Why don't we give the Eucharist to young children?

[Holly3278]

Hi everyone. One thing I have noticed about the Catholic Church is that young children do not get to receive the Eucharist. Why is this? After all, Jesus said:

John 18:16 But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

[Forest-Pine]

The Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome do give Eucharist to children. The Latin (Roman) church does not. This is from another post which discussed the Chrismation/Confirmation of children (also done in infancy in the Eastern churches) which explains the history of these differences:

Confirmation at one time was always administered in childhood along with baptism and first communion. This practice continues in Eastern Catholic churches. The reason it was seperated was best briefly summed up on another forum:
Henry Karlson:

Historically, from what I understand, the situation went this way in the West:

Charlesmagne wanted to baptize pagans but not allow them to recieve communion until they had proper catechesis. He asked how this could be done. He was told to withold confirmation – because it is confirmation which gives the right to the rest of the sacraments.

When this happened, baptism and confirmation became separate events. Through history, confirmation was pushed back, and with it, first communion in the West.

Go forward several centuries. Pope St Pius X notes that children used to recieve communion. He establishes an earlier age of reception, but the reason why they no longer recieved it had been somewhat forgotten. So they started to recieve without confirmation. This abnormal practice, which has lasted for nearly a century, now is seen as the “norm” by many Roman Catholics. But within theological circles, it is being understood as a mistake, and work is being done to reverse this problem and bring the proper order of the sacraments back.

 

[Holly3278]

Forest-Pine:

The Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome do give Eucharist to children. The Latin (Roman) church does not. This is from another post which discussed the Chrismation/Confirmation of children (also done in infancy in the Eastern churches) which explains the history of these differences:

Confirmation at one time was always administered in childhood along with baptism and first communion. This practice continues in Eastern Catholic churches. The reason it was seperated was best briefly summed up on another forum:

Okay, so this is going to change where young children will now be able to partake in the Eucharist?

 

[Forest-Pine]

Holly3278:

Okay, so this is going to change where young children will now be able to partake in the Eucharist?

I do not see that happening soon. I am not “in the know” though, either. The thread I originally posted the above in discussed a diocese (Tyler, Texas) that has returned to the historic order of the sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Eucharist). However, the current canon law for the Roman church requires the child to have reached the age of reason (~7 years old) in order to receive communion, with few exceptions.

Catechism topics that might interest you include the topic of First Holy Communion which restricts “admission to Holy Communion to those who have attained the age of reason” in 1244.

The distinguishment of “Two Traditions: East and West” in regards to Confirmation in 1290-1292.%between%

The exception to the rule that children in danger of death receive confirmation is at 1307.

And the section on the Eucharist is from 1322-1419.

 

[Holly3278]

Forest-Pine:

I do not see that happening soon. I am not “in the know” though, either. The thread I originally posted the above in discussed a diocese (Tyler, Texas) that has returned to the historic order of the sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Eucharist). However, the current canon law for the Roman church requires the child to have reached the age of reason (~7 years old) in order to receive communion, with few exceptions.

Catechism topics that might interest you include the topic of First Holy Communion which restricts “admission to Holy Communion to those who have attained the age of reason” in 1244.

The distinguishment of “Two Traditions: East and West” in regards to Confirmation in 1290-1292.

The exception to the rule that children in danger of death receive confirmation is at 1307.

And the section on the Eucharist is from 1322-1419.

Thanks a lot for this information Forest-Pine.