Baby receiving the Holy Eucharist in Latin Rite

[Vico]

This is a new thread for Tex who posted these questions on another thread.

Latin Rite infants could receive if their parents wished, correct? Or is it just not allowed?

Come to think of it…is there a cannon law term in the west for infants and children who have been baptized, but not given Communion yet? I realize they have not been formally excommunicated, but what exactly is their status…they are in the Church by virtue of their baptism, but not in Communion with the other members???

 

[thistle]

This is a new thread for Tex who posted these questions on another thread.

Infants cannot receive Communion in the Latin Rite.

An infant who has been baptised is a Catholic and is saved if they die at infancy.
Not having received Communion yet does NOT mean or have anything to do with Excommunication.

 

[CompSciGuy]

That sounds like a terrible idea! Have you ever tried to feed a baby? If they don’t like something, they spit it right back out! Chances are they’re too young to know better than to spit out the precious body and blood of Christ.

 

[Vico]

From birth to age of discretion is called an infant.

Excommunication is an ecclesiastical censure excluding a person from communion with the faithful. It is a norm rather than a censure for Latin infants is to not receive communion. The eastern Catholic practice of nuturing of infants with the Holy Spirit through the Eucharist is not practiced in the Latin Church.

 

[promethius]

This is a new thread for Tex who posted these questions on another thread.

1. No.
2. I believe that, like the jews who have not had their bar mitzvah, we call young people who have had baptism but not communion “children”.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Infants cannot receive Communion in the Latin Rite.

An infant who has been baptised is a Catholic and is saved if they die at infancy.
Not having received Communion yet does NOT mean or have anything to do with Excommunication.

There is a provision for children who are in danger of death to receive the Eucharist, but again the additional stipulation is that they should be able to recognize the Eucharist (know it is Christ) that they are receiving.

That sounds like a terrible idea! Have you ever tried to feed a baby? If they don’t like something, they spit it right back out! Chances are they’re too young to know better than to spit out the precious body and blood of Christ.

Babies in the Byzantine Rite has received the Precious Blood through the first year or so of their lives without any issues for 2 millennium. Of course only a very tiny drop is administered.

 

[Vico]

That sounds like a terrible idea! Have you ever tried to feed a baby? If they don’t like something, they spit it right back out! Chances are they’re too young to know better than to spit out the precious body and blood of Christ.

They like it, and smack their lips, I have seen it many times.

The Latin Church used to give the Holy Blood of Christ to infants.

Something significant happened in the Latin Church that changed their sacramental discipline: confession and communion was less frequent. So as a result annual confession and communion was legislated at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215 A.D.). The age of discretion was the time at which annual communion was first required, but infant communion was not prohibited by the Council. In practice, first communion was delayed till ages 10-12 with confession preceeding it. Confirmation was promoted before communion, as early as at baptism, when the bishop was present, otherwise the bishops would tour the diocese and confirm those that were baptised, so some received it as adults. The Synod of Cologne (1280 A.D.) first urged confirmation at or after age 7. It gradually became expected to receive catechesis before first communion.

See: Ages of initiation: the first two Christian millennia, by Paul Turner, pp. 28-33 (chapter 8 is on the age of discretion 1215-1519).

Baptism preceeds all sacraments. Then, nowadays, first penance preceeds both confirmation and first eucharist, at the age of discretion or later (i.e. age 7) because the state of grace is required for their reception.

Three of the earliest resons (given in the book) show that it was gradual. Meanwhile, the eastern churches continued to follow the original tradition of infant communion.

1. Since infants do not need communion for salvation, and the annual communion was only required by the Church (Lateran IV 1215) at or after the age of discretion, people began to wait.
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (lived 1225-1274) expressed concern that the Precious Blood would be spilled.
3. Pope Leo X (Pope: 1513-1521) prohibited infants from receiving, to resolve an issue in Bohemia.

 

[countertenor]

That sounds like a terrible idea! Have you ever tried to feed a baby? If they don’t like something, they spit it right back out! Chances are they’re too young to know better than to spit out the precious body and blood of Christ.

