www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West UGC Baby receiving Communion in an RC church

My now two year old daughter has had the opportunity to receive communion in a Latin parish four or five times while we have been traveling (we are Ukrainian Greek Catholic). Most priests have had no problem with it even though it is clearly outside of the ordinary. The local RC priest where we have been going to mass last few weeks (we are do to have our 2nd any day and the Ukrainian parish is some distance away) does. He seemingly has no comprehension that a baby should receive communion for any reason. Isn't there something in canon law somewhere that says a RC priest must give communion to an Eastern Catholic child? Can anyone point me to it so that I can give it to him? Thanks!

Matt

Matt, perhaps your UGCC pastor could contact the RC priest?

There is precedent in several dioceses where the Latin bishops have allowed Greek Catholic children Holy Communion, such as San Bernadino even here in the Midwest.

The publication from the National Catholic Bishop's Conference Eastern Catholics in the USA exhorts the Latin Ordinaries to facilitate the sacramental life of Eastern Catholics when they cannot attend their own particular Churches because of distance, which should certainly include allowing us to practice our particular traditions regarding the communing of our children.

My now 18-year old even received in the TLM between the ages of three to six when we were away from our UGCC parish with the full support of the Latin priest.

It is a shame you have to deal with that at all. My little son received from his baptism on the 40th day after birth. It is such a joyous experience for both parents and especially the little baby. God bless you in this struggle.

Write to the local bishop and tell him your story. Let's see if the priest has a problem after that.

Thanks y'all! I'm writing a letter right now to the priest explaining the situation clearly... English is not his first language, so perhaps in writing, he'll better understand what I am saying. If that doesn't work.... by then it won't matter, but I'll do one of the above suggestions. Thanks!!

Matt

I thought Mount Tabor Monastery was Ukranian?
Why are you not attending the DL there?
Stephanos I

They are, as is St. Peter in Ukiah (the parish we normally go to). The problem is that we live in Fort Bragg (about 1 1/2 hours away) and my wife is now one week overdue so (for about the last month) we have been staying close to home.

Matthew

perhaps you might see the priest before mass, and let him know that your children will be receiving communion since they have already completed their sacraments of initiation as infants, by explaining that you are Ukrainian Catholic and that is your Church's tradition.
If the priest is unaware that the Eastern Churches practice this tradition, that is unfortunate because it puts you in the position of having to catechize a priest.

I wish you luck. While visiting family near Mendocino, we had the unfortunate experience of having the priest tell us that he understood the canons but that his parishioners would be scandalized by seeing our then 2YO receiving communion.

We sat and fumed for a while and then left; we didn't know how we could receive communion in a place that would not allow our son at the table. And we had such anger toward the priest, that had we stayed, we surely would not have been in a state of grace.

Write to the bishops.

If my understanding is correct (which I'm pretty sure it is although never having experienced it myself having heard it from at least two completely independant sources, there are worse things than that occuring at that parish in Mendocino...

A couple of weeks ago I had written a letter to the priest (here in Fort Bragg) and just saw him last few days. He goes, "Oh, I didn't know you were Orthodox (Catholic). I totally respect the way infants are given communion in the Eastern Churches, but I'm not sure how that applies in an RC parish." So he is going to do some research and get some direction from his bishop, which is good good 'cause I don't have time to write another letter.

In the mean time, we've had our Baby (Felicity Irene Gilbert) and are now able to make it to Ukiah at the Parish there. It's ironic that a solution is found when it isn't needed anymore.

Matthew

I was baptized and confirmed at birth but penance and first communion weren't until I was 7 or 8. I do know that it is up to the local parish in the Eastern rite so not all operate the same. I would think you would need to approach the priest prior since it is unlevened bread used and not soft so there would be concerns for a small child receivng communion with out knowing if the child can chew and swallow with out choking and possible not being able to consume the Body of our Lord. I think everyone can understand those concerns.

Cmoore,

Infants are not given the Precious Body, but are given the Precious Blood.

Yes, I know but a small child looking to receive communion in the Catholic Church was looking for body or the blood? No spoon is used and they are given separate so there are spill concerns as well. All I am saying is that arrangements should be made if Child from the ECC wants to recieve communion in the LR.