First Communion on Mother's Day

  • Thread starter Thread starter Oneofthewomen
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
AnnArbor said:
Our parish always had first Communion on a Saturday. Then the children were encouraged to wear their special first Communion outfits to Mass the next day. It was sweet watching older parishioners congratulate them.

Trying to have first Communion on Mother’s Day would have been a logistical nightmare – the church just couldn’t hold the kids, their families, and the regular Mass attendees. And I think fewer extended family members would attend, since they’d be celebrating Mother’s Day.
**
Additionally, first Communion usually involves a party afterward. And I’m betting Mom is the one doing the cleaning and party prep – not exactly a relaxing Mother’s Day.**
Click to expand...
Not like it’s a required thing. Take mom to lunch instead.
 
Idk…if you have a grandmother that lives far away and can’t travel… it is not a good idea, especially if they are very elderly…it would prevent a family from visiting her on one of her last mothers day on this earth…🤷
 
I wonder what people would say about parishes like mine that don’t have a set “first communion day.”
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
I think most every First Communion I’ve gone to are on a Saturday. I remember my sister had hers on a Saturday, the following day was Mother’s day.
Click to expand...
Oh, Mary Gail, that was in the olden days! 😉 That’s how I made mine, on a Saturday, and then everyone wore their communion outfits again the next day. Now, depending on how many children there are, it is usually done where I live during Sunday mass.

I myself am not a fan of the mixing of Mother’s Day and First Communion. It ends up not being as special of a day for either. 😊 Especially when it’s not my kids…sorry!
 
babochka said:
Is it a small parish with only a few children receiving?
Click to expand...
Surprisingly not, actually! We’re a pretty new parish, but we’ve got a brand new decent-sized building and we’re already filling it out pretty well. I’m actually a little worried we should have built it bigger. We have a pretty impressive set of deacons for a parish our size though.
 
There are parishes where First Communions is the first time your child has completed the preparation and instruction and is permitted to receive. They sit with their families, just wherever they normally, Sit, They just get in line all dressed up, and that’s the extent of the fuss made.
It’s the kind of thing that makes parishioners really angry or really glad. We had Confirmation yesterday, and as I was lining the teens and their sponsors up in the Narthex for the processional with the Archbishop, many people walked in, saw what was happening and turned around and left,
People really have no more patience or sentimentality.
Few priests as well. Our pastor is one that loathes Mother’s Day on many levels.
I think people have crazy expectations and crazy pet peeves,
It’s a sacrament. Nobody seems to remember that it’s special no matter what day.
IF, and ONLY IF the parents have the proper attitude about the whole thing.
Is it a day for a party?
Is it an inconvenience?
Is it a family tradition and obligation?
Or is it the first time your child meets Christ in an intimate and personal way?

Having said that, I still think Saturdays are a bad idea on many levels.
:twocents:
 
pianistclare said:
There are parishes where First Communions is the first time your child has completed the preparation and instruction and is permitted to receive. They sit with their families, just wherever they normally, Sit, They just get in line all dressed up, and that’s the extent of the fuss made.
It’s the kind of thing that makes parishioners really angry or really glad. We had Confirmation yesterday, and as I was lining the teens and their sponsors up in the Narthex for the processional with the Archbishop, many people walked in, saw what was happening and turned around and left,
People really have no more patience or sentimentality.
Few priests as well. Our pastor is one that loathes Mother’s Day on many levels.
I think people have crazy expectations and crazy pet peeves,
I***t’s a sacrament. Nobody seems to remember that it’s special no matter what day. ***
IF, and ONLY IF the parents have the proper attitude about the whole thing.
Is it a day for a party?
Is it an inconvenience?
Is it a family tradition and obligation?
Or is it the first time your child meets Christ in an intimate and personal way?

Having said that, I still think Saturdays are a bad idea on many levels.
:twocents:
Click to expand...
Regarding the bolded- EXACTLY!
Which is why I don’t like the Mother’s day thing. I think that receiving communion for the first time should be a big deal and should not have to “shared”

I also agree with AnnArbor- how relaxing of a day is it for Mom to have to get the First Communicant ready in special clothes, hair done, etc, in addition to other children, and then hosting a party.

