What I saw on EWTN today

[Elizabeth502]

At Communion during Daily Mass, two boys – one younger than the other – went up in the communion line with their arms crossed. It seemed like it was about 20 seconds apart from each other; (I’m not sure that they were together.) But in any case, Fr. Wade Menezes did not bless either of them. It looked as if they expected a blessing, but he merely bowed to each of them without touching them.

Now, you can be sure this priest is very particular about liturgical form, so if he was very careful to withhold any physical interaction, I don’t think there’s any doubt that substitute reasons for joining the communion line are not approved, and even less so for EMHC’s.

 

[NeedImprovement]

It says near the end of this article that there could be another explanation - one which would be “laudable and appropriate.” (although the parents appear to have been absent in the case you described).

 

[Elizabeth502]

At least one parent was present – the parent of the younger boy. I also don’t think the older boy could have, or would have, arrived there unaccompanied. He looked to be a teenager.

The priest modeled the correct liturgical behavior. Just the fact that the boys approached in the first place shows that they are (probably) used to different behavior coming from their local priest(s).

The article you cited from the CDW talks about “little” children. (Little children often need to come up because they need supervision and/or become anxious when parents leave their side.) The boys were hardly “little.” (But thanks very much for the referenced article!)