Reconciliation before Communion?

[Praise_Singer]

In our diocese, First Holy Communion is normally a year before First Reconciliation. Our neighboring diocese does it the opposite way, which makes more sense to me.

Is it up to the diocese to determine which sacrament should come first? What is the reasoning for having the children prepare for and receive Holy Communion first?

How is it done in your area? When I received these sacraments, we mainly prepared for Communion, and made our f"irst confession" the afternoon before.

 

[Antonio]

Praise Singer:

Is it up to the diocese to determine which sacrament should come first?

BCL Newsletter, March-April 2004, on Redemptionis sacramentum states:

First Communion is always preceded by First Penance. Communion is celebrated most appropriately between the second and sixth Sundays of Easter, on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ or at another time, but not on Holy Thursday.

See: BCL Newsletter

 

[Brian]

Yeah, what Antonio said.

First Penance has to precede First Communion. I would be contacting your parish priest first, then work from there…

 

[Katholish]

In the Latin Rite at least, confession should always be first, and that makes perfect sense because a child at the age of reason is capable of commiting serious sin.

In the Eastern Rites however, First Holy Communion is going to precede first confession by many years, as First Communion is given at Baptism along with Confirmation.

 

[thann]

I’ve been butting heads with the director of religious education at my parish over this for two years. I finally have an army of parents who are siding with me (AND the Church) and things are returning to the proper order this coming fall.

Now we have to backtrack and try to get all those kids who missed confession.

Do not let anyone tell you that confession can come after first communion. It cannot. Period.

I even called my Archdiocese office – their reply? “Oh, well a LOT of parishes are doing that now.”

What a pity.

Work to get things in the proper order!

'thann

 

[Pepton]

Do not allow yourself to be misleaded by any “creative” or “innovating” D.R.E. or Pastor. First Communion is received when the children can understand what they receive. Therefore they must have an appropriate degree of maturity. And if they are mature enough to receive, they also have some degree of maturity to distinguish right from wrong. And so, they can sin. This kind of irresponsible (and I would dare to say heretical) “innovations”, creates the type of Catholic who considers Confession unnecessary. Root of the problem: the unruly clergy that has evolved from the excessive freedom given them by the Second Vatican Council.