Can I Catechize My Children at Home & Have Them Still Receive the Sacraments?

[Quaere_Verum]

What are the catechism requirements for someone receiving the Sacraments of Penance, First Communion, and Confirmation when it comes to catechizing at home? Is that a diocesan decision or a pastoral decision?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

What are the catechism requirements for someone receiving the Sacraments of Penance, First Communion, and Confirmation when it comes to catechizing at home? Is that a diocesan decision or a pastoral decision?

Of course you can catechize your own children and prepare hem for the Sacraments. You would have to speak with the Local DRE or Diocesan director as to what subject matter needs to be covered and how progress is measured.

 

[Quaere_Verum]

Thanks! I’ll do that.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Good for you! The principal responsibility of teaching children anything lies with the parents.

 

[puzzleannie]

certainly, every parent should be doing this even when their child is in Catholic school or CCD. RE in the parish supplements and assists the parent’s role in handing on the faith, it does not replace it. You should see your pastor about requirements for sacramental preparation. He is required to attest that the child is ready, and entitled to use guidelines and requirements to meet his responsibility, and entitled to delegate that to someone else like a deacon or DRE. Yes, the guidelines are set by the bishop.

In this parish you will be given textbooks and other resources (used, no charge) and syllabus, with a plan for evaluating and reporting on what the child has learned, and invited to attend, with all parents, the 3 required parent-candidate meeting for each sacrament, and like all the candidates, have an interview with the pastor or DRE, and then schedule reception of the sacrament.

as a reminder to parents and all others, catechesis is life-long learning, and formal religious education should be done at home or in the parish throughout the school years, it is NOT merely sacramental preparation, which is very basic. If that is all you provide, your child is not well-served and not well prepared to live and defend his faith.

 

[Brendan]

certainly, every parent should be doing this even when their child is in Catholic school or CCD. RE in the parish supplements and assists the parent’s role in handing on the faith, it does not replace it. You should see your pastor about requirements for sacramental preparation.

As a point of clarification, this applies to the child’s First Holy Communion.

The reception of the Sacrament of Reconcilliation (which must precede First Holy Communion) can be done at any time after the child reaches the age of Reason, commonly defined to be age 7.

It does not require any additional examiniation by the priest ( in fact, if done anonymously, cannot by definition)

 

[pprimeau1976]

What are the catechism requirements for someone receiving the Sacraments of Penance, First Communion, and Confirmation when it comes to catechizing at home? Is that a diocesan decision or a pastoral decision?

I think it’s a pastoral decision. What I would do is volunteer for catechism at your parish and teach your child and other children.