Thank you! This helps a lot. She was asked to draw a picture of a symbol. The only one I could think of was a host and chalice, but then I thought I was wrong and that we misunderstood the question.
Um, yeah. We are talking about a second grade student.
If the child is making her first holy communion then she should be being taught these things, maybe 2nd grade is too young? I’ve long thought that confirming in primary school is wrong for the same reason.
She understands it already at an age-appropriate level. After all, we hear at every mass how the bread and wine are “the work of human hands”. But the question was about being able to draw a symbol. The only thing we could think of was drawing a picture of a host, but then we wondered if the word “symbol” meant something more than that.
Bread and Wine, of courseMy daughter’s First Communion catechism workbook asked a question which is not explicitly addressed in the reading.
What is the symbol of the Eucharist?
Does anyone know the answer to this one?
The challenging aspect of the question was tht she was asked to draw a symbol of the Eucharist. Not the matter of the sacrament. The Eucharist is so much more than mere bread and wine. The question was rather profound, but as it turned out, there were many possible right answers, and she had already settled on what she wanted to draw before any responses came in. She drew a host suspended over a chalice, like how the priest elevates them after consecration. So yes, bread and wine, and yet not mere bread and wine.
The fact remains that the Church in western europe and many other places are allowing children to make their first communion earlier than they ever have before. I believe St Therese was 11 and St Bernadette 14, both 19C saints who made their first communion after a child nowadays would have been confirmed. With the exception of baptism a child should understand what is significant about what is happening - I’m not suggesting every 7 year old should be a theologian, but it is good to hear that some places at least are emphasising real prescence - this was definately not my experience of first communion catechesis 20 years ago, in fact when I did my own reading as a teenager I was mortified by how little I knew.
Yes, i didnt mean to be condacending (sp?)The challenging aspect of the question was tht she was asked to draw a symbol of the Eucharist. Not the matter of the sacrament. The Eucharist is so much more than mere bread and wine. The question was rather profound, but as it turned out, there were many possible right answers, and she had already settled on what she wanted to draw before any responses came in. She drew a host suspended over a chalice, like how the priest elevates them after consecration. So yes, bread and wine, and yet not mere bread and wine.
No, you didn’t appear condescending or rude at all! I am sorry if my response made it seem as if I assumed you were.
PeaceThe challenging aspect of the question was tht she was asked to draw a symbol of the Eucharist. Not the matter of the sacrament. The Eucharist is so much more than mere bread and wine. The question was rather profound, but as it turned out, there were many possible right answers, and she had already settled on what she wanted to draw before any responses came in. She drew a host suspended over a chalice, like how the priest elevates them after consecration. So yes, bread and wine, and yet not mere bread and wine.
Yes, that was a perfect illustration!