No Holy Communion for Child Down Syndrome

[Darran]

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.

godvine.com/The-Inspirational-Story-of-Garvan-Byrne-a-Must-See-731.html

Had to throw this out there. At the age of reason a person is subject to all of the commandments, the parents vow at baptism however is ongoing. The mother hasn’t seemed to have kept up to this very well as it would seem neither of them understand it themselves let alone understand the reasons for their son’s first communion being delayed (delayed, not terminated as the article would like to say).

This is BBC news guys, you should know theres another side to the story.

EDIT: Did none of the rest of you have to speak to the priest/bishop alone before doing your first communion? If I remember right, thats what we did.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

EDIT: Did none of the rest of you have to speak to the priest/bishop alone before doing your first communion? If I remember right, thats what we did.

Yep, my kids did. I don’t remember if I did. I know my son talked about his favorite Saints during that conversation.

 

[kanzaz]

If this is the case what about people & other children within the Church that may have fare more server Disabilities would they be refused Holy Communion ???

Also a lot of Down Syndrome children are very smart & intelligent especially if the parent has worked with the child & depending on how server they are not all Down’s children & people are the same some can even live on their own may need a little assistance but not all down’s act 7 years old it depends on how server they are .

I have cerebral palsy & not all people with CP are the same Neither like I’m Physically disabled but I’m able to Live on my own & Function like A normal Person But Just can’t Walk Good & Talk Good However Some CP people are more server then other’s .

 

[Darran]

If this is the case what about people & other children within the Church that may have fare more server Disabilities would they be refused Holy Communion ???

Also a lot of Down Syndrome children are very smart & intelligent especially if the parent has worked with the child & depending on how server they are not all Down’s children & people are the same some can even live on their own may need a little assistance but not all down’s act 7 years old it depends on how server they are .

I have cerebral palsy & not all people with CP are the same Neither like I’m Physically disabled but I’m able to Live on my own & Function like A normal Person But Just can’t Walk Good & Talk Good However Some CP people are more server then other’s .

He wasn’t denied, he simply isn’t ready yet. Anyone who isn’t ready to understand the Eucharist has to be delayed out of respect for God’s sacrament. It is the parents, godparents and priest/bishops job to educate him, and if needed, to say that he isn’t ready to recieve just yet. Whether or not the mother understands (or if the BBC blew it out of proportion, which isn’t uncommon) there is no scandal going on here, just more anti-Catholic propaganda.

 

[apricot_yogurt]

According to the story I read, the parents seldom attend Mass. Our Pastor makes regular Mass attendance a vital part of accepting candidates for First Communion.

 

[thomas_jd]

irishcentral.com/news/Catholic-Church-denies-sacrament-of-Holy-Communion-to-Down-Sydrome-child-137710088.html?page=2

Catholics that do not attend church very often , by their own admission, expect to "home school " their child with a understanding of Catholicism!
!

How can they teach what they don’t know?

 

[m134e5]

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.

I’m not sure western theologians would agree that this is, as you put it, a problem. It’s just a matter of what is emphasized more in the particular rite- scholasticism or mysticism. Both are good things, and both approaches have served the different rites of the Church very well (although wars were fought over these types of things, and I’m not sure battles serve.

 

[couponfit]

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16626123

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,

The child in question can’t sit still, can’t sit through a whole Mass, and has limited grasp of the religious curriculum.

Well his mom says she does not attend mass because of him. So it seems he can’t attend a mass regularly and that keeps mom from attending. But in many countries the child receives communion, confirmation w baptism, as well as some rites.

 

[couponfit]

He wasn’t denied, he simply isn’t ready yet. Anyone who isn’t ready to understand the Eucharist has to be delayed out of respect for God’s sacrament. It is the parents, godparents and priest/bishops job to educate him, and if needed, to say that he isn’t ready to recieve just yet. Whether or not the mother understands (or if the BBC blew it out of proportion, which isn’t uncommon) there is no scandal going on here, just more anti-Catholic propaganda.

Saying not now is saying no.

 

[Nordar]

This is unbelieviable, we have a boy who has Down Syndrome who is an altar server in my Parish. It is so great to see that., he is very good and takes his job very seriously.

 

[Darran]

Saying not now is saying no.

No it isn’t. It would hardly make good news if it was taken in its real context, but alas, anti Catholicism is the least accepted predjuduce.

Is it fair to mistreat someone, just because they have downsyndrome? The BBC would make a fair decision to say no. Would it also be fair to twist a false story in order to *slander *someone with downsyndrome, simply because they have downsyndrome? They would say “absolutely not! A scandal that would ruin us.”

Why is it fair then, that they should use someone with downsyndrome in order to attack the Catholic Church? The Church isn’t guilty in the slightest. On the contrary the priest and bishops are justified, as they held to respect the Eucharist even when the world was against them.

The only sin caused is by the author’s hand for giving out a false story, knowing the word of the priest and bishop, very likely having been explained the real reason and age-old procedure to them and still choosing the side that opposes the Church. Reptiles, absolute reptiles! They are the ones who’ve taken advantage of the downsyndrome child in this instance, not the Church. Don’t put it down to a one-off ignorance either, study their articles on any other religion if you need to. Islam has many terrible things which should be known, but they couldn’t touch them even if they wanted to, and that is a small want. It’s the devils bias.

