Help in Detroit

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netmilsmom

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I have volunteered for our Education Committee.
We are allowing children to receive First Communion before First Confession. I tried to point out that the Vatican frowns on this. I was told that in the GIRM, the Vatican stated that this is up to the Diocese themselves.

Is this true?
Does anyone know what The Detroit Archdiocese says about this?
 
Dear netmil(name removed by moderator),

No, that is not true. As for what the archdiocese says, I don’t know.
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
I was told that in the GIRM, the Vatican stated that this is up to the Diocese themselves.
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This is easy. Just ask them to cite it. They have the burden of proof.

It wouldn’t hurt to be familiar with the GIRM, either.

Here’s the biggie:

“Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1457).
Other references can be found here. Along with asking them for the GIRM reference, I’d go with the citation from the Catechism first and foremost. I wouldn’t go around waving the above page for the simple reason that some people are hostile to EWTN.
 
If your parish/diocese insist on this and you have children of your own you could have them make their First Confession privately with a priest who recognises the need. My parents had to do something like that with two of my brothers. We had a curate who (at the first meeting for parents of First Communion children) said that Jesus was not present in the tabernacle unless someone was in the Church. When Dad tried to question him on that he wouldn’t answer him so Dad walked out. Dad was not going to let his children make their First Communion from someone who was going to say things like that during the Ceremony so my brothers made their First Communion in a special Mass by a Passionist priest who was a friend of the family.
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
I have volunteered for our Education Committee.
We are allowing children to receive First Communion before First Confession. I tried to point out that the Vatican frowns on this. I was told that in the GIRM, the Vatican stated that this is up to the Diocese themselves.

Is this true?
Does anyone know what The Detroit Archdiocese says about this?
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Many years ago when Cardinal Schoka was still here he sent a letter to all priests stating that first confession can no longer be done after first communion. This was many years ago and I will never forget the parish response from the Rel. Ed. Director, in the bulletin the next week (the letter from the Cardinal was posted the week before) she and the pastor wrote, we are happy with things the way they are in our parish and will continue confession beginning in 4th grade. I was young then but I wish I would have had the knowledge then to send it down town to the Cardinal. Many of the parishes in my area do confession in 4th grade. But all my students before receiving communion will go to confession.
Write to the Diocese and ask them about the letter from Cardinal Schoka Sorry I do not remember how to spell his name. But I have never heard that Cardinal Maida changed this I think it is one of the things that go under the carpet and no one talks about.
 
This has always been a very confusing topic of canon law for me to understand. The relevant canon is:
Canon 914 It is primarily the duty of parents and of those who take their place, as it is the duty of the parish priest, to ensure that children who have reached the use of reason are properly prepared and, having made their sacramental confession, are nourished by this divine food as soon as possible. It is also the duty of the parish priest to see that children who have not reached the use of reason, or whom he has judged to be insufficiently disposed, do not come to holy communion.
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At first reading, it seems pretty clear cut. However, I’m not aware of even a single canon lawyer who has stated that a child who is otherwise prepared, and who has not committed a mortal sin, could licitly be denied communion solely due to not having had his or her first confession.

P.S. Canon 914 is the basis for the CCC 1457 statement that " Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time."
 
The Archdoiocese of Detroit’s stand on this is, “Well, MANY parishes are doing it!” At least that is what I was told a few years ago when I began my battle with the DRE at my parish. You can try calling yourself and see what they are saying now.

Both Canon Law and the Catechism make it clear that first confession MUST precede first communion. Yes, back in the 1970s there was an “experiment” (and that was exactly what it was called) to try communion first, but it was deemed a failure after about one year. That experiment was rescinded.

It took THREE YEARS for my DRE to see the light, and finally this year she is having first confession before first communion. Now she has to play catch-up with the children who missed confession the first time around. What a complete mess, as some have moved to other parishes.

If someone tries to confuse you with Canon Law commentary from the book “A New Commentary on Canon Law” by Paulist Press, that book IS NOT orthodox. Its commentary is heretical in many places. The DRE in my parish actually tried to pull that one on me, but I had better resources on my side.

I will pray for you and your parish.

'thann
 
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thann:
If someone tries to confuse you with Canon Law commentary from the book “A New Commentary on Canon Law” by Paulist Press, that book IS NOT orthodox. Its commentary is heretical in many places.
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This is a very serious charge. The authors are all canon lawyers, who are the group of people authorized by the Church to interpret canon law. Do you have any justification for this charge?
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thann:
The DRE in my parish actually tried to pull that one on me, but I had better resources on my side.
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What resourses are those?

I’m asking in all seriousness. As a new convert to the Church, I’ve been told everything from A to Z by various people, so I can’t believe it all. The canon lawyers are the only group who I’ve found (outside the magisterium itself) who consistently tell things the way they are and not they way they want them to be.
 
The *New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law * does not have an *Imprimatur * nor a Nihil Obstat, and according to a canon lawyer I consulted in this matter, refers to some unorthodox documents in its commentary. While the *Imprimatur * nor a Nihil Obstat are not required of all Catholic religious books, I find it disconcerting that a book that offers commentary on the law of the Catholic Church does not have them.

A better commentary, which includes both an *Imprimatur * and a Nihil Obstat, is The Canon Law: Letter and Spirit.

