Son going to orthodox preschool

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I just wanted to say I think it is wonderful that you are sending your child to a Christian school. I sent all my children to a Christian preschool before they entered Catholic school and 2 for kindergarten. We attended both a Lutheran and a Presbyterian school. Our Christian brothers and sisters of other denominations often have such a vibrant faith. I never had any theological issues. My kids had chapel every week with the pastor. This did not confuse them in the least. Frankly, they were more confused when we would go to a different parish and things would be “off” in terms of posture or other things in the liturgy. In both schools, the Lord was the center of all that they did. My kids elementary Catholic school is opening a preschool this year and I will keep my preschooler where he is at b/c I have been so impressed with the place and the teachers vibrant faith (also it is a lot closer).

Back to your original question, I would ask my priest and act accordingly. If you decide to not receive the unconsecrated bread, you could easily explain that in the Orthodox church when a baby is baptized they receive their First Communion if your preschooler would understand.
 
It is so sad to hear many replies of my Christian brothers and sisters who are ignorant of their Orthodox brethren. THE ORTHODOX ARE CATHOLIC!!! We all are part of the holy Catholic and Apostolic church. Please, let’s not talk about this part of Christendom as if they were from outer space.

Do you know why you make the sign of the cross? If you did, you would not be upset at the Orthodox way.

Do you know why blessed bread is given out? It’s because of fasting so that people don’t fall over in church. This is an opportunity to teach about fasting, bread, and the substance of the Eucarist.

Please don’t look at the Orthodox as the “other”. In the words of Pope John Paul II, the Orthodox are the “other lung” that breathes Christianity. You can run farther and dance better with two lungs!
 
Jofantioch said:
It is so sad to hear many replies of my Christian brothers and sisters who are ignorant of their Orthodox brethren. THE ORTHODOX ARE CATHOLIC!!! We all are part of the holy Catholic and Apostolic church. Please, let’s not talk about this part of Christendom as if they were from outer space.

Do you know why you make the sign of the cross? If you did, you would not be upset at the Orthodox way.

Do you know why blessed bread is given out? It’s because of fasting so that people don’t fall over in church. This is an opportunity to teach about fasting, bread, and the substance of the Eucarist.

Please don’t look at the Orthodox as the “other”. In the words of Pope John Paul II, the Orthodox are the “other lung” that breathes Christianity. You can run farther and dance better with two lungs!
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I agree with a lot of what you said, joofantioch, but you must understand that the Orthodox do not welcome Catholics to receive Communion, nor do they permit their parishioners to receive at Catholic Mass (though they are welcome to receive, according to the Catholic church!). So there are some of us who are wary of the anti-Catholic sentiment among some Orthodox.
 
Jofantioch said:
It is so sad to hear many replies of my Christian brothers and sisters who are ignorant of their Orthodox brethren. THE ORTHODOX ARE CATHOLIC!!! We all are part of the holy Catholic and Apostolic church. Please, let’s not talk about this part of Christendom as if they were from outer space.

Do you know why you make the sign of the cross? If you did, you would not be upset at the Orthodox way.

Do you know why blessed bread is given out? It’s because of fasting so that people don’t fall over in church. This is an opportunity to teach about fasting, bread, and the substance of the Eucharist.

Please don’t look at the Orthodox as the “other”. In the words of Pope John Paul II, the Orthodox are the “other lung” that breathes Christianity. You can run farther and dance better with two lungs!
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I was under the impression that the blessed bread was handed out at Holy Communion.😊 If it’s not than it wouldn’t be that big of an issue. If it is than no Catholic priest will ok a Catholic child receiving it because of the confusion it will cause. While we may be very similar in beliefs there are differences. At least one of them is major, Peter as the first pope.

I do not recommend any parent sending their child to a school which is not of their faith. The purpose of a faith based school is to evangelize the children into that faith. If an Orthodox parent does not mind the idea of their child possibly converting to Catholicism one day, than go ahead and send them to a Catholic school. I, however, would not recommend you do so. Yes, I’m aware of the op but you, yourself are Orthodox so I used that example. 😉
Quote from catherineajt:
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I agree with a lot of what you said, joofantioch, but you must understand that the Orthodox do not welcome Catholics to receive Communion, nor do they permit their parishioners to receive at Catholic Mass (though they are welcome to receive, according to the Catholic church!). So there are some of us who are wary of the anti-Catholic sentiment among some Orthodox.
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I have been on a number of Orthodox sites and that sentiment is definitely there among some of them. They don’t believe that Catholics have the Sacraments, for one thing.
 