This is distressing enough! But what is far more distressing is that even all of you as Catholics yourselves can’t even see or understand this attack. As such, it’ll fall and hit those with a thud who really can’t understand, leading them further from the truth of the Church. It’ll be another drip that fell to taint the water without the slightest bit of resistance in its fall. Whereas, if any other religion was slandered in the slightest there would be marches through the streets. Devils bias, the world is in a mess. All of you are fortunate to know the truth and have the possibility of having all knowledge and wisdom opened to you, therefore much is expected from you. Make sure you don’t fall into death by failing to see the enemy on the boarders.

 

[hazmat]

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.

black child, catholic child, smart child, etc. its just for brevity. no ill will.

 

[anp1215]

No it isn’t. It would hardly make good news if it was taken in its real context, but alas, anti Catholicism is the least accepted predjuduce.

Is it fair to mistreat someone, just because they have downsyndrome? The BBC would make a fair decision to say no. Would it also be fair to twist a false story in order to *slander *someone with downsyndrome, simply because they have downsyndrome? They would say “absolutely not! A scandal that would ruin us.”

Why is it fair then, that they should use someone with downsyndrome in order to attack the Catholic Church? The Church isn’t guilty in the slightest. On the contrary the priest and bishops are justified, as they held to respect the Eucharist even when the world was against them.

The only sin caused is by the author’s hand for giving out a false story, knowing the word of the priest and bishop, very likely having been explained the real reason and age-old procedure to them and still choosing the side that opposes the Church. Reptiles, absolute reptiles! They are the ones who’ve taken advantage of the downsyndrome child in this instance, not the Church. Don’t put it down to a one-off ignorance either, study their articles on any other religion if you need to. Islam has many terrible things which should be known, but they couldn’t touch them even if they wanted to, and that is a small want. It’s the devils bias.

This is distressing enough! But what is far more distressing is that even all of you as Catholics yourselves can’t even see or understand this attack. As such, it’ll fall and hit those with a thud who really can’t understand, leading them further from the truth of the Church. It’ll be another drip that fell to taint the water without the slightest bit of resistance in its fall. Whereas, if any other religion was slandered in the slightest there would be marches through the streets. Devils bias, the world is in a mess. All of you are fortunate to know the truth and have the possibility of having all knowledge and wisdom opened to you, therefore much is expected from you. Make sure you don’t fall into death by failing to see the enemy on the boarders.

Did you mean to say “anti-Catholicism is the ‘last’ accepted prejudice?”

 

[Darran]

Did you mean to say “anti-Catholicism is the ‘last’ accepted prejudice?”

I did indeed! My bad.

 

[anp1215]

I did indeed! My bad.

That’s ok!

 

[incense]

There’s several misleading issues here.
1.The parents are the ones who gave the reason the child could not receive at this time, not the church. So what did the priest really say? The article says that he wants the kid in First Sacraments. I’m not sure what that is, but it appears to be a class.
2. The mother says she assumed that she would teach him what he needed to know. That appears to mean that she did not communicate with her church, but thought she could do what she wanted. She did not ask for guidelines, or a book, or help.
3. She does not attend mass every Sunday, supposedly because of her son, then because of her younger child. Could be she does have a burden that makes it impossible to go to mass on every Sunday. That’s something her priest looked into and considered. But if she was only missing the occasional Sunday, I don’t think she’ d even mention it. She probably misses quite a few of them. Which leads one to wonder how committed she is to being a Catholic. If she’s not committed, why put on the farce of receiving the Sacraments? And, is it more spiritually dangerous to give Sacraments to someone who is not receiving them properly. (Some charismatics believe that it makes you a more attractive target for Satan, and you’re defenseless.)
4. She is causing others to be hostile toward the church, and probably with misinformation. See how many people here reacted with their emotions and believed that the Catholic Church promotes harm to disabled children. How ridiculous. Come on, maybe one priest might make a mistake, but it was already taken to a higher level and he was agreed with. She obviously wants what she wants when she wants how she want it and to hell with anyone who gets in her way. And look how talented she is at using sympathy for her child to get her way. She playing us like a harp.
5. The priest is the real victim here.

 

[MissRose73]

I have no issues with any person who has a disability receiving Holy Communion. They need to understand to the best of their ability what it is all about and how to receive among other things. Also, they need to attend Mass and sacramental preparation classes too, and many dioceses (or even parishes) offer them for those with various special needs whether they are physical and/or mental issues.

If this woman is not participating in preparing her child and not attending Mass on a regular basis either Saturday evenings and/or Sunday mornings, then her child should wait until he is ready & has some form of understanding of the sacrament. He should be able to give a decent effort to participate, etc

 

[Iheartcoffee]

I get the idea that there is a lot more to the story than the article lets on. I think the priest may have suggested that the child wait a little while. I don’t think he denied him his First Communion permanently. I have a cousin that has developmental disabilities and she is very dedicated to the Church. Having a disability does not generally keep someone from receiving the Sacraments.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

Let the children come to ME…

If the child was baptised, no-one is coming between him and Jesus.

Baptism is required for salvation, participation in the Eucharist is only required once a year during Easter for normally formed Catholics.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I’m not sure western theologians would agree that this is, as you put it, a problem. It’s just a matter of what is emphasized more in the particular rite- scholasticism or mysticism. Both are good things, and both approaches have served the different rites of the Church very well (although wars were fought over these types of things, and I’m not sure battles serve.

I can understand the Western approach based on what Western theology is. But there is something severely wrong when people are denied communion just because of the current practice.