As others (and I) have stated, the “experiment” of first communion before first confession was officially ended in the 1970s. Please refer to the Vatican document *Sanctus Pontifex * from 1977 (vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_19770331_penance-communion_en.html).

One of the most alarming things I discovered in my research was that when children did not receive first confession before first communion, many times they **never ** received that sacrament. Many casual Catholic parents like the “photo opportunity” sacraments such as baptism and first communion. First confession is just not such a big deal to that kind of Catholic – they often don’t even consider it because it is usually part of preparation for first communion. So, after their child has made their first communion, they stop catechesis and if the child did not receive first confession, he or she goes through life not having received this most wonderful sacrament. Note, this is certainly not true of all Catholics, but it is true of some.

'thann
 
Thanks for the response. The CLSA New Commentary mentions the 1970’s experimentation and its termination, and provides footnotes as to the specifics. For the question proper, it says:
Since the context of this canon is the preparation of children for first communion, the requirement of penance before first communion should be seen as a means to assist the child’s prepartion to receive communion fruitfully. Children should be prepared for and should be encouraged to approach the sacrament of penance as part of their preparation for first communion. However, penance before communion is a doctrinal requirement only if a person is in a state of serious sin, and exceptions are permitted even in that case (c. 916). Therefore, if the parents, who have the primary responsibility for the child’s catechesis, should determine that their child is not yet ready for first penance but is ready for first communion, the child should not be denied the right to the sacrament.
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I’ve heard Dr. Ed Peters make similar statements on recordings of old Catholic Answers radio broadcasts.

Note that this does not support delaying the sacramental prepartion for penance until after first communion, and any parish program that does that is clearly in violation of this canon. But rigidly requiring and recording each child’s actual first penance as a necessary pre-requisite for admission to first communion seems to be contrary to the recommendation of canon lawyers.

I’d still be interested if there are any public statements by canon lawyers who say otherwise.
 
Archdiocese of Detroit, Office for Catechetics:

1-313-237-5800. Ask to be transferred to the Catachetics Office.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

God bless,
Sue
 
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Catholic2003:
But rigidly requiring and recording each child’s actual first penance as a necessary pre-requisite for admission to first communion seems to be contrary to the recommendation of canon lawyers.
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Yes, Penance before First Communion does appear to be contrary to their recommendations.

However, since it’s explicitly directed in the Catechism, which was promulgated by Pope John Paul II, who, as “The Legislator,” authentically interprets canon law (c.f. Canon 16 §1), one could argue that Penance before First Communion is the authentic interpretation of Canon 914.

That said, it could be a general rule, thus allowing for exceptions.
 
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Vincent:
However, since it’s explicitly directed in the Catechism, which was promulgated by Pope John Paul II, who, as “The Legislator,” authentically interprets canon law (c.f. Canon 16 §1), one could argue that Penance before First Communion is the authentic interpretation of Canon 914.
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Non-canon lawyers could argue lots of things. I can’t say that I would find such argumentation useful. This is why I am interested in the opinions of those who the Church has specifically trained to explain and apply canon law, i.e., the canon lawyers.

The right of the faithful to the sacraments is very strong; for example, see this letter from the CDW. However, all the armchair analysis by non-canon lawyers focusing on the text of canon 914 never seems to take this into account at all. This is why I am very interested if there is even a single canon lawyer who would publically state that lack of first penance, in and of itself, could be the sole reason to licitly deny admittance to first communion.
 
You’ll find as many interpretations of Canon Law as there are Canon Lawyers. The authors of *Canon Law Letter and Spirit * are Canon Lawyers, as are the authors of A New Commentary, and those two books vary considerably – which is why I prefer to consult the one with the Imprimatur/Nihil Obstat (which is, as I said in a previous post, Letter and Spirit).

The parents of the child are the preeminent catechists of their child, and they have the right to decide when and if their child is prepared for any sacrament. It would surprise me, however, that a parent would determine that their child is ready to receive the Holy Eucharist and yet is not ready for confession. At age seven (the “age of reason,” according to the Catholic Church), a child generally knows right from wrong.

'thann
 
Wow!! There is tons to read here!
Thank you, everyone. I will read through and try to convey the information to the Education Committee tonight.
I will keep you informed!

Thanks!
Br. Dan:
Dear netmil(name removed by moderator),

No, that is not true. As for what the archdiocese says, I don’t know.
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thann:
You’ll find as many interpretations of Canon Law as there are Canon Lawyers. The authors of *Canon Law Letter and Spirit * are Canon Lawyers, as are the authors of A New Commentary, and those two books vary considerably – which is why I prefer to consult the one with the Imprimatur/Nihil Obstat (which is, as I said in a previous post, Letter and Spirit).
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What does the other commentary say with regard to canon 914?
 
Detroit Sue:
Archdiocese of Detroit, Office for Catechetics:

1-313-237-5800. Ask to be transferred to the Catachetics Office.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

God bless,
Sue
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Thanks for the info, I will use it also. I have a son making his first communion this year in the Detroit diocese.

My father was a DRE and a Permanant Deacon in the Detroit area for years. About 10 years ago he moved to another diocese, and he was very surprised that Detroit was still doing Communion before Confession, others in the state have changed this long ago.

It saddens me to see that our diocese continues to do this.
 
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