No Holy Communion for Child Down Syndrome

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Would JESUS himself deny this child the Eucharist?

At my parish there are a few children/young adults with Downs. One has severe Autism on top of Downs, so I could see in his situation it being difficult (I don’t know if his parents attempt to take him to Mass anymore because he has a more severe case). The other one I have seen in the line for Communion time. He may have gone to the school for special needs children that is part of my diocese.
 
Exactly! My heart has a soft spot for those with special needs, so I think there should be much more clear guidelines set forth for this. As mentioned, most people with Downs function around the level of a seven-year-old so that shouldn’t be an issue.
 
If I had faith that the Vatican would receive the message (I know they get TONS of mail), I would write the Vatican about this. Truly a sad story 😦
 
jediliz said:
Would JESUS himself deny this child the Eucharist?

At my parish there are a few children/young adults with Downs. One has severe Autism on top of Downs, so I could see in his situation it being difficult (I don’t know if his parents attempt to take him to Mass anymore because he has a more severe case). The other one I have seen in the line for Communion time. He may have gone to the school for special needs children that is part of my diocese.
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Let the children come to ME…
 
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16626123
The diocese said it hoped Denum would be able to participate in the future.
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In its letter, the diocese said Denum had “limited concentration, doesn’t really access the RE curriculum and does not enjoy going to Mass”.
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If you get all the facts before believing sensationalistic news stories, you will see that the pastor has not denied him Holy Communion forever, but he hopes that the child will be able to participate in the future. The diocesan authorities have backed the pastor in his decision. It is not unusual for a child of seven years of age to have a developmental delay that prevents them from understanding the meaning of the Eucharist. The Church is following canon law, which says,
Can. 913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.
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§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.
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The child in question can’t sit still, can’t sit through a whole Mass, and has limited grasp of the religious curriculum.
 
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=8850382#post8850382

Cross posting is probably not allowed, but I wrote my own response here as a dad with a child with Down Syndrome.

BTW - since you are all caring people could I ask you all a favor? Try and say “child WITH Down Syndrome,” not “Down Syndrome Child.” In the first case it makes being a child more important than the condition. The second case defines the child BY their condition. Thanks.
 
She says they don’t attend very often. Maybe the bigger issue is that he didn’t attend any religious education or seem to recognize any difference in the Eucharist. What I mean to say is maybe he hasn’t been catechized even to his abilities, and the learning disability makes it more apparent.

Being Eastern Catholic, I have a different perspective on receiving, but I know this is the norm for the west. If he doesn’t show any sign that he understands that the Eucharist is special, I can see a priest recommending some catechesis first like he did here.

This website has some great resources for Catholics with disabilities.
toledodiocese.org/index.php/equal-access-ministry-/eam-photos

This First Eucharist kit for preparing non-verbal or low communication children to receive looks adorable.
loyolapress.com/adaptive-first-eucharist-preparation-kit.htm
 
I had sent the story to a fellow Catholic yesterday and I’ll post here what I said to him in the email:

"One friend’s comment (on a different site) said:
“I’m gonna be honest and say I’m with the East the Eastern Churches ] on this one. I don’t get why baptism shouldn’t be refused to people who don’t understand its significance but the Eucharist should be. Maybe there’s a good argument out there, Iunno. OTOH [on the other hand], this article does feel like it’s withholding some facts–notice the throwaway “the Church denies these claims” line that isn’t elaborated on–so there may be more to the story than meets the eye.”
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I don’t know about you, but I would fear having to give an account to Jesus Christ for withholding His body from someone on the basis that the person is mentally disabled and cannot comprehend the Mystery of His Real Presence in the Eucharist.

Another commenter:
“The idea that any seven year old child understands the doctrine of transubstantiation is absurd to begin with.”
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Ding ding ding ding. In the Catholic Church, the age of seven is determined as being “the age of reason”. Not sure why.

Anyways, I’d love to meet a 7-year-old who understands the Eucharist.

(I’m not saying that it is necessary for that child’s – the one in the article – salvation to receive Holy Communion. However,

I do not at all find persuasive the arguments in favor of withholding Holy Communion from such children. I’m all for allowing them to recieve God’s grace in their delicate lives.) "

Let’s bear in mind that for more than half of Catholic history, infants received Holy Communion. And infants certainly did not understand the theology of the Eucharist. Why the novelty?
 
I have to wonder how much of this story is not being reported?

It seems the pastor is saying the child is not ready “now”; but nothing is said about what needs to happen in order to make the child ready.

It is not unusual to have a special needs child make their first communion on their own time table. Right now the key question in my mind is what is being done to help the child prepare?
 
