Interesting. I’ve really been interested in serving as as a lector in my parish, but I’m kind of afraid to approach my pastor about it since I was never confirmed in the Catholic faith. Thanks for the clarification though you’ve been super helpful.
While you’re talking to your pastor, you should request the Sacrament of Confirmation. You may need to go through RCIA, or your diocese may have a different program for those who are already Catholic and who only need Confirmation.
I couldn’t imagine denying anyone the Eucharist until age 14. Nor Confirmation until 21. It would seem that we were doing it to holding the Sacraments hostage until people paid up by attending religious classes. The Sacraments aren’t something that are earned.
May she rest in peace.
I find denying them the grace for confirmation almost as bad. We have become like the Protestants using confirmation like a litmus test of a “believers” baptism. Having to “know what you are accepting”.
I wish that were the case in ours!!
In these times where the innocence of children is under relentless attack at younger and younger ages, pre-teens need the graces of Confirmation and the gifts of the Holy Spirit now more than ever.
I don’t know if it rises to heresy, but I agree. It is being used like a believers baptism. I am so for infants receiving all the sacraments of initiation at once. Lol. My spell check put it as ignition rather than initiation. Almost left it since it is appropriate!!Well, there is a heresy (and no, i’m not flaming, i actually think it might technically fit the definition) that believes that Confirmation is the final “acceptance” of the Christian faith, and therefore it makes you an ‘adult’ member of the church.
This isn’t supported by official church teaching, at least I think so. However, If I was proven wrong, I’d be happy to hear the objection
While I agree with you sentiment lets not go overboard to suggest children are more at risk of moral or physical perversion than in any time in history.
You don’t have to be Confirmed at your parish to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion? That’s interesting. It’s a minimum requirement in our Archdiocese. Of course, it’s also a requirement to have rec’d the 3 Sacraments of initiation and be a member in good standing in order to serve as a Godparent at a Baptism. Come to think of it, that’s also the minimum requirement for volunteering to teach religious ed classes.
Fair enough. But the pendulum is definitely swinging in the wrong direction.
That is a requirement of Canon Law:
Yes, and we also use this as the basis for who can be commissioned to serve liturgically as Sacristan, EMHC, and lector. #'s 2-4 that is.
This makes sense serving as a Sacristan and EMHC, but I’m not entirely sure it makes sense that one receive all three sacraments in order to serve as a lector. Just an observation really. I understand many dioceses have different rules on this.
Excluding a few extremely corrupt non-western societies, I will not hesitate to say that how children are more at risk of moral and physical perversion than any time in history. Give me an instance which it is worse.
Lector used to be one of the steps leading up to ordination. It’s one of the four “minor orders” along with acolyte, exorcist, and porter. (The major orders are deacon, priest and bishop). The minor orders were renamed “ministries” in the early 70’s. This renaming allowed for women to be readers too although I’m not certain what you that was allowed. I think some of the older thought about it being a “minor order” is the reason for receipt of the Sacraments of Ordination before serving in the role. That said, we do still make allowances for just about anyone to read at school liturgies, weddings, funerals, etc.
I didn’t know that at all. I’ve noticed since my long departure from attending Mass that women seem to hold many more roles in the church than they did when I was a kid.
Yes. I believe that is a response to a new understanding of the universal call to holiness.