Baptizing a 10 year old

[thesmithey3]

Hello… I have not spoken to my Deacon or Priest about this yet but I thought I would try it out here before I did to see if it is even an option.

My daughter is 10 years old. I have never baptized her. My husband and I are currently taking RCIA and my daughter is taking religous education classes at our parish.

My husband and I are having our marriage convalidated sometime next year before lent. Is it possible that we can also baptize our daughter at the same time.

Our Diocese would like children over 7 to receive all three sacraments at the same time, but I would like to baptize her before she receives her First Communion and Confitmation.

Do you think this would be possible? Or is it a pretty strict rule that we cannot go out of order?

Thank you!!!

 

[KarenElissa]

Hello… I have not spoken to my Deacon or Priest about this yet but I thought I would try it out here before I did to see if it is even an option.

My daughter is 10 years old. I have never baptized her. My husband and I are currently taking RCIA and my daughter is taking religous education classes at our parish.

My husband and I are having our marriage convalidated sometime next year before lent. Is it possible that we can also baptize our daughter at the same time.

Our Diocese would like children over 7 to receive all three sacraments at the same time, but I would like to baptize her before she receives her First Communion and Confitmation.

Do you think this would be possible? Or is it a pretty strict rule that we cannot go out of order?

Thank you!!!

She will be baptized before her Confirmation and First Communion, a good 15 minutes or so before.

It should not be possible to have her baptized early. This isn’t just your Diocese, it is how RCIA is supposed to work. Because your daughter is older than 7 she is considered an adult and going through RCIA just like the other adults. She may be being catechized with her peers, but she is actually in RCIA. So she is supposed to receive all her sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil, just like the adults.

 

[chaunceygardner]

I would think you would want to contact your Parish priest with those questions. Doing all three Sacraments at the same time seems unusual at the age of seven. Baptism followed by a First Communion would appear to be in order, but I would think that age is a little young for Confirmation. The Diocese may be giving you this information as it would relate to an adult entering the Church.

I know of someone who was baptized at the age of 8, but went through the Confirmation process as a teenager. That would make sense to me.

But contact your Priest; I would hope they could accomodate you so that you and your daughter would be able to receive Communion for the first time together.

 

[Saintlucy]

I presume that you will enter the Church at Easter next year. Let your child learn some more and stop worrying. It looks like you will be received and she will be baptised at the same time during the Easter vigil. There is no better time. Remember, if in doubt you always have recourse to your parish priest.

That’s my advice anyway. God bless.

 

[CDNowak]

I would think you would want to contact your Parish priest with those questions. Doing all three Sacraments at the same time seems unusual at the age of seven. Baptism followed by a First Communion would appear to be in order, but I would think that age is a little young for Confirmation. The Diocese may be giving you this information as it would relate to an adult entering the Church.

I know of someone who was baptized at the age of 8, but went through the Confirmation process as a teenager. That would make sense to me.

But contact your Priest; I would hope they could accomodate you so that you and your daughter would be able to receive Communion for the first time together.

The age for Confirmation given in Canon Law is the age of reason (that is about 7). Anyone who is not baptized before this age ought to receive all the Sacraments of initiation at the same time. Also note that the age of Confirmation (or Chrismation) and Communion in the East is that of Baptism.

 

[chaunceygardner]

The age for Confirmation given in Canon Law is the age of reason (that is about 7). Anyone who is not baptized before this age ought to receive all the Sacraments of initiation at the same time. Also note that the age of Confirmation (or Chrismation) and Communion in the East is that of Baptism.

Thank you for the clarification. I understand that Confirmation should occur between the age of reason and the age of 16, according to the U.S. Bishops Conference. I would think that an older age would be more appropriate, for then the Confirmand would be better able to understand and assent to what he/she is undertaking. In the RCIA program, I can see where Confirmation would occur at the same time, but I am not sure I follow the reasoning for performing all the sacraments at the same time for someone who is 8 or 9 years old.

My opinion is that Confirmation should occur at an even older age than 15 or 16, and be a true personal and mature decision to become a “full” member of the Church. Today it seems almost as automatic as Baptism, which for me takes away much of the signficance of the Sacrament.

 

[Brendan]

Chancy,

Canon Law requires that a person who joins the Church past the age of seven recieve Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion. A pastor or local ordinary has little discretion in the matter.

I’m away from home right, posting on my pda. I’ll post the relevant Canon later

 

[FAB]

Hello… I have not spoken to my Deacon or Priest about this yet but I thought I would try it out here before I did to see if it is even an option.