Well my child with Down Syndrome does receive the Eucharist, and he does it very nicely: bows to the priest and everything! He was ten when he received his First Holy Communion, and understood that he had to act grown up in Church. He also understands that he is receiving Jesus when he receives Communion.

BTW he’s friends with a ton of people at Church. Kids with Downs have a way of breaking barriers, sometimes much to my initial discomfort, but later agreement!👍

Here he is in hospital: of course he was able to charm all the female nurses, and always had 2 or 3 at his beck and call!👍
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...027735601_858160600_22121617_1118854755_n.jpg
 
He sounds like a pretty cool kid. It just goes to show people that they cannot judge someone because of a disability. 🙂
 
This is the problem with Western theology stating that “one must recognize the Eucharist as something more than just food” for one to qualify to receive Communion. Look it up, its in Canon Law.

In the East we have no such qualms. We give Communion even to a day old infant, provided of course that day old infant has been baptized and chrismated.
 
triumphguy said:
Well my child with Down Syndrome does receive the Eucharist, and he does it very nicely: bows to the priest and everything! He was ten when he received his First Holy Communion, and understood that he had to act grown up in Church. He also understands that he is receiving Jesus when he receives Communion.

BTW he’s friends with a ton of people at Church. Kids with Downs have a way of breaking barriers, sometimes much to my initial discomfort, but later agreement!👍
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triumphguy, but you said on the other thread that your child started receiving at the age of 10. This child is 7, it is possible that the priest just wants to see this kid grow more. From what is being reported, that they don’t attend Mass very often, this child might not understand and show the reverence that your child does. He needs to learn first, and that is what the priest is asking for. This child has not been banned, but been asked to wait.
 
The issue I see here is that no seven-year-old really understands the Eucharist. I know I certainly didn’t. However, because children with Down Syndrome are easily identified as developmentally delayed, he was told he can’t receive. Did every child his age get tested to see if they knew their catechism well enough to receive? I’ve never heard of that happening to any child without disabilities in CCD, everybody gets to receive as long as they come to class. Maybe that’s not the way it should be done, but it should never be based solely on a particular condition of a child.
 
I taught sacramental prep classes at my parish for many years. If there had been a child who I thought did not understand and believe they were receiving the true Body and Blood of Jesus I would have gone to the pastor and the parents and said I didn’t believe that child was ready. Then it would have been up to them to decide what to do.
 
Irish_Eyes_826 said:
The issue I see here is that no seven-year-old really understands the Eucharist. I know I certainly didn’t. However, because children with Down Syndrome are easily identified as developmentally delayed, he was told he can’t receive. Did every child his age get tested to see if they knew their catechism well enough to receive? I’ve never heard of that happening to any child without disabilities in CCD, everybody gets to receive as long as they come to class. Maybe that’s not the way it should be done, but it should never be based solely on a particular condition of a child.
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You are right that no 7 year old child knows everything about their faith or even has a strong grasp on the Eucharist. However, when a child can comprehend that the Eucharist is different from regular bread and is determined ready to receive, it also means their obligation to attend Mass starts. From the article it seems that this child cannot sit through mass yet. Meaning it would be pretty harsh to impose an obligation to attend Mass (though his now “age of reason” reception of the Eucharist) if he cannot actually do that.
 
jilly4ski said:
triumphguy, but you said on the other thread that your child started receiving at the age of 10. This child is 7, it is possible that the priest just wants to see this kid grow more. From what is being reported, that they don’t attend Mass very often, this child might not understand and show the reverence that your child does. He needs to learn first, and that is what the priest is asking for. This child has not been banned, but been asked to wait.
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Yep: I agree. Though I was more concerned with how Peter would behave while receiving communion. I needed to know he was mature enough to act accordingly, even if he was nervous or a bit overwhelmed. Ten seemed right.
 
Irish_Eyes_826 said:
The issue I see here is that no seven-year-old really understands the Eucharist. I know I certainly didn’t. However, because children with Down Syndrome are easily identified as developmentally delayed, he was told he can’t receive. Did every child his age get tested to see if they knew their catechism well enough to receive? I’ve never heard of that happening to any child without disabilities in CCD, everybody gets to receive as long as they come to class. Maybe that’s not the way it should be done, but it should never be based solely on a particular condition of a child.
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I don’t know of any particular test just for readiness for Holy Communion, but the DRE and priests do spend enough time with the sacremental prep students, in addition to the CCD teachers, that they should know if any particular child is not ready. There have been a few over the years here who did not receive right away. And I am sure there are a few at every parish. There are no news stories about it though, because the families understand and do not see it as newsworthy.

At this parish we also have special classes for children who have missed receiving sacraments at the standard time. In other words, you can’t just say, this child is 7, he has a right to First Holy Communion. Every child needs preparation no matter what their age.
 
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