Question about receiving the eucharist...

[deepsouthpapist]

My wife and I were confirmed into the Catholic church in 2007. Previously, I was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal church and we were married there also. Moreover, both of our children were baptized in the Episcopal church.

After being confirmed into the Catholic church, our children are attending Catholic school and our oldest has received his first communion.

So, here is my question - Our oldest will soon be going to a church camp for about five days. It is an Episcopal church camp. Should we allow our child to receive communion while at church?

 

[puzzleannie]

As I understand it your whole family has been received into the Catholic Church, so if your children are already of an age to have made first communion, they are Catholic and therefore cannot participate in a communion service of any other denomination.

 

[LilyM]

As I understand it your whole family has been received into the Catholic Church, so if your children are already of an age to have made first communion, they are Catholic and therefore cannot participate in a communion service of any other denomination.

Well, regardless of the child’s age the child is now Catholic, not Episcopalian.

I would think that Episcopalian communion would be totally inappropriate for any Catholic of any age, regardless of whether they have received first communion in the Catholic church or not.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I once asked my former pastor a similar question. He was in a hurry so he just snapped out the question. “Are you ‘in communion’ with that church??” The answer should be obvious.

Also, wouldn’t that cause some confusion in your child’s mind? He (she?) might assume that Jesus is present (body, blood, soul, and divinity) in that Eucharist. He isn’t.

If this is an overnight camp and your child will be there on a weekend, you should be sure to make arrangements with the camp for your child to be taken to mass on Sunday. I really don’t think your Catholic child should be attending another church’s communion service. A prayer meeting or vespers would be fine, but not a communion service.

Is there no Catholic camp nearby?

 

[VetA]

My wife and I were confirmed into the Catholic church in 2007. Previously, I was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal church and we were married there also. Moreover, both of our children were baptized in the Episcopal church.

After being confirmed into the Catholic church, our children are attending Catholic school and our oldest has received his first communion.

So, here is my question - Our oldest will soon be going to a church camp for about five days. It is an Episcopal church camp. Should we allow our child to receive communion while at church?

he is not an episcopalian so i would say no, also because the episcopal church is not in even partial communion with rome, now if it was chaldean, coptic, even eastern orthodox i would say yeah

 

[LDNCatholic]

he is not an episcopalian so i would say no, also because the episcopal church is not in even partial communion with rome, now if it was chaldean, coptic, even eastern orthodox i would say yeah

But they would say no

 

[deepsouthpapist]

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut. My instinct is to have him simply receive a blessing as would also be done in the Catholic church.

The Episcopal church is certainly NOT in communion with Rome which is the reason we left (among other things). This camp is open to just Catholics during different times of the year but not during the summer.

I attended this camp in my youth but it was never an issue because at that time you had to be confirmed to receive communion and I was too young at the time.

This has changed within the Episcopal church in recent years and they allow “all Baptized Christians”. So they will certainly encourage my son to participate.

I am really going to have to coach him before goes.

 

[Catholic1954]

He should just remain seated during communion. No big deal, non-Catholics do it at Mass every week.

 

[KathySFSD]

I would instruct him not to go up. I also would probably contact parents of any Catholic kids I know who happen to be going to the camp and ask them to talk to their child so that my kid wouldn’t feel isolated when he stays back. Be certain that he knows that even if the counselors tell them that all are welcome, he should refrain.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut. **My instinct is to have him simply receive a blessing as would also be done in the Catholic church. **

The Episcopal church is certainly NOT in communion with Rome which is the reason we left (among other things). This camp is open to just Catholics during different times of the year but not during the summer.

I attended this camp in my youth but it was never an issue because at that time you had to be confirmed to receive communion and I was too young at the time.

This has changed within the Episcopal church in recent years and they allow “all Baptized Christians”. So they will certainly encourage my son to participate.

I am really going to have to coach him before goes.

**No, he should not go up for a blessing. Priests give blessings. Parents may bless their children. Sorry for sounding un-ecumenical, but nobody there has a right to bless your child.

A Catholic child should no**t go to a protestant communion service! Especially one in which someone will ‘encourage him to participate’. Your child is Catholic.

I seriously recommend that you talk to the camp director about your concerns. If he/she is not responsive, you should not use this camp regardless of the fond memories you have from your time there.

 

[deepsouthpapist]

**No, he should not go up for a blessing. Priests give blessings. Parents may bless their children. Sorry for sounding un-ecumenical, but nobody there has a right to bless your child.

A Catholic child should no**t go to a protestant communion service! Especially one in which someone will ‘encourage him to participate’. Your child is Catholic.

I seriously recommend that you talk to the camp director about your concerns. If he/she is not responsive, you should not use this camp regardless of the fond memories you have from your time there.

Well, I took the unusual step of asking our priest! (gasp!) He was confused by the question…as in, “You know the answer, why are you asking me?” He himself has taken Catholic kids on retreats there during different times and is very open to kids going there during the summer. Nonetheless, he recommended that my son not participate in their communion service and should stay seated.

My plan is to call the camp director tomorrow and make sure we are all on the same page. The last thing I want is for my son to be encouraged to participate in a non-Catholic communion service. I will also check and see if their are other Catholic kids attending. Perhaps I could speak with other Catholic parents?

As for the blessing - That one I am confused about. Only priests can give a blessing? I felt sure a blessing in this sense would be appropriate? I have seen priests give non-Catholics blessings in our service. Any thoughts here?

 

[VetA]

But they would say no

indeed they would, but i think the pope has stated that it is not sin to receive from them…

 

[Claire_from_DE]

As for the blessing - That one I am confused about. Only priests can give a blessing? I felt sure a blessing in this sense would be appropriate? I have seen priests give non-Catholics blessings in our service. Any thoughts here?

An ordained person (priest or deacon) is empowered by the Church to give blessings: to bless persons, places, and objects. It doesn’t matter if the person they are blessing is Catholic or not. However, someone who isn’t a priest doesn’t have this power. Why do you think we ask a priest to bless a rosary or medal instead of doing it ourselves? We don’t have the power or authority to confer God’s blessing on someone or something. Neither does the protestant minister.

Of course anyone can pray to God for another person. But a blessing is something more than a prayer for someone’s well being. To actually confer a blessing, the person must be ordained (have received the sacrament of Holy Orders). Also, as I said before, a parent can bless his/her own child.

Please reconsider allowing your son to even attend the service. If it were an ecumenical prayer service I would see no problem. But this is a communion service, which is a problem. As a Catholic, your son knows that receiving communion means receiving Jesus Himself, not a symbol. Even though he may understand that communion in the protestant service is only symbolic, there may be people there who will tell him that it is something more. Unless your son is quite mature and strong in his faith, I think this might be confusing to him.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

indeed they would, but i think the pope has stated that it is not sin to receive from them…

Well, not a sin for receiving. But such disregard of their disciplines may well be an offense against charity and possibly against justice. We would expect the same respect from them, would we not?