Do You Need Godparents For First Communion
You dont need godparents for First Communion, but its common for them to attend the Mass and post-Mass celebration. In the Catholic Church, godparents are assigned at a childs Baptism and vow to guide that child on their spiritual path. For this reason, godparents usually help prepare a child for their First Communion.
How To Receive Communion
Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue. Around the year A.D. 390, Cyril of Jerusalem indicated that the early Church practiced Communion in the hand when he instructed his audience: Approaching, therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers open but make thy left hand as if a throne for thy right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. And having hallowed thy palm, receive the body of Christ, saying after it, Amen. Then after thou hast with carefulness hallowed thine eyes by the touch of the holy body, partake thereof giving heed lest thou lose any of it for what thou losest is a loss to thee as it were from one of thine own members. For tell me, if anyone gave thee gold dust, wouldst thou not with all precaution keep it fast, being on thy guard against losing any of it, and suffering loss? .
The Congregation of the Sacraments and Divine Worship permitted the U.S. Bishops Conference to authorize reception of Communion in the hand on July 25, 1977, provided the local bishop implements the practice in his diocese. Once implemented, the option to receive Communion either in the hand or on the tongue always remains with the communicant. No priest, deacon, acolyte, or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may refuse a communicant Communion on the tongue. Likewise, once the local bishop has introduced Communion in the hand, none may refuse a communicant Communion in the hand .
What Age Is 1st Communion
For those entering into the Catholic Church as adults, Confirmation occurs immediately before first Communion. In 1910, Pope Pius X issued the decree Quam singulari, which changed the age at which First Communion is taken to 7 years old . Previously, local standards had been 10 or 12 or even 14 years old.
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Why Communion Matters In Catholic Life And What It Means To Be Denied The Eucharist
The biannual U.S. Catholic bishops meeting received more than its usual attention this June due to one particular item on its agenda: a proposed document on the Sacrament of the Eucharist, a ritual also known as Holy Communion.
Because this as yet unwritten document is expected to include guidance on when and whether Holy Communion may be refused to a Catholic who presents her or himself in a manifest state of serious sin, this church matter received notein the pages of national newspapers. It also prompted a Statement of Principles from 60 Democratic Catholics in the U.S. House of Representatives urging bishops to not move forward and deny this most holy of all sacraments.
As a scholar of Catholic sacramental theology, let me offer some thoughts on the central role of Holy Communion in the Catholic Church, and the pain it can cause some members to be denied reception of it.
One of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is a ritual in which, according to Catholic theology, bread and wine blessed by a priest really become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. Such is its central role in Catholicism, it has been called the fount and apex of the whole Christian life.
Catholics are obliged to receive Communion at least once a year, but in practice many do so far more frequently during Mass, or Catholic public worship.
Possible Exceptions For Receiving Communion
However, there are circumstances when non-Catholics may receive Communion from a Catholic priest. This is especially the case when it comes to Eastern Orthodox Christians, who share the same faith concerning the nature of the sacraments:
Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned .
The circumstances in which Protestants are permitted to receive Communion are more limited, though it is still possible for them to do so under certain specifically defined circumstances.
Canon law explains the parameters: If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed .
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What Happens At A First Communion
The First Communion ceremony takes place during Catholic Mass, which can last anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. The priest blesses those about to receive their First Communion and then begins the Eucharist ceremony, during which children receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ for the first time, accompanied by their godparents and other family members.
How Do I Prepare To Receive Holy Communion
Holy Communion is a great mystery, to be approached with reverence and awe. On the feast of Corpus Christi, the Church sings that Holy Communion brings life to these, to those damnation / see how like participation / is with unlike issues rife.2 This hymn draws its inspiration from the Holy Bible, where Saint Paul writes, anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.3 Holy Communion is a great spiritual gift, but it also requires great respect.
The most important preparation is spiritual. Many Catholics choose to take some time for private prayer before mass to prepare for Holy Communion. In order to receive Holy Communion worthily, individuals with serious sins first need to receive forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is also a valuable preparation for those with lesser sins, and most parishes provide it at a convenient time for those who desire to receive Holy Communion at Sunday Mass.
