Can young children receive all 3 sacraments of initiation at once?

[RoderickA]

I attended a neighboring parish (with friends) for Mass this morning. At that Mass two young boys (ages 7 & 10) received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and then Holy Communion all during the same Liturgy. The priest had announced at the beginning of Mass just what was going to take place, and explained it was now allowed -and in fact had been carried out by Bishop Silva in Hawaii, and another bishop in the Mid-West (?). One of my friends questioned me about this? I told her I’d not heard of such a document, but would look it up this afternoon. I have tried in vain to find anything on such allowances. (I do know that the Eastern Church allows for this; all or in part).

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Code of Canon Law:

Can. 97 §2 …With the completion of the seventh year, however, a minor is presumed to have the use of reason.

Can. 852 §1. The prescripts of the canons on adult baptism are to be applied to all those who, no longer infants, have attained the use of reason.

Can. 866 Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, an adult who is baptized is to be confirmed immediately after baptism and is to participate in the eucharistic celebration also by receiving communion.

To say that it’s “now allowed” would be slightly inaccurate since, technically, its been the law since 1983. Unbaptized children who have reached the age of reason (age 7) are treated as converts and therefore should undergo an RCIA process appropriate to their age and should be received into the Church with all the sacraments of initiation at once.