Baptismal Observation

[lorathon]

This past Sunday my son was finally baptized . He is now 7 months old. The reason so late – backlog at the parish for baptisms. I thought, well the parish must be growing faster than I had thought. Well to my surprise during mass 4 other children were baptized. At communion NO ONE in the other families received communion. No One. I was so surprised. My family was the only family to go up and receive Holy Eucharist. I now understand why the parish requires the families to sign up for the next year off CCD before their child recieves a sacrament. I always thought it was foolish. But I guess the parish is trying it’s hardest to get the families to attend regularly. It also explains Baptismal classes. We have been exempt from the classes on all of our children. As soon as the deacon sees that we need a baptism he calls and says that we are waived because he sees us in church every week. I am frustrated because of the delay to get regular attendee’s children baptized. A couple that we know has tried to schedule their newborn’s baptism and they were told the first available spot was October. Their daughter would be 8 months. They have decided to go to another parish just for the baptism.

Does anyone else see this sort of thing in their Parish?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

This past Sunday my son was finally baptized . He is now 7 months old. The reason so late – backlog at the parish for baptisms. I thought, well the parish must be growing faster than I had thought. Well to my surprise during mass 4 other children were baptized. At communion NO ONE in the other families received communion. No One. I was so surprised. My family was the only family to go up and receive Holy Eucharist. I now understand why the parish requires the families to sign up for the next year off CCD before their child recieves a sacrament. I always thought it was foolish. But I guess the parish is trying it’s hardest to get the families to attend regularly. It also explains Baptismal classes. We have been exempt from the classes on all of our children. As soon as the deacon sees that we need a baptism he calls and says that we are waived because he sees us in church every week. I am frustrated because of the delay to get regular attendee’s children baptized. A couple that we know has tried to schedule their newborn’s baptism and they were told the first available spot was October. Their daughter would be 8 months. They have decided to go to another parish just for the baptism.

Does anyone else see this sort of thing in their Parish?

There should be no delay when parents request Baptism for a newborn, if they are regular/known members of the parish. There is no excuse for not having Baptisms Sunday or Saturday afternoon outside of Mass or even if necessary on weekday evenings. It is proper and good that we have Baptisms during Sunday Mass. However when there are too many to do this the Baptisms should not be delayed because of this.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

You seem to be working through bureaucracy instead of the priest and deacon. You might want to mention this to them, that these other people are holding up the bapitsms for the regular parishioners. Maybe they can have a regular parishioners’ day of the month, and then all the others.

As to being surprised about the Eucharist, I’m not. There were whole family groups at yesterday’s First Holy Communion, where ONLY the first communicant received.

 

[lorathon]

As to being surprised about the Eucharist, I’m not. There were whole family groups at yesterday’s First Holy Communion, where ONLY the first communicant received.

My wifes teaches RCIA and she saw the same thing. I think this is what is so sad and dis-heartening. I really can’t understand why the even bother when the don’t go to mass regularly. What is the point?

 

[puzzleannie]

.

As to being surprised about the Eucharist, I’m not. There were whole family groups at yesterday’s First Holy Communion, where ONLY the first communicant received.

fewer than half the parents of our first communicants receive communion with their children, even though the primary reason we celebrate during Sunday Masses is so that families can receive together. 90% of the time it is because the couple is civilly married, common law, or just cohabiting. More than half the first communicants are not living in a home with both of their birth parents. We will also see fewer than half the first communicants back in CCD next year.

There should never be a delay for baptism, beyond a reasonable time for the preparation classes prescribed by the bishop. In this diocese there are 3 classes of 2 hrs each, so no more than a month should go by. Sadly, we only offer the classe a few times a year. There is no limit to how many may be baptized at one time, so the parish should not use that as an excuse.

 

[stbruno]

We do baptismal prep in 2 parishes and the likely reason families are not receiving communion is that they are not living in a sacramental marriage. In the past 7 yrs. that I have teaching the classes…we are lucky if 15% of the couples are sacramentally married and approximately 20% are married civilly. Significantly less than half are even considering marriage. The rest have children out of wed lock…they are either cohabitating or were abandoned by the other parent. As far as the delay for receiving the sacrament…I think this should definitely be addressed. The only reason we delay baptism is if there is a serious doubt that this child will be raised Catholic, however, the sacrament is not denied.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

fewer than half the parents of our first communicants receive communion with their children, even though the primary reason we celebrate during Sunday Masses is so that families can receive together. 90% of the time it is because the couple is civilly married, common law, or just cohabiting. More than half the first communicants are not living in a home with both of their birth parents. We will also see fewer than half the first communicants back in CCD next year…

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell here- even though we have a First Communion Mass. We try to farm it out, if Mom and Dad aren’t eligible, to the godparents, or the grandparents, or SOMEBODY who can walk up with the child and receive. It doesn’t always work out that way. Yesterday, lots of people being belssed, and our pirest is not a big communion-line blessings fan.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Code of Canon Law, canon 867:
Ҥ1 Parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptised with the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the birth, indeed even before it, they are to approach the parish priest to ask for the sacrament for their child, and to be themselves duly prepared for it.
§2 If the infant is in danger of death, it is to be baptised without any delay.”
(The Code of Canon Law: New revised English Translation, HarperCollins Liturgical, 1997, ISBN 000599375X.)
Another translation is at vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM

 

[lak611]

This past Sunday my son was finally baptized . He is now 7 months old. The reason so late – backlog at the parish for baptisms. I thought, well the parish must be growing faster than I had thought. Well to my surprise during mass 4 other children were baptized. At communion NO ONE in the other families received communion. No One. I was so surprised. My family was the only family to go up and receive Holy Eucharist. I now understand why the parish requires the families to sign up for the next year off CCD before their child recieves a sacrament. I always thought it was foolish. But I guess the parish is trying it’s hardest to get the families to attend regularly. It also explains Baptismal classes. We have been exempt from the classes on all of our children. As soon as the deacon sees that we need a baptism he calls and says that we are waived because he sees us in church every week. I am frustrated because of the delay to get regular attendee’s children baptized. A couple that we know has tried to schedule their newborn’s baptism and they were told the first available spot was October. Their daughter would be 8 months. They have decided to go to another parish just for the baptism.

Does anyone else see this sort of thing in their Parish?

My parish has Baptisms every other Sunday, so there are no long delays. The class for parents is only required for their first child. The parents are not required to take any more classes to have subsequent children baptised.