www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Infant Communion

I am the mother of three young children all under the age of six, who received the Sacraments of Christian Initiation (baptism,
Confirmation and Holy Eucharist) as infants. We attend liturgy at our local Byzantine Catholic Church although if we attend mass at a local Latin/Roman Catholic Church they won't allow our children to receive Communion. I haven't found any Roman Catholic priests willing to give my young children Communion. Shouldn't they be allowed to fulfill their Sunday obligation? This has only been an issue if we traveled where there isn�t an Eastern Catholic Church or we were unable to attend our own parish. I'm very upset my children are being denied this sacrament.

My children and I do not understand why they can't receive the Eucharist, when that's what they are accustomed to. I can't explain to a two year old and a baby that different churches have different customs. I do not want to deprive them from the grace of the Eucharist so I have shared my Communion with them. Isn't it my duty to see that they fulfill their obligation? This has been very hard for our family, my husband is of the Roman Tradition and I do feel our children should be exposed to the customs of the Roman Catholic Church.

I've been instructed, "When in Rome do as the Romans do". Evidently the problem for these Roman priests dispensing communion to young children of the Byzantine tradition, is that after mass they are confronted/overwhelmed with questions/accusations from their parishioners and have to provide an explanation. So as not to create a scandal in their church/parish Roman priests have decided not to give my young children communion.

I would love to see these Roman priests dispense Our Lord's Precious Body to my children especially in a way that would not create a scandal to those uneducated. Recently I was informed that this was under the direction of their Bishop, other priests have stated it's their discretion. I've considered speaking with the local Roman Bishop to find a solution.

Anyone have any helpful advice or suggestions?
Hannah

My own advice is to speak to the Catholic priest at the parish in question. I have heard of a few instances where the local Catholic priest was completely unaware of the Eastern custom, but when told about it, was entirely supportive of infant communion. Perhaps a friendly chat, would be helpful? I would be hopeful about it...

dear Hannah:

Good for You!!! [aka Mnohaya Lyita!!!]

Don't give up. I agree with Fr. Elias. In my experience it was in general not a problem. E.g. my Pastor's kids went to the local Latin Catholic school. The Pastor and his WIFE went to the priest before hand and explained everything. There was no problem. In fact the kids got to go to Communion whilst their classmates had to wait for their First Comm.

Depending on the age there may be some problem with logistics. E.g. if the Chalice is not offered to the Faithful and some of your children are too young & need to receive the Holy Mysteries in liquid form, then you have to work out the logistics with the priest.

This is the case where that policy/directive comes into play - re if there is no local Byzantine Church, then the default of pastoral care of Byzantine Faithful in the area is responsibility the local Latin Church, .

On the other hand, if you are worshipping at the Latin Church fairly regularly in order to expose your children to the Latin Church [as opposed to perforce because their is no Byzantine Church within driving distance of your residence], then you may wish to consider abiding by the Latin formation and spiritual manner of proceeding. I am not sure, personally, that one can be BOTH fully Latin and Byzantine at the same time.

Hope this was helpful.

herb.

ps: would that All our parents were as zealous as you and learn from your good example - in making sure that their children partake in the Holy Mysteries.

[Some of our parents are so Latinized that they actually deny their children the Holy Gifts - prefering that they wait for their so-called "First Communion". A very grave matter to my way of seeing it.]

I agree with Father Elias.

It's hard to turn down the request of a
mother.

Rememeber the wedding at Cana?

And HELLO to a fellow home schooler!

Prayers for you,

Paul

Agreed, the way to deal with it is to talk to the priest BEFORE the Mass, and also to find out (if this is a typical RC parish) where to sit in order to ensure being in the priest's Communion line.

In some places you do have to educate...

Cheers from ANOTHER homeschooling family - and I'm married to a Paul - in Ohio.

Sharon

Glory to Jesus Christ!

From yet another homeschooling family (who's name isn't Paul ), the local RC priest who knew us and our situation had no problem with giving the kids Communion. And he actually relished explaining to people who asked who we were and why we had different practices. It can be a "catechetical moment". God bless.

Sounds like a good priest (like so many are).

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Paul

We regularly attend the Byzantine Catholic Church in our city. Whenever we attend a Roman Catholic Church, we always arrive early and speak to the priest before mass begins. I have had many "friendly chats" and explained that we are of the Byzantine Tradition. Well, none of the local Roman priests will give my younger children communion. Is it wrong for a Roman priest to give communion to a young child of the Byzantine tradition?

