Goofed up First Communion Policy

[Joan_M]

SursumCor:

My Parrish has recently been taken over by a liturgical nazi, who calls himself the Pastor.

He has decided there will no longer be a first communion mass for children, but some Sunday in May the child can make his/her first communion with their family at any mass of their choice. In other words its nothing special, just another breakfast. This somehow in his mind promotes community. However eveyone to this date has had a special day when they made theor first communion so by eliminating first communion he is effectively forcing a seperation in that these children will have a totally different experience of first communion which is completely different from the community.

I am going to become a complete pain in the *** on this matter but to do that I need to gather my ammo. So to the issue, what does the documents (RCIC or what ever is the controlling document) regarding the reception of first communion say about the sacramental celebration for children?

I tried to search this online but have had no success finding the document.

Thanks

First of all, it is uncharitable to refer to anyone, much less a priest, as a “Liturgical Naxi.”

Next, the Parish Priest has a certain amount of freedom to arrange the Sacraments as he sees fit. However, it is usually not wise for him to do this without at least some consultation with the Pastoral Council.

That being said, I do not agree with what your priest is proposing. Having each individual child receive their first Holy Communion at whatever Sunday Mass their parents feel like during a particular month will not “promote community.”

I agree with others that it may not be appropriate to arrange a special Mass for the First Communicants, but instead think that having all the First Communicants receive their first Holy Communion as a specific Mass on a specific Sunday does promote community.

After all, it is a special day - and they have been to preparation classes together. Their special day should promote community for them, not just the rest of the parish. It is very touching to see all these glowing children receiving for the first time.

Perhaps your priest is concerned that some of the parents cannot afford formal First Communion outfits - that could be a concern. One of my parish priests, some years ago, laid down rules for what could be worn so as to make it easier for the poorer families to participate without financial embarassment.

I would advise not becoming “a complete pain in the *** on this matter”, but, rather approaching the priest to see what is his intent here.

 

[Elizabeth_B]

My daughter received her First Communion at a “special” Mass. Having arrived over an hour in advance, we were able to squeeze into the back row. The Church was packed. In spite of instructions otherwise, many adults - sometimes 3 & 4 per child - blocked the view of others to get photographs and videos.

My sons received at a “regular” Sunday Mass. (By the way, every Mass is special). Father invited each child to receive communion surrounded by his family before the rest of the assembly was invited to receive communion. He highlighted the importance of the Eucharist and our community in the homily. Although our parish is quite large, I’ve since met people who have told me they were present at my sons’ First Communion.

Our pastor and our Religious Ed department went to great lengths to prepare not only the children, but also their parents for this big event.

I admit that I was concerned, at first, when I realized that my sons’ First Communion was not to be a recreation of my own; but our pastor made this celebration (and the many others I’ve attended since) a beautiful experience for everyone. In no way was this downplaying this major milestone.

 

[Shiann]

Elizabeth

 

[Franciscum]

Elizabeth B.:

My daughter received her First Communion at a “special” Mass. Having arrived over an hour in advance, we were able to squeeze into the back row. The Church was packed. In spite of instructions otherwise, many adults - sometimes 3 & 4 per child - blocked the view of others to get photographs and videos.

My sons received at a “regular” Sunday Mass. (By the way, every Mass is special). Father invited each child to receive communion surrounded by his family before the rest of the assembly was invited to receive communion. He highlighted the importance of the Eucharist and our community in the homily. Although our parish is quite large, I’ve since met people who have told me they were present at my sons’ First Communion.

Our pastor and our Religious Ed department went to great lengths to prepare not only the children, but also their parents for this big event.

I admit that I was concerned, at first, when I realized that my sons’ First Communion was not to be a recreation of my own; but our pastor made this celebration (and the many others I’ve attended since) a beautiful experience for everyone. In no way was this downplaying this major milestone.

It sounds like it was a beautiful Mass. Unfortunately some on this forum would suggest the Mass was not “regular” enough, given your celebrant’s special efforts. I think it’s wonderful.

 

[Marines]

Sursum Corda,
Don’t give up now; you’re going to win this fight. If it appears you are up against a stone wall, look around for the nearest approved Tridentine Latin Mass. You and your children will love it.

• Joe

 

[Catholic4aReasn]

Franciscum:

It all depends on your bishop, and the amount of pressure exerted by the parents.

I completely agree! We had a first communion fiasco when my daughter made her first communion. A group of parents got together and made so much noise that the pastor finally gave in.

Get as many parents together as you can and meet with your pastor. Come with a petition signed with as many signatures as you can get.

When my daughter made her first communion they made one of the regular Masses the first communion Mass. Maybe you could suggest that if he doesn’t want to have a completely separate one.

Good luck! Let us know what you make out!