The Church offers various aids to help Catholics prepare themselves for Holy Communion. She requires a fast of at least one hour before receiving Communion. 4 This fast includes all food and drink except for water and medicine, but it does not apply to the ill or elderly. Some Catholics find it helpful to fast for a longer time, even from the night before, in order to be better prepared for Holy Communion. Time spent praying in thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion is also well rewarded.
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How Old Are You When You Get Confirmed
In most Catholic churches today, Catholics are confirmed when they are about 14 years old. The sacrament of confirmation is often held on Pentecost Sunday when Christians celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Catholics believe confirmation is one of seven sacraments instituted by Christ.
Directives First Penance And First Communion
Canon 914: It is the responsibility, in the first place, of parents and those who take the place of parents as well as of the pastor to see that children who have reached the use of reason are correctly prepared and are nourished by the divine food as early as possible, preceded by sacramental confession it is also for the pastor to be vigilant lest any children come to the Holy Banquet who have not reached the use of reason or whom he judges are not sufficiently disposed.
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First Communion Celebration Ideas
I love to celebrate Sacraments with a party because I want it to be known to my children that these days are very important and worth a celebration! I am way more willing to put my time, money, and energy into celebrating a Sacrament than something like a birthday because I think this communicates to the child and also the community what a big deal Sacraments are!
Here are some more ideas that can be incorporated into your First Holy Communion party:
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Receiving The Lord In Holy Communion
Holy Communion is the act by which we receive the sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
We know that each of the Catholic Sacraments produces its own special effect or effects. If the purpose of all sacraments were simply to give a single kind of grace, one sacrament would be enough there would have been no need for our Lord Jesus to have instituted seven.
The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist was instituted as a food, a spiritual food. That is why the outward sign of this sacramentthe appearances of bread and wineis a sign of nourishment, just as in Baptism the outward sign is water, a sign of cleansing. The action by which we as individuals receive the Holy Eucharist is an act of eating. We swallow the appearances of bread and wine under which Jesus is present. This is the action that we call Holy Communion.
As the Catechism’s section on Holy Communion and the Eucharist says:
The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
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Eastern Orthodox Churches Under Communist Rule
After the of 1917, part of the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church fled abroad to escape Bolshevik persecutions, founding an independent church in exile, which reunified with its Russian counterpart in 2007. Some actions against Orthodox priests and believers along with execution included torture, being sent to prison camps, labour camps or mental hospitals. In the first five years after the Bolshevik revolution, 28 bishops and 1,200 priests were executed.
After Nazi Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Joseph Stalin revived the Russian Orthodox Church to intensify patriotic support for the war effort. By 1957 about 22,000 Russian Orthodox churches had become active. However, in 1959, Nikita Khrushchev initiated his own campaign against the Russian Orthodox Church and forced the closure of about 12,000 churches. It is estimated that 50,000 clergy had been executed between the revolution and the end of the Khrushchev era. Members of the church hierarchy were jailed or forced out, their places taken by docile clergy, many of whom had ties with the KGB. By 1985 fewer than 7,000 churches remained active.
Who Can Receive Holy Communion
Because Holy Communion is one of the most precious things that Jesus has given to us, it is important to prepare ourselves properly before receiving. In the Roman Catholic Church, once a child is old enough to understand that the Eucharist is the gift of Jesus own life, he receives careful preparation so that he may receive his First Holy Communion. In addition to learning the truths about the Eucharist, the child prepares himself spiritually, receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so that he might receive Holy Communion with a pure heart.
For adults, too, careful preparation is necessary before receiving Holy Communion. Because Holy Communion is a sign of unity with the Catholic Church, one should only receive Holy Communion if he believes what the Catholic Church teaches, and is living as a member of the Church, following the way of life that she sets out for her children. If one is conscious of serious sin, he should receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before approaching Holy Communion.