When I was a child, I received the sacraments the "Roman" way. I was baptized and chrismated although I had to wait for my 1st communion (until age 7). This was a very long and agonizing wait for me. I longed for the day that I too, would be able to receive the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. All of my children have received the Eucharist every week since they were newborns. I am so thankful that they have the extra grace from Communion and Chrismation, while are growing up. These are hard times to raise a child and they need all the extra help we can give them!

I found that the Committee on the Relationship between Eastern and Latin Catholic Churches of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in their work �Eastern Catholics in the United States of America,� in 1999, explains that in the USA, �It is the normal practice of the Church that Catholics celebrate the Lord�s day by participating in the celebration of the Eucharist in a community of their own church. Nevertheless, where there is diversity of Churches in the one place, the faithful worthily celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by attending the Eucharist in any of the autonomous ritual Churches.�

I am gathering information on the reception of the Eucharist by Eastern rite youth in the Western church, to further educate myself. Does anyone have any other information they can share with me?

Hannah

Perhaps extreme measures are in order...
And yes it is wrong, but they do not know any better.

By "extreme measures" I am thinking like a letter from the Latin Bishop or his ...Protosynkellos [...chancellor? vicar? some big shot] giving you permission might help.

To get the letter, you might want to get Your Eparchy's Protosynkellos to contact his counterpart in the Latin chancery and explain things to him, since Latin clergy can have a doctorate in Canon Law and still know zip about our Churches - I found this out the hard way.

Again, good for you!
Sounds like a teaching moment for the entire Latin Eparchy in your area!

herb.

Hannah,

From your posts it sounds like you have done your best to communicate your
Byzantine needs to the local RC clergy. It is time to "kick this matter upstairs."

I will pray for you. It is emotionaly tiring to pursue your rights.

My wife and I have had to fight an unbelievably arrogant high school principal
regarding transfer of home school credits for our daughter. We finally went to the superintentdant and director of instruction to change his ways and get an apology from the principal. But we did get justice.

I place your difficulty with the Theotokos.

Peace,

Paul

The booklet you referenced, Eastern Catholics in the United States, on page 23 states:

"...members of Eastern Churches who do not have any contact with their own pastors ought to be helped as far as possible to observe there own tradition and customs.

Pope John Paul II expressed a special concern for these Catholics in his apostolic letter Orientale Lumen , " Where in the West there are no Eastern priests to look after the faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches, Latin Ordinaries and their co-workers should see that those faithful grow in the awareness and knowledge of their own tradition..."

I'm sorry to hear that you've been treated unjustly by Latin priests. They need to be educated AND spanked by their bishop.

Paul

Hannah,

An encouraging story of a family who got the cooperation of the Latin Bishop on this matter:

http://www.melkite.org/sa37.htm

Dave Ignatius DTBrown@aol.com

As a mother and parent of two older youngsters, one who was baptized and chrismated on Theophany, the East is way ahead in its thinking regarding infant communion and bringing a new illuminated servant into the spiritual community. I remember carrying my son when he was little and both church community priests were very supportive.

Did not Jesus invite the children directly?

Innocence of a child and his/her reception of this most nourishing mystery has nothing at all to do with when a youngster's initial reception of the mystery of pennance/forgiveness.

And hello to other homeschooling families! My son is a former Calvert School HSr!

Adriatic

After reading some of these posts regarding the arrogant behavior and attitudes in the Latin rite, i am very suspicious of giving my tithe into their infrastructure.

One pastor I had when my husband was inbetween jobs and I was in the inital "fight" litigating to get the Long Term Disability reinstated, my pastor took a phone call from and me and was generous (and humble) to write a check to the Aetna insurance company for my COBRA.

I will never forget this act of kindness, generosity and love.

My brother and his wife recently had their 3 baby girl and apparently were "turned away" about having this baby baptized. My sister is a "Holyday" RC and pretty much attends church on Christmas and Easter.

I cannot imagine what this must feel like. They are going to begin attending church again, but even with a willing "godparent" where I could sponsor the baby's baptism ,etc. hearing this sort of thing just turns me off at the arrogance and power brokering that seems to go on in the Roman American Church. I cannot say this about Europe, only the US.

The west could learn a lesson or two about worthiness being present at all times in its cleric leadership.

Dear Hannah,

Please let us on the forum know how things work out for you and your children in this matter.

Paul