In Christ,
Nancy

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Franciscum:

Elizabeth B.:

My sons received at a “regular” Sunday Mass. (By the way, every Mass is special). Father invited each child to receive communion surrounded by his family before the rest of the assembly was invited to receive communion. He highlighted the importance of the Eucharist and our community in the homily. Although our parish is quite large, I’ve since met people who have told me they were present at my sons’ First Communion.

It sounds like it was a beautiful Mass. Unfortunately some on this forum would suggest the Mass was not “regular” enough, given your celebrant’s special efforts. I think it’s wonderful.

I am not one of those as this is exactly how we do it in the Byzantine Church.

I think that this is how it should be done.

I do not see any reason that all children should recieve on the same Sunday.

 

[puzzleannie]

Deacon2006:

.

To suggest that this is a private affair between child and parent denies virtually everything we know about communion. Of all the great themes that can be celebrated with the mass, this is one of the most important because the initiation of new communicates is the great mission of the Church. It is the reason why the mass is called the mass.

The sacrament is one of initiation and as such the whole church is expected to stop and welcome them into this next stage of their Christian initiation. This nonsense of downplaying the source and summit of a Christian’s life is profane.

I ss

your entire post (too long to quote) baffles me. How on earth is the child and his family, in the context of regular Sunday Mass, as part of the whole community, receiving communion, together with all the other communicants, a private affair between child and parent? Precisely for the reason you state, that this is a sacrament of initiation, wherein the child is welcomed by the whole community, the ideal setting is within the regular Sunday Mass, with his family. A special mass for 2nd graders on Saturday afternoon is a less than ideal compromise. I am completely unable to ascertain why you think the child sitting with his family and coming forward with them, and the rest of the community, at communion time downplays the initiation aspect of the sacrament?

your condemnation of the priest, who is carrying out the recommendations of the Church’s catechetical documents, by lumping him together with “priests like these” who presumably are guilty of horrid liturgical abuses is uncalled for, uncharitable and unfounded

 

[puzzleannie]

Ray Marshall:

The rite/tradition of First Communion, whereby a group of children, all dolled up in white receive as a group, as the complete center of attention for the entire congregation, is far more a demonstration of “Community” than hundreds or maybe thousands of folks slowly inching up an aisle, trying not to step on the heel of the eight year old person in front of them and checking out the others in line to see if they know anybody.

The First Communion as a group is probably the first major event in a child’s life, where they become aware that they are not just a member of a family, but that they have been accepted into God’s Church as an equal to all of the other adults present.

Don’t deny them that.

the “group” the child belongs to, and is being initiated in, is the Catholic Church, in the parish community to which he belongs. It is not the second grade class. To suggest that this day is not special because he is not marching up the aisle with his class, but rather “inching his way forward” with the other communicants, young and old, is ludicrous. How is he being taught he is the equal of the other adults present by being segregated in the first 10 rows with his classmates?

 

[The_Hidden_Life]

I like the idea of my child receiving her first communion at an “ordinary” Mass when she is spiritually ready and complete in her instruction, rather than just certified as having finished the sacramental prep class. I teach in RE so I have no illusions that all the children who attend the class are ready.

I didn’t come from a Catholic family, so the idea of losing this special tradition of a First Communion Mass isn’t appalling to me.

I have in-laws who received the Sacrament of Marriage at an “ordinary” Mass, after the Liturgy of the Eucharist, but before the final blessing. This also seems like a good option for involving the entire community in witnessing the sacrament, rather than necessarily making a big, expensive ordeal out of it.

In my former parish, baptisms were almost always done during a regular Sunday Mass as well. I understand that in former times it was almost always done privately, but I think in this day and age when (at least in large parishes) so few people know each other it is good to have these sacraments witnessed by the whole community present. My children were baptized altogether one Sunday at Mass and many strangers came up and congratulated them. I liked it.

I think it would be appropriate to have your child dress in special clothing, have a party at home or at a restaurant and others have given examples of other ways to make it a special day while still having the community atmosphere your pastor desires.

 

[Franciscum]

ByzCath:

I am not one of those as this is exactly how we do it in the Byzantine Church.

I think that this is how it should be done.

I do not see any reason that all children should recieve on the same Sunday.

The “Byzantine Church”?

“Byzantine” is a rite, not a church.

I frequent a Rutenian Catholic church of the Byzantine Rite. There are over a dozen recensions within the Byzantine Rite. Please be more specific in the future.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Franciscum:

The “Byzantine Church”?

“Byzantine” is a rite, not a church.

I frequent a Rutenian Catholic church of the Byzantine Rite. There are over a dozen recensions within the Byzantine Rite. Please be more specific in the future.

