Kid Received Communion Prematurely

[mdleagedguy]

Hi everyone!

One of my kids is in First Communion class at our parish. He did his first confession last week, and misunderstood the instructions. He knew he needed his first confession before his first communion, and thought since he had done that he was supposed to receive instead of get a blessing during communion. So he received communion instead of waiting for the official day.

I think he needs to wait until the official first communion day to receive again because he didn’t have permission. My wife isn’t so sure, and thinks he’s okay to receive again. Thoughts?

mdleagedguy

 

[1love]

Has he made his first confession yet?

If not, the answer is clear: He has to wait.
If so, I personally think this issue should be brought to the Director of Religious Education or the parish priest.

 

[lifeisbeautiful]

Has he made his first confession yet?

If not, the answer is clear: He has to wait.
If so, I personally think this issue should be brought to the Director of Religious Education or the parish priest.

He did his first confession last week.

I would talk with your parish priest. My guess is that if your son has been preparing for the First Communion he may be prepared already to receive the Eucharist, but I would talk with your pastor before assuming he is good to go.

 

[JackieMom]

Like it or not, that was his first communion. Oops! You need to call the parish right away to have it documented. It is appropriate to have him abstain until it’s sorted out.

 

[R_C]

instead of get a blessing during communion

The Holy See has spoken against this novel practice of getting a blessing during communion. One should remain seated and perform an Act of Spiritual Communion. This is yet one more incident caused by these novelties.

However, since he had done the first confession, nothing bad happened. I guess the Lord decided that He wouldn’t wait any longer to unite Himself to the little one “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to people like these”. I do believe that anyone baptized and confessed has the right to receive Communion even for the first time. I also think he can receive the Beloved as often as possible now But it is proper to speak to the priest: the first one was nobody’s fault (except he should not have gone for a blessing…), but from now on it’s a decision and it’s better to ask the priest before taking it.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Hi everyone!

One of my kids is in First Communion class at our parish. He did his first confession last week, and misunderstood the instructions. He knew he needed his first confession before his first communion, and thought since he had done that he was supposed to receive instead of get a blessing during communion. So he received communion instead of waiting for the official day.

I think he needs to wait until the official first communion day to receive again because he didn’t have permission. My wife isn’t so sure, and thinks he’s okay to receive again. Thoughts?

mdleagedguy

I would definitely just call up your parish office and ask. (I have my own suspicions, but after writing them out, I realized that they were mostly unsubstantiated, do have removed them.)

 

[Usige]

In reality there is no reason to not allow him to continue receiving. He has made his first confession and I assume that means that he has been instructed in the importance of the Eucharist. Reading canon law since he is baptized, insturcted and in a state of grace then he should not be kept from receiving without grave reason.

 

[1ke]

Like it or not, that was his first communion. Oops! You need to call the parish right away to have it documented. It is appropriate to have him abstain until it’s sorted out.

There is no canonical requirement to record first communion in the sacramental record and many parishes do not do so. There really is nothing to report. First confession is not documented either.

 

[JackieMom]

There is no canonical requirement to record first communion in the sacramental record and many parishes do not do so. There really is nothing to report. First confession is not documented either.

I meant more for “documented as to why he won’t necessarily be making his first communion with his class but isn’t a dropout” purposes, but of course you’re right. Our parish does issue a lovely commemorative certficate, which I would personally want as a keepsake.

 

[Luna_de_Colores]

What a coincidence…

The same thing happened to my 7 year old brother this December! His 1st communion is in May.

We didn’t really do anything about it. He’ll start “formally” receiving along with everyone else in May. He had received his first reconciliation, but there wasn’t really a reason to have him start receiving ahead of anyone else. Just a mistake!

 

[Iheartcoffee]

It’s an innocent mistake. Just check with your priest to see if he has any tips on what the next steps would be for the planned First Communion since he has already received.