My daughter is 10 years old. I have never baptized her. My husband and I are currently taking RCIA and my daughter is taking religous education classes at our parish.

My husband and I are having our marriage convalidated sometime next year before lent. Is it possible that we can also baptize our daughter at the same time.

Our Diocese would like children over 7 to receive all three sacraments at the same time, but I would like to baptize her before she receives her First Communion and Confitmation.

Do you think this would be possible? Or is it a pretty strict rule that we cannot go out of order?

Thank you!!!

Your daughter should be in the RCIA program as well.
When she is baptized, confirmed and first Eucharist would then depend on her understanding of the Church and faith. If the pator sees that she is ready, she could come into the church at the Easter Vigil with you and your husband.

Also you convalidation would be some time after the Easter Vigil.

Peace,
FAB

 

[csg1976]

Hi, I went through RCIA last year and my son went through RCIC at the same time. He was 9/turned 10 after Easter. He had not been baptised yet either so he did all 3 sacraments at Easter. We did them together and it was a beautiful experience for both of us. My husband is not catholic but was at the vigil along with other family, and I really could not have asked for more. It was wonderful!

 

[chaunceygardner]

Chancy,

Canon Law requires that a person who joins the Church past the age of seven recieve Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion. A pastor or local ordinary has little discretion in the matter.

I’m away from home right, posting on my pda. I’ll post the relevant Canon later

I understand that Canon law may require this, but I am not in agreement with it, for the reasons stated in my earlier post. I believe confirming most children under the age of about 15 is inappropriate, and older would be even better.

The instance of the Baptism of an 8 year old to which I referred earlier occurred some years ago, and Canon Law may not have required concurrent Confirmation at that time. And knowing this 8 year old quite well, I would have never expected or wanted him to be confirmed at that point.

 

[kage_ar]

And knowing this 8 year old quite well, I would have never expected or wanted him to be confirmed at that point.

Some study of what Confirmation IS would be advisable. Confirmation is not the Catholic version of protestant believer’s baptism. Confirmation should be done as early as possible, our children need all the grace of the sacraments they can get!!!

 

[CDNowak]

My opinion is that Confirmation should occur at an even older age than 15 or 16, and be a true personal and mature decision to become a “full” member of the Church. Today it seems almost as automatic as Baptism, which for me takes away much of the signficance of the Sacrament.

However the Church does not understand Confirmation as a Christian Bar Mitvah. While the concept has become popular, the Church has said that it should have a closer link to the Eucharist, to which it leads (Sacramentum Caritatis).

 

[puzzleannie]

Hello… I have not spoken to my Deacon or Priest about this yet but I thought I would try it out here before I did to see if it is even an option.

My daughter is 10 years old. I have never baptized her. My husband and I are currently taking RCIA and my daughter is taking religous education classes at our parish.

My husband and I are having our marriage convalidated sometime next year before lent. Is it possible that we can also baptize our daughter at the same time.

Our Diocese would like children over 7 to receive all three sacraments at the same time, but I would like to baptize her before she receives her First Communion and Confitmation.

Do you think this would be possible? Or is it a pretty strict rule that we cannot go out of order?

Thank you!!!

adults (and for the purposes of sacraments of initiation, that includes children over the age of reason, generally 7) are brought into the Church through RCIA and are baptized, confirmed and make first communion in the same celebration, at the Easter Vigil. She would most like attend RE with others of her age, and also participate with the rest of the candidates and catechumens (adults, youth, and children) who will be received into the Church, for the actual rites and the preparation for those rites, which punctuate this process. The priest at the Easter vigil has the faculty to confirm the newly baptized and must use it in their behalf. she would then continue religious education formally throughout the school years, with her age group, to continue growing in knowledge and practice of the faith.

you don’t say if you or your husband are already baptized, but I assume since you need your marriage convalidated that one of you is already Catholic, possibly preparing for Confirmation, which will happen after the marriage situation has been rectified. There are a lot of factors that will go into the actual timing of your reception of the sacraments. But make sure the pastor is aware of your child’s needs as well, so that insofar as possible the reception of sacraments can be timed together.

 

[puzzleannie]

Thank you for the clarification. I understand that Confirmation should occur between the age of reason and the age of 16, according to the U.S. Bishops Conference. I would think that an older age would be more appropriate, for then the Confirmand would be better able to understand and assent to what he/she is undertaking. In the RCIA program, I can see where Confirmation would occur at the same time, but I am not sure I follow the reasoning for performing all the sacraments at the same time for someone who is 8 or 9 years old.

