Do I have a problem on my hands?

[carlos19]

I have been a catholic all my life. I am 43. Recently I was planning to enroll my children in catechism classes to prepare them for first communion. I started thinking about my experiences and all of a sudden it occurred to me that I did not properly receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. Here is what I remember. I was 6 or 7 when I moved to California.

I remember attending Catechism classes in another country. I have a vague memory of completing the classes. Not sure though. I did not live with my mother but rather my grandparents. What I am sure of is that I did not do the first communion ceremony. I moved back with my mother at the age of 6-7. We went to church and she directed me to go to confession and then to take the Eucharist. I kind of remember thinking, I do not know how to do this… Forgive me, I have not thought about this for over thirty years. it is all vague.

I asked my mom, about this and she had no recollection. My grandparents are both dead. I cannot even remember the church where I took the classes. It was in another country. Maybe I completed the classes maybe I did not. But I know that I did not go through the ceremony.

I love partaking of the Eucharist, but I think it good conscience I can no longer take it until I resolve this. Can anyone offer any advice.

 

[AndyF]

Relax. I’m not too familiar with such a problem, but I’d just work with a spiritual adviser from your parish and arrange to prepare for your first(?) communion. Your intent is not devious, you just want to ensure you are properly in communion. I think you will need your baptismal certificate, and since you don’t mention it I assume you have it. (pretty hard to get around these days without having been called to show it.)

So it’s good news all around.

Andy

 

[beafedor]

Carlos I had similar question and impossible to remember if I had received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Dioceses keep records of the Sacraments. The best thing to do is to research the possible Churches where you could have received the Sacrament and contact the Diocese(s). Good luck to you.

 

[Phemie]

Just because you didn’t have a ceremony doesn’t mean you didn’t receive your Fist Communion. That happened when your mom made you go to confession and then to receive. There’s only one “First” Communion and you received that many years ago.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I have been a catholic all my life. I am 43. Recently I was planning to enroll my children in catechism classes to prepare them for first communion. I started thinking about my experiences and all of a sudden it occurred to me that I did not properly receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. Here is what I remember. I was 6 or 7 when I moved to California.

I remember attending Catechism classes in another country. I have a vague memory of completing the classes. Not sure though. I did not live with my mother but rather my grandparents. What I am sure of is that I did not do the first communion ceremony. I moved back with my mother at the age of 6-7. We went to church and she directed me to go to confession and then to take the Eucharist. I kind of remember thinking, I do not know how to do this… Forgive me, I have not thought about this for over thirty years. it is all vague.

I asked my mom, about this and she had no recollection. My grandparents are both dead. I cannot even remember the church where I took the classes. It was in another country. Maybe I completed the classes maybe I did not. But I know that I did not go through the ceremony.

I love partaking of the Eucharist, but I think it good conscience I can no longer take it until I resolve this. Can anyone offer any advice.

As long as you are a baptized Catholic and believe what the Catholic church teaches, and are not in a state of mortal sin, there is no need for you to not receive the Eucharist. There really is no special ceremony required, although adults who are coming into the Church are baptized and receive the Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil, usually. Although Children are often given their First Communion in a group at a special Mass, that is not necessary. Many of our children receive at regular Sunday Mass, and adults who are not in RCIA do the same.

Talk to your parish priest about this. He will reassure you. The important thing is that you were baptized–you were, weren’t you? Also, ask him about being Confirmed. You don’t have to be confirmed before you receive the Eucharist, but it is a Sacrament of Initiation and important to receive.

 

[Bro_Justin]

Carlos,

You do not have a problem on your hands. You go to confession and tell the priest everything that you revealed to us and he knows what to do.

My guesss would be as an adult Catholic he will give you private lesson on the Communion, It is so very important that we have classes on FIrst Holy Communion because it is so special.

It must be taxing going to Confesssion if you never went for Communion.

I guarantee you that the priest will give you private Communion lessons.

Be at peace and do not let this bother you.

The priest knows what he is doing.

God bless you now.

Brother Justin, OP

 

[beafedor]

Just because you didn’t have a ceremony doesn’t mean you didn’t receive your Fist Communion. That happened when your mom made you go to confession and then to receive. There’s only one “First” Communion and you received that many years ago.

Phemie, in some countries there would be a big ceremony and if Carlos doesn’t remember taking part in one, he might not have received his 1st Communion for whatever reason. I found out after many years that I never received the Sacrament of Confirmation and I received it as an adult with my husband as my sponsor. My old Diocese told me what I needed to know so I could act to ‘make things right’ as an adult.

 

[IrishRush]

I think you will need your baptismal certificate, and since you don’t mention it I assume you have it. (pretty hard to get around these days without having been called to show it.)Andy

I have never been asked for my baptismal certificate, and it’s a good thing because I have no clue where to even begin looking. I was an Army brat and we moved about every 2 years. Both my parents are dead and I don’t even know if I was baptized in the state where I was born (Alabama). Any suggestions on how to get a copy of that???

 

[CB_Catholic]

Phemie, in some countries there would be a big ceremony and if Carlos doesn’t remember taking part in one, he might not have received his 1st Communion for whatever reason. I found out after many years that I never received the Sacrament of Confirmation and I received it as an adult with my husband as my sponsor. My old Diocese told me what I needed to know so I could act to ‘make things right’ as an adult.

Yes, but what Phemie is saying is that your First Communion is when you received Communion for the first time. The OP went to Catechism classes, and at some point his mother took him to Confession and then to Communion. That was the first time he received Communion, which is his first Communion. If he is baptized, it was unusual, but it is his first Communion. And apparently he has been practicing his faith and receiving the Eucharist ever since, just like the rest of us. Why should he stop now, just because he does not recall a ceremony? He just needs the fact that he has received Communion recorded in a Church record so there won’t be any question. He should talk to his priest about this.

