc.) as a kid out of some sense of zeal for the faith without knowing any possible sinful implications arising out of the binding nature of such a promise. Are we bound by these sorts of things later in life when at the time we didn’t actually know the full extent of what we were committing to? As kid I only saw a promise as like a firm commitment to try and do something, not something that could be binding for life even after it was broken on one occasion. Thoughts?

 

[paduard]

I’m curious as to what the Church teaching is on whether certain promises made to God in childhood are binding. Like for example if you rashly and ignorantly promised to God to abstain from something (activity, certain food, etc.) as a kid out of some sense of zeal for the faith without knowing any possible sinful implications arising out of the binding nature of such a promise. Are we bound by these sorts of things later in life when at the time we didn’t actually know the full extent of what we were committing to? As kid I only saw a promise as like a firm commitment to try and do something, not something that could be binding for life even after it was broken on one occasion. Thoughts?

In brief - No.
Paduard

 

[SnowAngels]

I’m curious as to what the Church teaching is on whether certain promises made to God in childhood are binding. Like for example if you rashly and ignorantly promised to God to abstain from something (activity, certain food, etc.) as a kid out of some sense of zeal for the faith without knowing any possible sinful implications arising out of the binding nature of such a promise. Are we bound by these sorts of things later in life when at the time we didn’t actually know the full extent of what we were committing to? As kid I only saw a promise as like a firm commitment to try and do something, not something that could be binding for life even after it was broken on one occasion. Thoughts?

Very interesting question…following.

 

[Murmurs]

No. It’s for kind of the same reason that say a 12 year old in canon as well as secular law can’t get married…you’re not at that age in a position to give proper consent to something, because you’re not really mature enough to fully understand it. We can be quite sure I think that a loving and knowing God would not hold a child to a promise they’re not really in a position to make in the first place.

 

[jaimeleglise]

Even if the promise were binding, any Catholic priest can release you from a promise like that.

 

[Jesus_123]

+There are some wonderful OLD TESTAMENT portions of Sacred:bible1:Scripture that address the particular subject of this thread . . .

"Douay-Rheims Bible + Challoner Notes
Chapter 30

*Of vows and oaths: and their obligation. *

[1] And Moses told the children of Israel all that the Lord had commanded him: [2] And he said to the princes of the tribes of the children of Israel: This is the word that the Lord hath commanded:

[3] If any man make a vow to the Lord, or bind himself by an oath: he shall not make his word void but shall fulfill all that he promised.

[4] If a woman vow any thing, and bind herself by an oath, being in her father’ s house, and but yet a girl in age: if her father knew the vow that she hath promised, and the oath wherewith she hath bound her soul, and held his peace, she shall be bound by the vow: [5] Whatsoever she promised and swore, she shall fulfill in deed. **[6] But if her father, immediately as soon as he heard it, gainsaid it, both her vows and her oaths shall be void, neither shall she be bound to what she promised, because her father hath gainsaid it. **

[7] If she have a husband, and shall vow any thing, and the word once going out of her mouth shall bind her soul by an oath: [8] The day that her husband shall hear it, and not gainsay it, she shall be bound to the vow, and shall give whatsoever she promised. [9] But if as soon as he heareth he gainsay it, and make her promises and the words wherewith she had bound her soul of no effect: the Lord**** will forgive her. [10] The widow, and she that is divorced, shall fulfill whatsoever they vow.

[11] If the wife in the house of her husband, hath bound herself by vow and by oath, [12] If her husband hear, and hold his peace, and doth not disallow the promise, she shall accomplish whatsoever she had promised.** [13] But if forthwith he gainsay it, she shall not be bound by the promise: because her husband gainsaid it, and the Lord** will be merciful to her.

[14] If she vow and bind herself by oath, to afflict her soul by fasting, or abstinence from other things,** it shall depend on the will of her husband, whether she shall do it, or not do it.** [15] But if the husband hearing it hold his peace, and defer the declaring his mind till another day: whatsoever she had vowed and promised, she shall fulfill: because immediately as he heard it, he held his peace.

[16] But if he gainsay it after that he knew it, he shall bear her iniquity.

[17] These are the laws which the **Lord **appointed to Moses between the husband and the wife, between the father and the daughter that is as yet but a girl in age, or that abideth in her father’ s house." –Numbers 30:1-17

. . . all for Jesus+
. . . thank You Lord+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+​

 

[GLam8833]

I remembered making a promise to God that
IF I lived to be 30(I was about 10 at the time)
I will give my life wholly to God. I think He
heard it and NOW at 60+ I am wholly commit-
ed to Him!!!

 

[HelenRose]

I’m curious as to what the Church teaching is on whether certain promises made to God in childhood are binding. Like for example if you rashly and ignorantly promised to God to abstain from something (activity, certain food, etc.) as a kid out of some sense of zeal for the faith without knowing any possible sinful implications arising out of the binding nature of such a promise. Are we bound by these sorts of things later in life when at the time we didn’t actually know the full extent of what we were committing to? As kid I only saw a promise as like a firm commitment to try and do something, not something that could be binding for life even after it was broken on one occasion. Thoughts?

I wouldn’t say than in every case a child is bound to a vow he or she did not understand.

But, when I was ten, I gave my life to Christ. I have to the best of my ability tried to live out that vow. It has been a beacon my entire life.

 

[HelenRose]

I’m curious as to what the Church teaching is on whether certain promises made to God in childhood are binding. Like for example if you rashly and ignorantly promised to God to abstain from something (activity, certain food, etc.) as a kid out of some sense of zeal for the faith without knowing any possible sinful implications arising out of the binding nature of such a promise. Are we bound by these sorts of things later in life when at the time we didn’t actually know the full extent of what we were committing to? As kid I only saw a promise as like a firm commitment to try and do something, not something that could be binding for life even after it was broken on one occasion. Thoughts?

I do not know if a child would be bound but he or she should be advised to go to a priest and have the priest unbind from them from the promise. I think it is important for children’s vows be respected by adults around him or her and by the child as well.