My opinion is that Confirmation should occur at an even older age than 15 or 16, and be a true personal and mature decision to become a “full” member of the Church. Today it seems almost as automatic as Baptism, which for me takes away much of the signficance of the Sacrament.

please see the comments that follow from posters familiar with the requirements for RCIA, which is the topic at hand, and yes the practice does differ for Catholic youth who have already been baptised. personal preference or opinion does not trump canon law

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thank you for the clarification. I understand that Confirmation should occur between the age of reason and the age of 16, according to the U.S. Bishops Conference. I would think that an older age would be more appropriate, for then the Confirmand would be better able to understand and assent to what he/she is undertaking. In the RCIA program, I can see where Confirmation would occur at the same time, but I am not sure I follow the reasoning for performing all the sacraments at the same time for someone who is 8 or 9 years old.

My opinion is that Confirmation should occur at an even older age than 15 or 16, and be a true personal and mature decision to become a “full” member of the Church. Today it seems almost as automatic as Baptism, which for me takes away much of the signficance of the Sacrament.

Any person over 7 or 8 Years old is normally required to enter the Church through the RCIA. An RCIA process is usually available for children geared to their age. The RCIA spells out the process and the order for receiving the Sacraments of Initiation and specifies that the Sacraments are received at the Easter Vigil normally.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I understand that Canon law may require this, but I am not in agreement with it, for the reasons stated in my earlier post. I believe confirming most children under the age of about 15 is inappropriate, and older would be even better.

The instance of the Baptism of an 8 year old to which I referred earlier occurred some years ago, and Canon Law may not have required concurrent Confirmation at that time. And knowing this 8 year old quite well, I would have never expected or wanted him to be confirmed at that point.

What we want sometimes does not matter. In this case the Church requires that all three Sacraments be received together. In the Eastern Church an infant receives all three together.

 

[ac_claire]

OP, I was baptized when I was 15 or 16, can’t remember exactly. And had my First Communion the same day. It wasn’t done during the Easter Vigil…Just saying that not all non-infant baptisms are done at the Easter Vigil. I was also not Confirmed immediately. I was baptised in the summer; I attended Confirmation Class that fall and was Confirmed sometime in the Fall/Winter.

Just talk with your priest, as others have said. Only thing I know for sure is that Baptism must precede the other sacraments, but there isn’t any Canon law that I know of that says they must all happen at the same time, or at a certain time of year. If that helps you at all.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

OP, I was baptized when I was 15 or 16, can’t remember exactly. And had my First Communion the same day. It wasn’t done during the Easter Vigil…Just saying that not all non-infant baptisms are done at the Easter Vigil. I was also not Confirmed immediately. I was baptised in the summer; I attended Confirmation Class that fall and was Confirmed sometime in the Fall/Winter.

Just talk with your priest, as others have said. Only thing I know for sure is that Baptism must precede the other sacraments, but there isn’t any Canon law that says they must all happen at the same time, or at a certain time of year. If that helps you at all.

Then you were not received per the norms of the Church, it’s possible your parish did not have the resources for an RCIA process. But your pastor would still have been required to follow Canon Law, some simply choose to ignore the law.

Can. 866 Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, immediately after receiving baptism an adult [a person over the age of Reason, about 7 or 8] is to be confirmed, to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist and to receive holy communion.

 

[ac_claire]

Then you were not received per the norms of the Church, it’s possible your parish did not have the resources for an RCIA process. But your pastor would still have been required to follow Canon Law, some simply choose to ignore the law.

Can. 866 Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, immediately after receiving baptism an adult [a person over the age of Reason, about 7 or 8] is to be confirmed, to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist and to receive holy communion.

Ok, thanks for the info about the Canon Law. My mistake.

My parish did have RCIA but I was a very unusual case, so maybe I fell under the “grave reasons” clause?..I had been raised Catholic my whole life (taken to weekly Mass, CCD classes, etc. by my grandma) without ever being baptized or receiving the rest of the sacraments. When my parents finally allowed me to be baptised, the priest didn’t see any reason for me to go through RCIA since I’d been otherwise raised up in the Faith and had already been through years of CCD. I have no idea why I wasn’t immediately Confirmed then, if it was Canon Law then as well as it is now. (This was the mid 90’s).

In the parishes I’ve known, it’s the norm to confirm kids around the age of 13-16. It does seem odd that someone who’s brought into the Church at the age of 7 or 8 would be confirmed immediately when everyone else in the parish had to wait till they’re 13 or so. (Just a personal observation, not challenging the official rules! )

 

[kage_ar]

Grave reasons would be a severe illness or something, there are Pastors who sidestep Canon Law - prayers for all of them!