I’d rather have to “unevangelize” my child from the Orthodox faith or another faith than from relativism and lack of any faith whatsoever.

[and that in no way is a slam against the Orthodox. I pray every day for reunion between the 2 churches]

Glad
 
Jofantioch said:
It is so sad to hear many replies of my Christian brothers and sisters who are ignorant of their Orthodox brethren. THE ORTHODOX ARE CATHOLIC!!! With all due respect- the Eastern Churches are Catholic. The Orthodox, while having a valid priesthood, are Orthodox. They do not recognize the Holy Father as the head of their ecclesial community.

Please don’t look at the Orthodox as the “other”. In the words of Pope John Paul II, the Orthodox are the “other lung” that breathes Christianity. No, he said the Eastern Church was the other lung. The variousOrthodox ecclesial communities, along with the National Polish Church, do indeed confect a valid Eucharist. They are welcome to receive in Catholic parishes- Eastern and Western- provided it is OK with their ecclesial community. It usually is not. We as Catholics generally may not receive in their parishes, although we believe they confect a valid Eucharist. This is because they, the Orthodox, do not want us to do so, and we respect their wishes.
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just an update:
i talked to a Priest and he said there was nothing wrong with me sending my son to the preschool, but he highly advised for my son not to take the bread, which is what i thought he would say.
 
Sabda said:
I was under the impression that the blessed bread was handed out at Holy Communion.😊
It is usually handed out twice, once just after communion and at the very end of the liturgy. If you have the child receive that bread after the liturgy, there will be no confusion at all.
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xmydreamsfadex said:
just an update:
i talked to a Priest and he said there was nothing wrong with me sending my son to the preschool, but he highly advised for my son not to take the bread, which is what i thought he would say.
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Just as it should be! And I commend your priest for understanding the regard the Catholic church has for her Orthodox brethren. And you are in a unique position to become acquainted with an absolutely beautiful spirituality, and you’ll be able to point out as the child gets older the similarities and the differences, but mostly the beauty the Greek Orthodox retained in their liturgy could affect in a positive manner your child’s relationship with God for the rest of his/her life.
 
xmydreamsfadex said:
my son and i are catholic but due to financial reasons instead of going to a catholic preschool, he is going to a greek orthodox preschool this coming up year. on some days they will go to a church service (not sure if they call theirs mass) and the instructor told us that the orthodox kids will recieve communion but the others won’t. instead they will just get a peice a bread, i suppose so they others won’t feel left out. i feel that my son shouldn’t recieve this piece of bread because i don’t want him to be confused. you know, the whole “well, at school they give me something to eat, why not with you here, daddy?” kind of thing. my wife thinks he will feel left out, even though when i take my son to mass, he is used to not receiving anything during communion but a blessing.
so, any thoughts or advice? anyone else go through this? just wondering until i get a chance to talk to my priest.
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xmydreamsfadex:
just an update:
i talked to a Priest and he said there was nothing wrong with me sending my son to the preschool, but he highly advised for my son not to take the bread, which is what i thought he would say.
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Isn’t making all this fuss over a piece of bread going too far? I mean, really, it’s one thing to be religious, but… It’s just bread. Yeesh. Don’t worry about it.
 
Independence said:
Isn’t making all this fuss over a piece of bread going too far? I mean, really, it’s one thing to be religious, but… It’s just bread. Yeesh. Don’t worry about it.
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As a whateveritisyoulistedyourself as, you might not understand a Catholic parent’s duty to raise her child Catholic. The antidoron, as already explained, might confuse the child. We’re not talking graham crackers and juice in the classroom, but a liturgical item.
 
Isn’t the bread only liturgical if served with Communion?
 
I’m not even sure how the antidoron can be confusing. When you receive in the Greek Orthodox church, it’s similar to intinction–it’s a small piece of bread (Eucharist) taken out of the chalice with the wine (Precious Blood) and placed in the mouth of the communicant. The antidoron is literally a piece of bread, way larger than the Eucharist and in a basket…there “ain’t no” confusing the two, it isn’t received like Communion, it doesn’t look like the Eucharist, and looks absolutely nothing like the hosts Catholics consecrate, but heck, if that makes one more comfortable, well then…
 
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