In the United States the Ruthenian Catholic Church does call itself the Byzantine Catholic Church – so the usage is not incorrect, just imprecise.

Also, I suspect you frequent a “Ruthenian” rather than “Rutenian” Catholic Church.

Deacon Ed

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Deacon Ed:

Franciscum:

The “Byzantine Church”?

“Byzantine” is a rite, not a church.

I frequent a Rutenian Catholic church of the Byzantine Rite. There are over a dozen recensions within the Byzantine Rite. Please be more specific in the future.

In the United States the Ruthenian Catholic Church does call itself the Byzantine Catholic Church – so the usage is not incorrect, just imprecise.

Also, I suspect you frequent a “Ruthenian” rather than “Rutenian” Catholic Church.

Deacon Ed

As Father Deacon Ed has pointed out, the Byzantine (Ruthenian)n Catholic Church in America does call itself the Byzantine Catholic Church.

That said, I usually use the short hand of Byzantine Church ( or Byzantine Catholic Church) to cover the two that I added, the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

But I must disagee with Father Deacon, it is not imprecise for two reasons. 1) Our Church uses this name and 2) there is only one Church in the USA that uses “Byzantine Catholic Church”.

The Melkites and the Ukranians use Melkite and Ukranian in their Church names as do the Romanians. I believe the Russian Catholics are under the jurisdictions of the local Latin Bishops.

Let me close with this to Franciscum…

Does my usage of “Byzantine Church” change the facts at all?

 

[Jamie_Burns]

The worst experience I ever had in a Catholic Church was our god-daughter’s First Communion this past Spring, a special First Communion Mass on a Saturday afternoon.

1. For most participants, families and communicants the emphasis was on the dress, the veil, and the gifts.
2. And the photographs, professional and family, and the video.
3. I spoke to some of her little friends before Mass. They knew about the ceremony, to line up nice and go up the aisle, but they all thought they were going to recieve “blessed bread”.
4. The entire Mass was like a picnic. Families wandering around the very full (and large) church. Chatting, and scrambling for vantage points to shoot video or photos.
5. In his homily, the priest did tell the young communicants that the moment they took the host in their mouths, the bread became “just like” the body of Christ. … yes I checked the sign on the door, it didn’t say Sacred Heart Episcopal Cathedral.

I appreciate that families respect the faith enough to want the sacraments to be special, and memorable. Even the family members who respond to “Body of Christ” with “Thank you” (maybe they’ve been away a long while, we must be happy their back if just for today).

It seems to me the big events these days seem to skew the perspective of what the sacraments are. I think of the priests who have told me how they dread weddings because of the lack of reverence and respect for the church.

 

[Deacon2006]

puzzleannie:

your entire post baffles me. How on earth is the child and his family, in the context of regular Sunday Mass, as part of the whole community, receiving communion, together with all the other communicants, a private affair between child and parent?

It is manifest that if the Church as a whole is not given a chance to welcome the communicant to their first communion it is not a public affair even if it is done in public. Even in the eastern rite where the all three sacraments of initiation are given to the baby on one day it is still a very special occasion noted by the parents and the whole community. In the west we break the public celebration up into three separate events baptism, first communion and confirmation. To suggest that the community has no role in welcoming these new initiates into the church at each of these spiritual events is hopelessly ill-informed or agenda driven. Nobody who honestly has studied the church sacraments or Vatican II would ever suggest downplaying any public expression of communal involvement with new initiates into the Eucharist.

I often wonder what notion has taken hold of a priest to have him suggest that is the parents who decide when a child is ready for communion. When was our parents given the right to deny us a sacrament or to decide when we had earned a sacrament? It is always up to the church to decide who is disposed to receive a sacrament. The parents agreed to this arrangement when they presented the child for baptism. The church has never abandoned it authority to regulate the administration of sacraments. If this priest has decided to abandon his role then he does not represent the teachings of the church.

Extra-ordindinary circumstances aside orthodox priests don’t advocate such a bizarre practice. Solid parishes always have a special mass for first communion or make a special note of introducing first communicants at the Sunday mass.

These priests and liturgical committees that want to do away with a special mass for first communion betray their motives. Think about it, you get a special mass for just about everything in your spiritual life except for the day when you are initiated into the source and summit of your catholic faith. What these spiritual vandals are peddling is a crock of .

God Bless

 

[OrthoCath]

How about reading a GOOD book like:
GoodBye Good Men,
The real truth behind the current scandal rocking the Catholic Church…

goodbyegoodmen.com/

and find out what is really going on with this nazi!

 

[asquared]

Deacon2006:

These priests and liturgical committees that want to do away with a special mass for first communion betray their motives. Think about it, you get a special mass for just about everything in your spiritual life except for the day when you are initiated into the source and summit of your catholic faith. What these spiritual vandals are peddling is a crock of .

