Children and 1st Communion

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Contra_Mundum_1

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At what age do children receive their First Communion? Is it the same in all countries or are there slight differences?

Here in Malaysia it takes place at age 9.

Is it necessary to wait that long, and does anyone know at what age was it allowed before mid 20th century?
 
In the UK, children do their 1st Holy Communion when they are in Year 3 - so when they are 7 / 8 years old.
 
In the eastern church, communion is received with baptism, when the child is a week old.
 
Contra_Mundum said:
At what age do children receive their First Communion?
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That is up to the bishop within the guidelines of canon law.
Contra_Mundum said:
Is it the same in all countries or are there slight differences?
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No.
Contra_Mundum said:
Is it necessary to wait that long, and does anyone know at what age was it allowed before mid 20th century?
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If you have an individual child who you believe is ready to receive, talk to your pastor. These canons apply to Latin Rite Catholics:

Can. 912 Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion.

Can. 913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.
 
In US, second grade is the most frequent age to receive 1st Communion, so most children are 7-8 years old. Before Pope Pius changed the age in 1910, children received 1st Communion at a much older age - many in their teens. There was not a consistent age, more like when they were deemed ready and when parents could afford to get them an outfit.
 
Evan said:
In the eastern church, communion is received with baptism, when the child is a week old.
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I’m not trying to be stupid or act like a jerk or anything, and I greatly respect and even love the Orthodox Eastern rites, but how does a week old baby swallow a communion wafer and wine? I’ve wondered this for some time now and really want to know. Thanks.
 
Lily_Bernans said:
I’m not trying to be stupid or act like a jerk or anything, and I greatly respect and even love the Orthodox Eastern rites, but how does a week old baby swallow a communion wafer and wine? I’ve wondered this for some time now and really want to know. Thanks.
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The baby is given just a drop or two of Holy Communion, in the form of wine, from a spoon. Just a little, only a bit more than wetting the lips.
 
Lily_Bernans said:
I’m not trying to be stupid or act like a jerk or anything, and I greatly respect and even love the Orthodox Eastern rites
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Eastern Rite Catholic Churches confer all three sacraments of initiation upon infants. So it is not the Orthodox we are talking about here, but Catholics.
Lily_Bernans said:
but how does a week old baby swallow a communion wafer and wine?
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That is not how Eastern Catholics commune during Divine Liturgy, whether infant or adult.

They receive the commingled species via a spoon. Infants receive a small amount, a few drops.
 
1ke said:
Eastern Rite Catholic Churches confer all three sacraments of initiation upon infants. So it is not the Orthodox we are talking about here, but Catholics.

That is not how Eastern Catholics commune during Divine Liturgy, whether infant or adult.

They receive the commingled species via a spoon. Infants receive a small amount, a few drops.
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Thank you. I did not know they received communion on a spoon.
 
In our Eastern Catholic parish, the children receive instruction and first holy communion in 2nd grade like the Roman Catholics. Confirmation is bestowed upon baptism, however. We are in the US
 
Has anyone here asked permission for their child to receive their 1st Communion earlier and independently from their peer group? (Or do you know of anyone?)
 
I did.
We homeschool through grade 8. My parish has 1st penance in March of Grade 2 and 1st Communion in May of Grade 3.

I didn’t want my child to have to wait until age 9 for 1st Communion when he could be ready as early as 7.

I asked our Pastor and my son and another homeschooled boy made their First Communion at a regular Sunday Mass in May of 2nd grade.

They had previously joined the other kids for 1st Penance in March that year, again after being taught at home and with our Pastor’s permission.

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I received my 1st Communion a few days after my 8th birthday, my sister was 7. My mom and aunt were similar in age when they had theirs in the 1950’s.
 
Thank you for the answers.

I think I have a mature boy who constantly amazes me with his insight into spiritual matters. He is only 5 so First Communion is still not in the immediate future. It is helpful to know that the children are not bound by the age group to receive the sacraments.
 
Contra_Mundum said:
Has anyone here asked permission for their child to receive their 1st Communion earlier and independently from their peer group? (Or do you know of anyone?)
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Yes. My second oldest daughter and another girl from her home school group received in first grade a few months after they turned 7. If they had been in the normal parish progression it would have been a year later when they were in second grade.

I think the reason the second grade is so common in the US is that RE is treated as somewhat of an extension of the academic school. If there is a diocesan requirement of two years of prep, then year one starts with first grade and year two starts in second grade.

We start our kids’ prep around 5 so that they meet the diocesan requirement and simply talk to the pastor after they turn 7 to schedule their first confession and reception of the Eucharist. The two key arguments we use are from canons 912 and 914.

Canon 914 is one of the reasons it can be difficult to push it before 7. It reads:
Canon 914
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It is primarily the duty of parents and those who take the place of parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that children who have reached the use of reason are prepared properly and, after they have made sacramental confession, are refreshed with this divine food as soon as possible. It is for the pastor to exercise vigilance so that children who have not attained the use of reason or whom he judges are not sufficiently disposed do not approach holy communion.
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While canon law does not set an age for the use of reason, many hold that 7 is that age based in part of Pope Pius X’s encyclical, Quam Singulari. In reality a child might have the use of reason before that age, but it would be a tough sell for many to admit a 5 or 6 year old to confession and the Eucharist.
 
Usige said:
We start our kids’ prep around 5 so that they meet the diocesan requirement and simply talk to the pastor after they turn 7 to schedule their first confession and reception of the Eucharist.
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So you teach them the catechism and prepare them? Do they also attend classes at the parish?

I think that I will have to rely on myself to teach the and prepare the kids because we are expats and will be moving and this could be complicated. Plus, I want to makes sure they really learn and understand the material. (We also homeschool.)
 
Contra_Mundum said:
Has anyone here asked permission for their child to receive their 1st Communion earlier and independently from their peer group? (Or do you know of anyone?)
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Out of our six kids, 5 of whom have made their FHC, not a single one of them has made their FHC with their peer group.

For our first, he was in a local Catholic school. We had moved, still nearby, but into a different parish. When attending Mass there ( Communion at this parish is offered at the Communion rail, on the tongue, intincted by the priest), my son declared that THIS is where he wanted to make his FHC. So our new pastor arranged a Mass where he could do this.

For our second, we had started homeschooling at this time. Our family was fortunate to receive tickets to the Papal Mass in Wash DC. This was a month before the regular parish FHC Mass. Our pastor indicated that it would be a good thing for our daughter to be able to receive Holy Communion at the Papal Mass, but it could not be her FHC, as Church law requires that to be received from the hands of a priest, and that could not be guaranteed at the Papal Mass. So once again, he arranged for a special Mass and she made her FHC.

Our third child was all set, but was ill the day of the parish FHC, so she made hers a week later.

Our forth child has my brother and sister in-law as her godparents. They live in China (work related). The come home for Christmas each year, and my sister in-law and the kids come home to MI for the summer. My daughter wanted her godparents to be a her FHC, so we talked to our pastor, and again, he arranged for her to make her FHC during one of the daily Masses between Christmas and New Years.

And lastly, my 5th child made her FHC with her cousin (and BFF) at my sisters parish. Again, that was a specially arranged event, as my brother (who is also my nieces godfather) was scheduled to come back to Detroit for some company meetings that week, and thus could get to the FHCs of both girls.

That just leaves my youngest… we’ll see what happens with him 😛
 
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