Both my son and daughter have been receiving communion in the Latin Rite Church since they were infants. There’s never been a problem with them spitting anything out.

 

[5Loaves]

Both my son and daughter have been receiving communion in the Latin Rite Church since they were infants. There’s never been a problem with them spitting anything out.

I’ve heard the priest ask a parent if they think their child is ready physically to go from the Precious Blood to some of both.

 

[TEX]

Infants cannot receive Communion in the Latin Rite.

An infant who has been baptised is a Catholic and is saved if they die at infancy.
Not having received Communion yet does NOT mean or have anything to do with Excommunication.

Yes, they are not excommunicated because they have never been in Communion. But is there a Cannon Law term for “pre-Communion” people? What are people called between baptism and entering into Communion? I have not heard the term before.

 

[TEX]

From birth to age of discretion is called an infant.

Excommunication is an ecclesiastical censure excluding a person from communion with the faithful. It is a norm rather than a censure for Latin infants is to not receive communion. The eastern Catholic practice of nuturing of infants with the Holy Spirit through the Eucharist is not practiced in the Latin Church.

A six year old is called an infant? I thought “infant” meant “without speech.” I have never heard of a three, four, five, or six year old called an infant before. Is that in Cannon law?

 

[TEX]

1. No.
2. I believe that, like the jews who have not had their bar mitzvah, we call young people who have had baptism but not communion “children”.

So receiving Communion is like getting a bar mitzvah? After receiving Communion, children become adults?

 

[Vico]

A six year old is called an infant? I thought “infant” meant “without speech.” I have never heard of a three, four, five, or six year old called an infant before. Is that in Cannon law?

But they can really make a lot of noise! The infant is incorporated into the Church from the moment of baptism. The orders of the baptized are:

0-6 infant
7-17 minor
8+ majority.

Also there are some rights at occur at age 14 and 16. Some examples:

CIC Can. 96
By baptism one is incorporated into the Church of Christ and constituted a person in it, with the duties and the rights which, in accordance with each one’s status, are proper to christians, in so far as they are in ecclesiastical communion and unless a lawfully issued sanction intervenes.

CIC Can. 97
§1 A person who has completed the eighteenth year of age, has attained majority; below this age, a person is a minor.
§2 A minor who has not completed the seventh year of age is called an infant and is considered incapable of personal responsibility; on completion of the seventh year, however, the minor is presumed to have the use of reason.

More:

Can. 111 §2 Any candidate for baptism who has completed the fourteenth year of age may freely choose to be baptised either in the latin Church or in another autonomous ritual Church; in which case the person belongs to the Church which he or she has chosen.
Can 112 3° the children of those mentioned in nn. 1 and 2 who have not completed their fourteenth year, and likewise in a mixed marriage the children of a catholic party who has lawfully transferred to another ritual Church; on completion of their fourteenth year, however, they may return to the latin Church.
Can. 863 The baptism of adults, at least of those who have completed their fourteenth year, is to be referred to the Bishop, so that he himself may confer it if he judges this appropriate.
Can. 1083 §1 A man cannot validly enter marriage before the completion of his sixteenth year of age, nor a woman before the completion of her fourteenth year.
Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.
Can. 1550 §1 Minors under the age of fourteen years and those who are of feeble mind are not admitted to give evidence. They can, however, be heard if the judge declares by a decree that it would be appropriate to do so.
Can. 111 §2 Any candidate for baptism who has completed the fourteenth year of age may freely choose to be baptised either in the latin Church or in another autonomous ritual Church; in which case the person belongs to the Church which he or she has chosen.
Can. 1478 §3 However, in cases concerning spiritual matters and matters linked with the spiritual, if the minors have the use of reason, they can plead and respond without the consent of parents or guardians; indeed, if they have completed their fourteenth year, they can stand before the court on their own behalf; otherwise, they do so through a curator appointed by the judge.