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What Is First Communion In The Catholic Church
First Communion is considered one of the holiest and most important occasions in a Roman Catholics life. It means that person has received the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Others can receive communion for the first time whenever theyve met all the Churchs requirements.
Requirements For Catholic First Communion
BENNA CRAWFORD
The sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church are sacred ceremonies of blessing and initiation, performed by an ordained priest according to the canons of church doctrine. First Communion is the introduction of a sacrament referred to as the Eucharist or Communion. The church describes the Eucharist as bread and wine which has been transfigured into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. After a Catholic receives First Communion, repeated participation in the sacrament becomes a lifelong privilege.
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The Catholic Church And Holy Communion
The Catholic Church sets out specific guidelines regarding how we should prepare ourselves to receive the Lords body and blood in Communion. First, you must be in a state of grace. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup . This is an absolute requirement that can never be dispensed. To receive the Eucharist without sanctifying grace in your soul profanes the Eucharist in the most grievous manner.
A mortal sin is any sin whose matter is grave and which has been committed willfully and with knowledge of its seriousness. Grave matter includes, but is not limited to, murder, receiving or participating in an abortion, homosexual acts, having sexual intercourse outside of marriage or in an invalid marriage, and deliberately engaging in impure thoughts . Scripture contains lists of mortal sins . For further information on what constitutes a mortal sin, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The Churchs ancient teaching on this particular matter is expressed in the Didache, an early Christian document written around A.D. 70, which states: Whosoever is holy , let him approach. Whosoever is not, let him repent .
Provided they are in a state of grace and have met the above requirements, Catholics should receive the Eucharist frequently .
What Is The Meaning Of First Holy Communion In The Catholic Church
The First Holy Communion is a Catholic ceremony, which marks a child or adults first reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is an extremely important event in a Catholic familys life and is marked with celebrations, family gatherings and festive parties as well as gift-giving and special white clothes.
Why is it important to receive Holy Communion?
According to the bible, Christians, partake of Holy Communion in remembrance of the body and blood of Jesus that was broken and poured at the cross. Taking Holy Communion does not only remind us of his suffering but also shows us the amount of love Jesus had for us.
What are the steps of Communion?
At Communion, you may receive the Body and the Blood of Christ. The priest will either place the host on your tongue or in your hands, then another priest will offer the chalice containing the Blood of Christ, from which you may take a small sip.
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How Long Does It Take To Get Your First Communion
First Communion can only happen once youve been baptized in the Catholic Church. First Communion classes are part of a series of religion classes taken during the primary school years. They typically take place weekly during the academic year, from September to May, and end with a First Communion ceremony in the spring, during Catholic Mass.
What Happens At Holy Communion
In Holy Communion, we receive Jesus Christ, who gives Himself to us in His body, blood, soul, and divinity. This intimate union with Christ both signifies and strengthens our union with Him and His Church. Jesus speaks of the importance of Holy Communion when He states, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.1 Because Holy Communion unites us to Jesus, it also strengthens us against sin, helps us to live a Christian life, and prepares us for the heavenly banquet.
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The Reception Of Holy Communion At Mass
The Church understands the Communion Procession, in fact every procession in liturgy, as a sign of the pilgrim Church, the body of those who believe in Christ, on their way to the Heavenly Jerusalem. All our lives we who believe in Christ are moving in time toward that moment when we will be taken by death from this world and enter into the joy of the Lord in the eternal Kingdom he has prepared for us. The liturgical assembly of the baptized that comes together for the celebration of the Eucharist is a witness to, a manifestation of, the pilgrim Church. When we move in procession, particularly the procession to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Communion, we are a sign, a symbol of that pilgrim Church “on the way.”
This action by Christ’s body, the Church assembled for the Eucharist, is manifested and supported by the Communion Chant, a hymn in praise of Christ sung by the united voices of those who believe in him and share his life. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal takes this hymn very seriously, mandating that it should begin at the Communion of the priest and extend until the last person has received Communion.
It seems appropriate to conclude this reflection on the Communion Procession and the reception of Communion with a quotation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1396: