Infant Communion

[OrbisNonSufficit]

“ Servant of God (my name) receives the Body and Blood of Christ for the sanctification of soul and body and for life everlasting ”.

That’s if he knows the name and it seems optional. I like it very much but I’ve heard Priests go without that too.

 

[Vico]

What’s your thoughts on it?

I understand the theology behind it and I think it would be wonderful if the Latin Church reintroduced this ancient practice.

I would like to hear others opinions for and against infant reception of Holy Eucharist Being adopted once again in the Western Church (as this is common in the East).

The restored order of the sacraments of initiation is: Baptism, Confirmation, Communion. Originally the three were given together by the Bishop, but over time this was done differently in the west and east. The west administered Confirmation apart from Baptism, because the Confirmation is given by the Bishop laying on of hands, and due to limited availability of the Bishop. The east took a different approach and allowed for the use of the Holy Myron from the Bishop to be used by the priest in giving Chrismation.

 

[ReaderT]

However, the formula for giving Communion was slightly different, ending with “…for the sanctification of soul and body and for life everlasting.”

I wonder why they do it that way. Maybe @ReaderT can help.

When communing an infant, some priests (at least in the Slavic tradition) use “for the sanctification of soul and body” instead of “for the remission of sins” because an infant hasn’t committed personal sins. Not sure about Greek / other traditions though.

I hadn’t really considered the flip side, I suppose there are another set of issues that communing infants could present.
I guess the question is, would the benefits outweigh the potential issues?

The one issue I’ve seen is that (seldomly) some kids don’t want the spoon with the Precious Blood, so they turn their head. Normal for kids at that age.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Well, I haven’t talked to her in many years because she moved away and we lost touch.

She was the sort of person who wasn’t particularly religious, but also wasn’t hostile to it either. So I don’t lnow where she’s “at” spiritually or if the family still practices.

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

When communing an infant, some priests (at least in the Slavic tradition) use “for the sanctification of soul and body” instead of “for the remission of sins” because an infant hasn’t committed personal sins. Not sure about Greek / other traditions though.

At our church I’ve also heard “_____ child of God, taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”…usually this is used for younger kids.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Never mind her level of comprehension, a great worry of mine is weather she would even receive if presented with the Holy Eucharist, or the possibility of, God forbid, her spitting it out.

May God richly bless your dear daughter. If she did ever, as you say, spit It out, surely Our Lord would not be offended in the least. There are sacrariums for that sort of thing.

HomeschoolDad:

If I’m not mistaken, among Eastern Christians, while they administer the Sacred Species to infants, there is a “First Solemn Holy Communion” at a certain age, akin to the First Communion of Latin Catholics.

This is a latinization and it is discouraged, if not forbidden, in most Byzantine churches.

This does indeed sound like a latinization.

 

[DeniseNY]

This is a latinization and it is discouraged, if not forbidden, in most Byzantine churches.

As is usually the case, Ruthenians are an exception. I’m not sure if all Ruthenians do, but I know several parishes that do it.

 

[babochka]

babochka:

This is a latinization and it is discouraged, if not forbidden, in most Byzantine churches.

As is usually the case, Ruthenians are an exception. I’m not sure if all Ruthenians do, but I know several parishes that do it.

I think it is regional. Where I live, nobody has ever heard of such a thing. Infant communion has been practiced in my parish since it’s inception. I received communion as an infant in 1970 and every child that I ever saw baptized in the Byzantine Rite received communion at baptism. I didn’t even know that the practice needed to be restored elsewhere before the internet.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

HomeschoolDad:

If I’m not mistaken, among Eastern Christians, while they administer the Sacred Species to infants, there is a “First Solemn Holy Communion” at a certain age, akin to the First Communion of Latin Catholics.

This is a latinization and it is discouraged, if not forbidden, in most Byzantine churches.

I know that First Holy Communion at the age of 7 is a latinization, but having a First Solemn Communion is not exactly the same thing imo.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

babochka:

HomeschoolDad:

If I’m not mistaken, among Eastern Christians, while they administer the Sacred Species to infants, there is a “First Solemn Holy Communion” at a certain age, akin to the First Communion of Latin Catholics.

This is a latinization and it is discouraged, if not forbidden, in most Byzantine churches.

I know that First Holy Communion at the age of 7 is a latinization, but having a First Solemn Communion is not exactly the same thing imo.

Possibly not, but it has those optics. Simply put, it looks like a latinization. I’m not an Eastern Rite Catholic and I really don’t have a dog in this fight, but the way I have always understood EC “First Solemn Holy Communion”, the idea is “yes, you’ve been receiving the Body and Blood of Christ ever since you were an infant, and didn’t know what you were doing, but now that you are old enough to understand, we will have a ceremony to recognize your faith and understanding”. That is not an idea totally without merit, but just on the face of it, it does indeed have all the appearances of an attempt to copy Latin Catholic practices.

It strikes me as similar, 180 degrees in the opposite direction, to the creation and insertion of a extremely explicit epiklesis (say that ten times! ) into the various Western Rite liturgies, as if to say “your liturgies, as they stand, really don’t have much in the way of an epiklesis — it’s “there”, but we need to ramp it up a bit, because one of the errors of the Latins, is that they think the consecration takes place when the words of institution are recited, but we all know that the Body and Blood of Christ are not really confected until the epiklesis, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the species”.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

The Divine Liturgy according to the Rite of Saint Gregory

(Take a look at this, it’s very beautiful. As I always say, if there was this burning need to have a vernacular liturgy… something like this would have been about right, along with una cum with the name of the reigning Holy Father.)

