A
a_pilgrim
Guest
A forum member recently posed a question in the “Ask an Apologist” Forum with the heading, “Is First Communion before Confession allowed?” This member went on to indicate that the practice in her parish was for second graders to receive First Holy Communion and then, two years later, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Catholic Answers Apologist Peggy Frye began her response to this question with the following statement…
“First Confession is always done prior to receiving First Communion. There are no exceptions.” (emphasis mine)
…followed by two posts worth of supporting documentation.
In the Byzantine Catholic Church, the standard practice is for infants who are being initiated into membership within the Church to recieve all three of the Holy Mysteries of Initiation, Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist in the same ceremony. Clearly, these Catholic infants, every bit as Catholic as their Latin Rite counterparts, partake in their First Holy Communion well before their first Confession - all with the blessing of the Catholic Church! There are exceptions, Ms. Frye!
Now, I would not be posting this if this site were billed as the Roman Catholic Answers Forums. It is not. It is billed as the Catholic Answers Forums. Period. As such, the assumption has to be that the apologists here will speak on behalf of all Catholics.
The word “catholic” denotes that we are a diverse Church, broad in our individual heritages and ritual practices. Yet the global perception of our Church continues to be one of a one-dimensional organization, with the word “Roman” or “Latin” being part of our official title. Given the huge population differential between the Church of the West and the Churches of the East that together comprise our Holy Catholic Church, this perception is sad, but understandable, when viewed through the eyes of the average world resident. It is not, however, an understandable nor acceptable perception when it comes from one who holds themselves up to be an expert on Catholic Church-related matters.
My friends, I beg your forgiveness if I’m beginning to sound repetitious, but I feel we’ve been down this road too many times. In fact, an extremely high ranking member of the Catholic Answers organization once took me to task on this forum for expecting what he referred to as some sort of “Eastern Catholic affirmative action.” I assure you I’m not sitting out here playing “watchdog,” waiting for one of my Latin brothers or sisters to slip up and slight the Eastern Catholic Churches. When a Catholic Church expert blows a call, however, I’d be the one slighting my own Church if I were to ignore it. I won’t do that.
A recent poll on this forum indicated that our membership would prefer to see Eastern Catholic issues integrated into the more “mainstream” Catholic discussions where appropriate as opposed to a separate, segregated Eastern Catholic Forum. Well, here we go… this is a perfect example.
Ms. Frye, please don’t read any personal animosity into my remarks. What you’re seeing is frustration on my part. I realize that your area of expertise resides in matters relating to your own ritual Church, which I assume to be the Latin Church. As a Catholic apologist, however, you speak for all of us, even the few Easterners that hang around here. Because of your position, your responses are assumed to be “gospel” by all who read them. Please don’t forget we’re out here.
Thank you,
a pilgrim *
Catholic Answers Apologist Peggy Frye began her response to this question with the following statement…
“First Confession is always done prior to receiving First Communion. There are no exceptions.” (emphasis mine)
…followed by two posts worth of supporting documentation.
In the Byzantine Catholic Church, the standard practice is for infants who are being initiated into membership within the Church to recieve all three of the Holy Mysteries of Initiation, Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist in the same ceremony. Clearly, these Catholic infants, every bit as Catholic as their Latin Rite counterparts, partake in their First Holy Communion well before their first Confession - all with the blessing of the Catholic Church! There are exceptions, Ms. Frye!
Now, I would not be posting this if this site were billed as the Roman Catholic Answers Forums. It is not. It is billed as the Catholic Answers Forums. Period. As such, the assumption has to be that the apologists here will speak on behalf of all Catholics.
The word “catholic” denotes that we are a diverse Church, broad in our individual heritages and ritual practices. Yet the global perception of our Church continues to be one of a one-dimensional organization, with the word “Roman” or “Latin” being part of our official title. Given the huge population differential between the Church of the West and the Churches of the East that together comprise our Holy Catholic Church, this perception is sad, but understandable, when viewed through the eyes of the average world resident. It is not, however, an understandable nor acceptable perception when it comes from one who holds themselves up to be an expert on Catholic Church-related matters.
My friends, I beg your forgiveness if I’m beginning to sound repetitious, but I feel we’ve been down this road too many times. In fact, an extremely high ranking member of the Catholic Answers organization once took me to task on this forum for expecting what he referred to as some sort of “Eastern Catholic affirmative action.” I assure you I’m not sitting out here playing “watchdog,” waiting for one of my Latin brothers or sisters to slip up and slight the Eastern Catholic Churches. When a Catholic Church expert blows a call, however, I’d be the one slighting my own Church if I were to ignore it. I won’t do that.
A recent poll on this forum indicated that our membership would prefer to see Eastern Catholic issues integrated into the more “mainstream” Catholic discussions where appropriate as opposed to a separate, segregated Eastern Catholic Forum. Well, here we go… this is a perfect example.
Ms. Frye, please don’t read any personal animosity into my remarks. What you’re seeing is frustration on my part. I realize that your area of expertise resides in matters relating to your own ritual Church, which I assume to be the Latin Church. As a Catholic apologist, however, you speak for all of us, even the few Easterners that hang around here. Because of your position, your responses are assumed to be “gospel” by all who read them. Please don’t forget we’re out here.
Thank you,
a pilgrim *
Keep us all wise, okay?