I guess though, based on most of the replies I am the odd man out.
If I had children, I would have opted out of the Mother’s day date and had my child receive at a different Mass. I would like to see it happen on Corpus Christi Sunday, but that’s just me. And fortunately, it’s not something I will ever have to worry about.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
How about Father’s Day?
Flag day?
My birthday?
National ice cream week?
Talk like a pirate day?
:rolleyes:

This thread is incredible to me!
Honestly,
Any mother worth thier salt…
Click to expand...
Just what exactly is that supposed to mean?!

I would not want to see First Communions on Father’s day either.
Sorry, if that would make me a bad mother…
Well, I just don’t know what to say. :mad:
 
Irishmom2 said:
Why is that?
Click to expand...
As I said in my previous post:

*** In today’s world many families think that as long as they go to mass anytime on a weekend it counts. It doesn’t. We have kids make their FHC on Saturday, and then the very next day their parents put their souls in jeopardy by sleeping in and skipping Mass “because we were just there yesterday”.
Yeah. That happens. ***
 
pianistclare said:
As I said in my previous post:

*** In today’s world many families think that as long as they go to mass anytime on a weekend it counts. It doesn’t. We have kids make their FHC on Saturday, and then the very next day their parents put their souls in jeopardy by sleeping in and skipping Mass “because we were just there yesterday”.
Yeah. That happens. ***
Click to expand...
I’m confused. Are we talking about something other than the Vigil Mass?
 
DarkLight said:
I’m confused. Are we talking about something other than the Vigil Mass?
Click to expand...
First Communion Masses on Saturdays are typically on Saturday mornings. They don’t “count” for the Sunday obligation.

I would consider a vigil Mass a “Sunday” liturgy.
Parents also don’t want to wait until evening to dress their children for Mass, and then have a very late reception.
And make no mistake: parents drive this train.
 
pianistclare said:
First Communion Masses on Saturdays are typically on Saturday mornings. They don’t “count” for the Sunday obligation.

I would consider a vigil Mass a “Sunday” liturgy.
Parents also don’t want to wait until evening to dress their children for Mass, and then have a very late reception.
And make no mistake: parents drive this train.
Click to expand...
Well honestly, those are the parents that won’t take their kid to mass on any Sunday. You are not going to prevent that from happening just because you have their First Holy Communion on a Sunday instead of a Saturday though.
 
DarkLight said:
I wonder what people would say about parishes like mine that don’t have a set “first communion day.”
Click to expand...
We had that in the parish where DD received her First Communion. We prepared our own kids with help from the parish. There were 3 or 4 group celebrations where the parents were prepared for what was coming up in the catechesis program. When the program was completed the children had an interview with the Pastor who made sure that they were well aware of what they were going to be doing. Once we were given the green light our kids got to receive at whatever Mass they chose to attend next.
 
Irishmom2 said:
Well honestly, those are the parents that won’t take their kid to mass on any Sunday. You are not going to prevent that from happening just because you have their First Holy Communion on a Sunday instead of a Saturday though.
Click to expand...
Well, you’d be surprised. It’s not like up North where everyone is Catholic.
I don’t know of any parish around here that still does Saturday mornings.
They all want it to be part of the life of the parish and not the affected families.
 
pianistclare said:
As I said in my previous post:

*** In today’s world many families think that as long as they go to mass anytime on a weekend it counts. It doesn’t. We have kids make their FHC on Saturday, and then the very next day their parents put their souls in jeopardy by sleeping in and skipping Mass “because we were just there yesterday”.
Yeah. That happens. ***
Click to expand...
I honestly feel sorry for the lessons the kids are learning. Of course at that age they can hardly be blamed for skipping mass, but it does not set them up well.
 
pianistclare said:
As I said in my previous post:

*** In today’s world many families think that as long as they go to mass anytime on a weekend it counts. It doesn’t. We have kids make their FHC on Saturday, and then the very next day their parents put their souls in jeopardy by sleeping in and skipping Mass “because we were just there yesterday”.
Yeah. That happens. ***
DarkLight;14666851:
I honestly feel sorry for the lessons the kids are learning. Of course at that age they can hardly be blamed for skipping mass, but it does not set them up well.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
We had 17 children make their First Communion on Mother’s Day this year. 5 were at Mass the next weekend. The soccer tournament took precedence.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top