Who, the day before he suffered, took bread into his holy and venerable hands and, with his eyes lifted up to heaven unto thee, God his almighty Father, giving thanks unto thee, he blessed, brake and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat ye all of this, for THIS IS MY BODY.

The bell rings thrice for the elevation of the Host.

In like manner after he had supped, taking also this excellent chalice into his holy and venerable hands, again giving thanks unto thee, he blessed it, and gave it to his disciples saying: Take and drink ye all of this, for THIS IS THE CUP OF MY BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL TESTAMENT, THE MYSTERY OF FAITH, WHICH SHALL BE SHED FOR YOU AND FOR MANY UNTO THE REMISSION OF SINS. As oft as ye shall do these things, ye shall do them in remembrance of me.

The bell rings thrice for the elevation of the Chalice.

Wherefore, O Lord, we thy servants, as also thy holy people, calling to mind the blessed Passion of the same Christ, thy Son our Lord, his Resurrection from the dead and glorious Ascension into heaven, offer unto thy most excellent majesty of thy gifts bestowed upon us a pure host, a holy host, a spotless host, the holy bread of eternal life, and the chalice of everlasting salvation.

Upon which vouchsafe to look with a favorable and serene countenance, and to accept them as thou wert graciously pleased to accept the gifts of thy just servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham, and that which thy high priest Melchisedech offered unto thee, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.

And we beseech thee, O Lord, to send down thy Holy Spirit upon these offerings, that he would make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ, and that which is in this Cup the precious Blood of thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, transmuting them by thy Holy Spirit…

R . Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[babochka]

And we beseech thee, O Lord, to send down thy Holy Spirit upon these offerings, that he would make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ, and that which is in this Cup the precious Blood of thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, transmuting them by thy Holy Spirit…

An easternization.

 

[Vico]

… because one of the errors of the Latins, is that they think the consecration takes place when the words of institution are recited, but we all know that the Body and Blood of Christ are not really confected until the epiklesis, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the species".

The epiclesis in the Latin Mass, Eucharist Prayer I, occurs implicitly, before the words of institution:

Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

(words of institution occur in here)

In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God: command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing. (Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)

Catechism of the Catholic Church (emphasis mine)

1333 At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ’s Body and Blood. …

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Catechism of the Catholic Church (emphasis mine)

1333 At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit , become Christ’s Body and Blood. …

Yes, that’s what it says, but it’s kind of bizarrely phrased, it leaves open the interpretation that “the consecration doesn’t really take place until after the epiklesis”. If the epiklesis takes place before the consecration, no problem.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

Catechism of the Catholic Church (emphasis mine)

1333 At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit , become Christ’s Body and Blood. …

Yes, that’s what it says, but it’s kind of bizarrely phrased, it leaves open the interpretation that “the consecration doesn’t really take place until after the epiklesis”. If the epiklesis takes place before the consecration, no problem.

Note also from the Holy See on the Anaphora of Addai and Mari used by Assyrian Church of the East:

Finally, the words of Eucharistic Institution are indeed present in the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, not in a coherent narrative way and ad litteram , but rather in a dispersed euchological way, that is, integrated in successive prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession. All these elements constitute a “quasi-narrative” of the Eucharistic Institution. In the central part of the Anaphora, together with the Epiclesis, explicit references are made to the eucharistic Body and Blood of Jesus Christ …

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/p...uni_doc_20011025_chiesa-caldea-assira_en.html

 

[TheLittleLady]

I wish we went back to this, to infant confirmation as well. Kids need all of the sacramental grace as early as possible

 

[ReaderT]

on the face of it, [First Solemn Communion] does indeed have all the appearances of an attempt to copy Latin Catholic practices.

You’re right; it definitely didn’t come from the Eastern tradition. I never heard of it before this thread. If (some) Eastern Catholics practice it, a likely source is Latin influence.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Note also from the Holy See on the Anaphora of Addai and Mari used by Assyrian Church of the East:

Finally, the words of Eucharistic Institution are indeed present in the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, not in a coherent narrative way and ad litteram , but rather in a dispersed euchological way, that is, integrated in successive prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession. All these elements constitute a “quasi-narrative” of the Eucharistic Institution. In the central part of the Anaphora, together with the Epiclesis, explicit references are made to the eucharistic Body and Blood of Jesus Christ …

“Euchological”.

There is nothing like being a faithful, studious Catholic, to expand one’s vocabulary. I’m reminded of the old column in Reader’s Digest, “How To Increase Your Word Power”.

 

[hope]

I would like to see the Sacraments of initiation being given all at once. I think that is the way it should be done.

 

[babochka]

babochka:

HomeschoolDad:

If I’m not mistaken, among Eastern Christians, while they administer the Sacred Species to infants, there is a “First Solemn Holy Communion” at a certain age, akin to the First Communion of Latin Catholics.

This is a latinization and it is discouraged, if not forbidden, in most Byzantine churches.

I know that First Holy Communion at the age of 7 is a latinization, but having a First Solemn Communion is not exactly the same thing imo.

It isn’t the same, no.

Melkite in the United States are forbidden from this practice and the bishop Nicholas was firm that it is because it is an imitation of the Latin practice.

Pastoral Letter on Infant Communion and “First Communion” Ceremonies | Melkite Eparchy of Newton

Once again my brother clergy and catechists, we need to reaffirm who we are as Melkites and be proud of who we are and our traditions even though they may differ from Latin customs. In this matter of Infant Communion versus “First Communion and Imitation ceremonies”, we have had enough time for change. I ask that you make copies of this pastoral letter, and reprint it and share it with your parishioners, especially catechists. Please insert copies in your Sunday bulletin and speak about it in church as often as necessary.