Teaching children about receiving communion

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Something to think about. Keep in mind, this is a matter of how to teach our children about the true presents.

When I received first communion as an adult, my family (protestants) were there to support me. I asked the RCIA coordinator if it would be a problem for me to receive kneeling. I explained my family would be there and I wanted it to serve as a witness. She demanded no and said I must receive in the hand.

Afterwards, when I explained I was worshiping the Eucharist, they said they didn’t know and how it seemed similar to how most churches simply take the bread. That always stuck with me.

That said, I wouldn’t want to suggest to my kids that their mom isn’t worshiping Our Lord when she receives in the hand either. So it’s a tough one for me. Something to think about.
 
Well, then, don’t let a difference over this stop you, especially since both ways of receiving are permitted by the Church and seen as equally holy by the Church. You want to be careful about sending a message to your child that the Church teachings are questionable. That can lead to them questioning or even rejecting all sorts of teachings.

We all have personal preferences about how we like to express our reverence. For example, I like to do the two-knee genuflection before the exposed Host, with a bow to the floor. Other people do different things, in some cases because they physically have trouble with the kneeling down.

Communion is similar, in my mind. Many of the people i know who receive one way or the other, especially older people, are selecting the way they think works best based on their physical capabilities and limitations.
 
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Then tell that to the CCD teacher and your wife, perhaps? I honestly dont know.
 
I think 1ke explained it – the children should be taught both ways, and it should be made clear to them that neither is preferred. Also, you cannot tell your children they must receive one way or the other – once they are old enough to receive Communion, the privilege of that decision is theirs.
 
Unless I’m mistaken, I think the Church prefers reception on the tongue, but permits reception in the hand – though that is neither here nor there.

I should be clear that I’d definitely never force them to receive a certain way as they get older as the Church allows both options – I wouldn’t intend to undermine the official position of my diocese.

The bigger question would be hypothetically if my wife were to prefer reception in the hand, would I be now undermining her as the mother if I teach my kids to receive on the tongue or would I be acting in favor of God by doing my best to teach the real presents and this just being an additional approach?
 
But you understand that even if you teach them one way, you cannot demand they receive that way. Like every other member of the Church, they are allowed to receive in whatever manner the Church allows.
 
As of now, thinking about it, I lean toward continuing to receive kneeling (it has always been how I preferred – it seems appropriate to me), but ultimately simply explain gently what the Church teaches when they are of age and receive communion that the Church allows both (which is why their mother receives in the hand).

But I’ll have to continue to teach the real presents and the importance of confession regardless of how they receive. That’s where I am with this now. It deserves more insight from a spiritual director and Pre-Cana guidance.
 
Absolutely, I’m totally aware of that.

Though I do get concerned with religious ed sometimes. I certainly wouldn’t want them taught that they may not receive on the tongue/kneeling. The Church gives freedom to Catholics to do that too. That’s a whole different discussion though.
 
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You might not be aware, but that pejorative term is not used in polite society. It is as much of a slur as the “n word”.

We are people with dwarfism. Please, edit your post.
 
Same here. All children receive FHC kneeling, on the tongue. If they choose later to receive in the hand, that is a perfectly acceptable thing.
 
Absolutely. I used to be a DRE – we taught the kids both ways. They should know how to do both.
 
Then I would say you teach them what is right - that both methods are acceptable; and that if you live in the US, recieving in the hands is the standard method chosen by the US Conference of Bishops.

You would teach a child wrongly if you teach one method is better than the other, unless that is your personal teaching.

It is important to teach the right teaching, one of the Church’s.

God bless.
 
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