The ceremony in some countries surrounding the reception of First Communion has nothing to do with the actual Sacrament itself. It’s just a cultural recognition of the fact.

 

[carlos19]

thanks for all your comments everyone!

I am baptized. I had to find the certificate when I got married. I will take your suggestions. I really appreciate it.

 

[Phemie]

He just needs the fact that he has received Communion recorded in a Church record so there won’t be any question. He should talk to his priest about this.

Even that is unnecessary. Canon Law requires that Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and Marriage be recorded. There is no such requirement for First Communions & Confessions or the Sacrament of the Sick, although many parishes record First Communions.

 

[puzzleannie]

I .

I remember attending Catechism classes in another country. I have a vague memory of completing the classes. Not sure though. I did not live with my mother but rather my grandparents. What I am sure of is that I did not do the first communion ceremony. I moved back with my mother at the age of 6-7. We went to church and she directed me to go to confession and then to take the Eucharist…

no ceremony is necessary, if your grandmother instructed you, made sure you made your first confession, and brought you to your first reception of the Eucharist, then you have made your first communion. I assume you have been going to confession and communion regularly since then. If this is not the case, give further details. There is no ceremony other than simply reception of the Eucharist. There are a lot of cultural customs that surround the occasion, but none of them have any bearing on the sacrament itself.

 

[puzzleannie]

I have never been asked for my baptismal certificate, and it’s a good thing because I have no clue where to even begin looking. I was an Army brat and we moved about every 2 years. Both my parents are dead and I don’t even know if I was baptized in the state where I was born (Alabama). Any suggestions on how to get a copy of that???

the military archdiocese in Washington DC will most likely have your baptismal record if your parents were military.

 

[Cider]

There is no required ceremony. When I was baptized and confirmed on a weekday outside of mass there was no consecrated hosts for me to take first communion so I just received for the first time at the next mass I assisted at and later called the parish secretary to let her know the date so she could record it in my parish records.

 

[Cider]

I have never been asked for my baptismal certificate, and it’s a good thing because I have no clue where to even begin looking. I was an Army brat and we moved about every 2 years. Both my parents are dead and I don’t even know if I was baptized in the state where I was born (Alabama). Any suggestions on how to get a copy of that???

My understanding is that they can search parish records, not sure if it’s an international or national database or if they have to search by diocese you lived in. Ask at the parish office.

 

[puzzleannie]

My understanding is that they can search parish records, not sure if it’s an international or national database or if they have to search by diocese you lived in. Ask at the parish office.

there is no requirement to record first communions so it may not be common practice where he comes from, so no one should require him to provide proof. If he has been receiving communion obviously there had to have been a first time so there is absolutely no problem.

I am still unclear from OP if Carlos has been receiving communion and going to confession regularly. If not he should speak to his pastor because it is quite likely he was never confirmed, and that will be noted on the baptismal record. We just had two first communions this past Sunday for young ladies who were baptized and confirmed as infants in Mexico, yet had never made first communion. So they have been participating in the adult confirmation class and prepared for first confession and Eucharist. They want to continue to have a better understanding of confirmation and of their faith. And they are sisters and will be baptizing one of their children, and have brought their older children for instruction and sacramental preparation. So grace abounds in the sacraments and whole families are blessed this way. They will also serve as confirmation sponsors for other candidates in the class, a real bonus!

another thought for OP, now that your children are starting religious education and preparing for sacraments is a great time for you and all parents to review what you know about them, and your faith in general, so ask if there are parent classes for that purpose.

 

[Cider]

My post quoted Irishrush saying he didn’t know where his baptismal certificate was and that he wasn’t sure where we was baptized since he was a military brat, and he wants a copy. It was not in reference to the OP and first communion.

 

[carlos19]

there is no requirement to record first communions so it may not be common practice where he comes from, so no one should require him to provide proof. If he has been receiving communion obviously there had to have been a first time so there is absolutely no problem.

I am still unclear from OP if Carlos has been receiving communion and going to confession regularly. If not he should speak to his pastor because it is quite likely he was never confirmed, and that will be noted on the baptismal record. We just had two first communions this past Sunday for young ladies who were baptized and confirmed as infants in Mexico, yet had never made first communion. So they have been participating in the adult confirmation class and prepared for first confession and Eucharist. They want to continue to have a better understanding of confirmation and of their faith. And they are sisters and will be baptizing one of their children, and have brought their older children for instruction and sacramental preparation. So grace abounds in the sacraments and whole families are blessed this way. They will also serve as confirmation sponsors for other candidates in the class, a real bonus!

another thought for OP, now that your children are starting religious education and preparing for sacraments is a great time for you and all parents to review what you know about them, and your faith in general, so ask if there are parent classes for that purpose.

thank you for your comments. I am confirmed. I was confirmed as a child, I saw that on my baptismal records. Thanks to all for their insight an comments

 

[Phemie]

thank you for your comments. I am confirmed. I was confirmed as a child, I saw that on my baptismal records. Thanks to all for their insight an comments

Happy we could set your mind at ease.

 

[IrishRush]

My post quoted Irishrush saying he didn’t know where his baptismal certificate was and that he wasn’t sure where we was baptized since** he **was a military brat, and he wants a copy. It was not in reference to the OP and first communion.

Not sure if it’s the name but the assumption seems to always be that I’m a “he.” But I’m a “she.” Not that it’s relevant to this topic at all but I felt the need to clarify for some reason.