First Communon - Was this appropriate?

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Uncle_David

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There was a young girl who received her First Holy Communion today. Exciting for her and her family!

Our new associate Pastor invited the little girl up to the altar from the Eucharistic Prayer until she received communion.

Although the young girl was obviously thrilled to be up there during the consecration, I felt this was inappropriate. I maybe over-reacting so I wanted to know what others thought of this.
Thanks!
 
You are certainly not over reacting. I am sure that many on the forum who are far wiser than I will agree with me in saying that the faithful belong in the pews, and the (con)celebrating priest(s) and altar boys are the only people who have any business in the sanctuary.

Another thing to watch for: It is Canon Law that a child must recieve their first communion from a priest. In many churches, pompous extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist (who are used far too often in my opinion) try to beat the priest to it. This is a grave sin.
 
Uncle David;

Relax, it was not inapproriate. It was indeed a special day for that young lady, receiving the Lord for the first time in the Eucharist.

Yes Iam well aware of what the GIRM has to say about this issuse along with other things.

I believe the pastorial concerns outweigh anything that the GIRM or any other Rubric statements that can be made concerning this.

I would advise you to take this issue up with your priest and if you are still not statisfied with his answer, take it up with your bishop; but do not be surprised if your bishop does not share your concern.

The second poster brought up canon law, that first communion must be by a priest, in your post you indicated that it was by the
associate pastor, which I would assume is a priest, so no problem.

If you would like to discuss this further, please fell free to PM me.

In Christ’s Love,

Br. Mark, OSB

.
 
Uncle_David said:
There was a young girl who received her First Holy Communion today. Exciting for her and her family!

Our new associate Pastor invited the little girl up to the altar from the Eucharistic Prayer until she received communion.

Although the young girl was obviously thrilled to be up there during the consecration, I felt this was inappropriate. I maybe over-reacting so I wanted to know what others thought of this.
Thanks!
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You are not over-reacting. Starting a first communicant on the wrong foot is not a way to be “pastorially concerned”.
 
This was inappropriate. I’m not sure what the message that the priest was trying to convey was, but it certainly seems to be misleading regarding how she ought to participate in the sacrifice of the Mass.

From a response from the Congregation for Divine Worship (Notitiae 17 (1981) 61):
Query: At the presentation of gifts at a Mass with congregation, persons (lay or religious) bring to the altar the bread and wine which are to be consecrated. These gifts are received by the priest celebrant. All those participating in the Mass accompany this group procession in which the gifts are brought forward. They then stand around the altar until communion time. Is this procedure in conformity with the spirit of the law and of the Roman Missal?
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Reply: Assuredly, the Eucharistic celebration is the act of the entire community, carried out by all the members of the liturgical assembly. Nevertheless, everyone must have and also must observe his or her own place and proper role: “In liturgical celebrations each one, minister or layperson, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to that office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy.” (SC art. 29). During the liturgy of the eucharist, only the presiding celebrant remains at the altar. The assembly of the faithful take their place in the Church outside the “presbyterium,” which is reserved for the celebrant or concelebrants and altar ministers.
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Br. Mark, You are correct in that this was a very special day for this little girl! Would it not have been a very special day if the priest had followed the rubrics in the GIRM?
If the girl were correctly catechized and was of an acceptable maturity level to receive Holy Communion for the first time, should she not have been able to participate sufficiently in the sacrifice of the Mass from the front pew instead of from the altar? If she doesn’t understand (from a 7 year olds ability to understand) that she is receiving Jesus’ Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, will standing next to the altar help her understand it more?
If it is OK to deviate from the GIRM in this instance because this priest thinks it will be more meaningful, what is the boundary beyond which there will be no more deviation? By whose authority does a priest decide these things (beyond his own)? When a priest is ordained, he vows to be faithful and obedient to the Church and her authority, even when he believes he could improve on some aspect or another.
This is not an earth-shattering matter, but is one small instance among thousands of others which occur every day where a priest decides he doesn’t need to follow the rubrics of the Mass. His innovations are placed above his obedience to any aurthority except his own.

mc366
 
Pious_Mat said:
Another thing to watch for: It is Canon Law that a child must recieve their first communion from a priest. In many churches, pompous extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist (who are used far too often in my opinion) try to beat the priest to it. This is a grave sin.
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I would be more concerned with preparing for my own reception of the Lord Jesus Christ than with making sure a first communicant receives from the priest. People who spend the Mass policing the liturgy are not, IMHO, properly disposed to receive Jesus.
 
Br_Mark said:
Yes Iam well aware of what the GIRM has to say about this issuse along with other things.

I believe the pastorial concerns outweigh anything that the GIRM or any other Rubric statements that can be made concerning this…
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This is such a sad statement. This is excatly why so many catholics have so many questions of ‘was this correct’. We don’ t know anymore because each priest, at least a whole lot of them, feel they know best.

I do understand, they have studied for years at seminary. But there is a magisterum. When that is followed, it is never wrong.
 
Thank you all for your comments!

I am sure this action was very special to the young girl and her family. However, I felt it took the focus away from what was happening on the altar and placed the focus on her. I also feel these distractions are happening too frequently within our Church.
 
MusicMan said:
I would be more concerned with preparing for my own reception of the Lord Jesus Christ than with making sure a first communicant receives from the priest. People who spend the Mass policing the liturgy are not, IMHO, properly disposed to receive Jesus.
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Policing the liturgy or concerned about liturgical abuses? We humans are capable of much on the slippery slope.
 
Observing liturgical abuses because they disrupt your ability to worship and pray is one thing. This is passive.

Actively policing the liturgy is wrong.
 
Pious_Mat said:
Another thing to watch for: It is Canon Law that a child must recieve their first communion from a priest. In many churches, pompous extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist (who are used far too often in my opinion) try to beat the priest to it. This is a grave sin.
Click to expand...
When my little cousin received her First Communion it was from a extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. We were all uncomfortable with this. I was not aware of the Canon Law prohibiting this, and by the time it was occuring there was no way of stopping it.

I believe that now the children at this parish receive their First Communion from a priest.

I also recall that a few years back they would have all the children come up to the altar same as in the OP’s senerio. This practice has now stopped.

I have my suspicions that it might have been because of my mom. When my second little cousin was preparing for the First Communion, they had a parent meeting. My aunt and uncle were away and asked my mom to go to the meeting and collect any necessary information. My mom spoke up and asked why the children did not receive something as important as their First Communion from a priest. Guess what, the very next year, all the children received from the priest. Sometimes speaking your mind and addressing the issue in the correct forum can cause changes.
 
A small clarification is in order.

The requirement is placed in the instruction Redemptionis sacramentum n. 87 and not in canon law. (“Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass.”)

RS was not promulgated or effective until March 2004.
 
And yes, a First Communicant who has received the host from the priest can receive the chalice from a deacon.
 
MusicMan said:
I would be more concerned with preparing for my own reception of the Lord Jesus Christ than with making sure a first communicant receives from the priest. People who spend the Mass policing the liturgy are not, IMHO, properly disposed to receive Jesus.
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I copied this from another thread - I felt it was a very fitting response to your comment.

The Document “Redemptionis Sacramentum” by JP II does tell us
6. Complaints Regarding Abuses in Liturgical Matters
  1. In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favoritism.
  2. Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.290 It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity. (emphesis mine)
 
He is not authorizing or deputizing the faithful to be the liturgy police. If you witness an abuse, you are welcome to bring it to the attention of the proper authorities, but the late Holy Father is not commanding us to sit in the pews and watch for abuses. We are there to humbly pray and worship God, not make sure that the priest does everything correct.
 
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