God Bless

the debate here is not about the parents deciding when the child is ready to receive communion. the child is still expected to attend preparation classes for at least two years, and the parents to attend meetings intended to teach the theology of the sacraments of initiation on their level. this debate is about whether the child makes his first communion at a Mass with all the others in his class, sitting with them, while their relatives sit in back, and everybody else stands because there is no room, OR whether, after preparation is complete, he has made his first confession, he is brought to communion with his parents (as in baptism) and family during the regular Sunday celebration. It is special because it is the Eucharist, and not because she is wearing a white dress or he is getting a party and presents later in the day.

I have 124 children (not to mention about 12 youth and 14 adults) making their first communion this coming Easter season. Our church holds about 300. If we do just the second graders at one Sunday Mass, there will no place for anyone other than the children and parents to sit. Even if we have a separate Mass in the afternoon (not liturgically correct) or on Saturday (also not the preferred way to do it) there will be room only for parents, not for padrinos (the custom here) or brothers and sisters.

there are 6 Sundays of Easter, times 5 Masses. Once the children and youth have completed their two years preparation, made first confession, and an interview with DRE or pastor, catechist, parents and child has determined the child is ready, parents are welcome to bring him to any Sunday mass for first communion. We can accommodate up to 10 families with reserved pews at any one Mass. The children process in with the priest and take their places, are brought forward to communion by their parents, and then the rest of the congregation receives. Songs are especially secected for first communion Masses, and the choir does a beautiful job (Panis Angelicus is sung by my special request). They receive their certificates from Father and are acknoweldge by the assembly after communion.

what is there about this scenario that you object to?

 

[tkvoice]

We must always be obedient to our parish priest.

But that does not mean we can not make suggestions:

Redemptionis Sacramentum states:
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#Chapter%20IV

*[87.] The First  Communion  of children must always be preceded by  sacramental confession and  absolution.[[169]](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#_ftn169)*[[170]](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#_ftn170)   “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]](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#_ftn171)   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.   **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.

So the reason you would want to have a special mass for the 1st Communion children is to be sure that they recieve thier 1st Eucharist from a valid Priest and not an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and not even a Deacon for that matter.

This should be reason enough for the priest to want to at least line the children up during a public mass in his line.

Also what is to prevent the parents from organizing and picking a common date so all the children will receive on the same day. You could even organize a party after mass for the parishioners to congratulate them? Surely the pastor would not object to this.

In Christ
tkvoice

 

[asquared]

tkvoice:

Also what is to prevent the parents from organizing and picking a common date so all the children will receive on the same day. You could even organize a party after mass for the parishioners to congratulate them? Surely the pastor would not object to this.

In Christ
tkvoice

in our parish the parents decide on the date for their child’s communion (any Sunday of the Easter Season, any Mass except Easter itself which is reserved for RCIA) and there is nothing to prevent several families (up to 10 which is what space allows) for attending the same Mass. I am still not getting your objections.

there is nothing in your lengthy quote about church law that is apropos from the orginal complaint posted on this thread, or that prohibits children from receiving their first holy communion from a lay minister of the Eucharist or a deacon, if that is permitted in your diocese and parish (the name has changed so many times recently I don’t know what the correct term is for what we used to call EEMEs)

the pastor is in charge, he is the one who is commissioned by the bishop, who is the one with apostolic authority. the DRE is not in charge, the deacon is not in charge, the parents are not in charge. For the orginial poster, and those who agreed with the sentiments stated, to use a non-issue like how many kids receive communion at the same time, as a tool to disobey the priest, and to urge others to do so, is shameful. Please line up with all the other dissenters, their organization is Call to Action and their website is cta-usa.org.

 

[asquared]

Deacon2006:

It is manifest that if the Church as a whole is not given a chance to welcome the communicant to their first communion it is not a public affair even if it is done in public.
God Bless

the situation described in the original post says nothing about “receiving communion in private”, she is talking about the custom of an entire class of children sitting together, processing together to communion, while families sit at another part of the church, versus the change suggested by her pastor, for pastoral reasons, of the family and child receiving together at a regular Sunday Mass.

How is this a private affair? In the first case, especially if done on Saturday or another time besides regular Sunday Mass, the parish community certainly has no opportunity to “welcome” the new communicants. In the second case, the child is present to the entire portion of the community assembled for that Mass. Each person approaching communion is not performing a private action, it is a public action that is why it is called “communion”.

Just for the record, to answer your lengthy comparison of the latin to the eastern rite practice, for the purposes of RCIA, and of celebrating all the sacraments of initiation, where there is a godparent or sponsor, and where parents and families are present, they represent the entire parish community, so it is not theologically necessary for the entire community to be assembled to witness the rite.