First Communion & Confimation before First Confession

[zagjames]

Is it a problem that I was confirmed and recieved my first communion when I was 8ish and didn’t go to confession for the first time until I was 13?

I know in Eastern rites children are Christformed and recieve their first Communion just after Baptism. But in the Latin Rite do the Confirmation and 1st Communion have to follow 1st Confirmation to be valid. (I don’t think I was in mortal sin at 8, but who knows, I can barely remember my 1st communion, I thought it was silly, it was not tell years later I learned about the doctrine of the real presense. Gotta love the CCD classes or lack there of in my diocese. Only the kids who go to Catholic School seem to get any decent faith formation, atleast thats how it was in the 3 parishes I went to at different points as a kid).

This issue of the validity of my confirmation and appropriateness of my first Communion, has been bugging me so any help would be great.

 

[benedictgal]

Is it a problem that I was confirmed and recieved my first communion when I was 8ish and didn’t go to confession for the first time until I was 13?

I know in Eastern rites children are Christformed and recieve their first Communion just after Baptism. But in the Latin Rite do the Confirmation and 1st Communion have to follow 1st Confirmation to be valid. (I don’t think I was in mortal sin at 8, but who knows, I can barely remember my 1st communion, I thought it was silly, it was not tell years later I learned about the doctrine of the real presense. Gotta love the CCD classes or lack there of in my diocese. Only the kids who go to Catholic School seem to get any decent faith formation, atleast thats how it was in the 3 parishes I went to at different points as a kid).

This issue of the validity of my confirmation and appropriateness of my first Communion, has been bugging me so any help would be great.

I don’t know if this helps, but the following comes from Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[87.] **The First Communion of children must always be preceded by sacramental confession and absolution.169 **Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass. Apart from exceptional cases, it is not particularly appropriate for First Communion to be administered on Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper. Another day should be chosen instead, such as a Sunday between the Second and the Sixth Sunday of Easter, or the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or the Sundays of Ordinary Time, since Sunday is rightly regarded as the day of the Eucharist.170 “Children who have not attained the age of reason, or those whom” the Parish Priest “has determined to be insufficiently prepared” should not come forward to receive the Holy Eucharist.171 Where it happens, however, that a child who is exceptionally mature for his age is judged to be ready for receiving the Sacrament, the child must not be denied First Communion provided he has received sufficient instruction.

The culpability was not with you; rather it was probably with whoever was in charge of CCD (and your parish) at the time. Having posted that, although I am by no means a competent authority, I don’t think that the reverse order of things rendered your reception of the sacraments as invalid.

In 1976, when I received my First Holy Communion, I (and my classmates) made our First Confessions the day before (it was on a Saturday). I specifically remember this because my grandfather had to give me and my mother a ride to the church because my dad was working that day. The next morning (Sunday) we received First Holy Communion. Oddly enough, we received kneeling (at the communion rail) and on the tongue. I say this because this was in 1976.

By the way, you only receive the Sacrament of Confirmation once.

 

[Jordan_Francis]

At my Catholic elementary school children always recieved their First Communion in the 2nd Grade, followed the next year by their first Confession in the 3rd grade. This was the case for me as well.

Was this an abuse?

 

[Phemie]

It was certainly against Canon Law but I have to say that my three children, who made their First Communion in different provinces in Canada also received Communion a full year before their first confession – bishops had so decided.

In my present diocese, while the children for the past 9 years have been Confirmed then received First Communion, a perfectly theologically valid option, Confession was always a part of the preparation for the sacraments of Confirmation & Communion.