Can DD wear this to a Holy Communion?

[Crunchymum]

MIL said "she can't wear white" but I assume that rule was just for weddings

Dress is white tea dress and will be with a multicolour cardi and white sandals

Where I used to live the local private Catholic school didn't allow white dresses, boys and girls were in school uniform. Us rag tags at the local Catholic school were the ones in fancy white dresses and the "posh" school were very disapproving that the emphasis was on the outfit not the sacrament.

As a mum of First Holy Communion girl, It would't bother me what's so ever. Especial that she have nice colourful cardi.

Communion dresses are unique and your DD's one doesn't look like one.

I'm Catholic and wouldn't care. She will not look like she is getting her first holy communion.

She is only 5 the dress is fine to wear especially with the cardigan. The other girls will look more like mini brides and will be a bit older too. Surprised your MIL goes to.them monthly changed from my day when we did them once a year for the whole year.

I'm Catholic and it is fine. Nice bright cardi will be what catches the eye so don't let anyone push you to overthink.
I've seen mothers wearing white with coloured cardi or wrap before and nobody batted an eyelid.
Your daughter will not be mistaken for a first communicant with the cardi and she's also likely way too young to be receiving that sacrament yet anyway so nobody will think anything of it.
One of my friends brought her daughter to my girl's first communion. She dressed her daughter in a cream dress and a tiara "because she didn't want to be left out" (friend is lapsed Catholic, maybe more lapse than we realised 😄)
Trust me, you are fine!
Hope your little girl has a lovely day, it's such a beautiful sacrament and even nicer when they receive their second on the Sunday.

This is what I wondered too, can't imagine any regular church going Catholic ever minding. We go every week, nobody in our parish would mind or say anything.

Can you put a colourful bit of ribbon round it as a bow in case she is too hot and takes off the cardigan? No crafting skills required! Or a bright T-shirt and leggings underneath?
I’d be very self conscious bringing my dd in a white dress to a first communion and it would probably marr my enjoyment of it a bit.

I'm in Italy and we're in the midst of FHC season. It would be fine here.

I agree too. Whenever there are threads about what you can and can't do in a Catholic church service or what Catholics do/say/think, I always think Italy must have been left out of some new rules, which would be mighty odd!

Another Catholic here whose daughter has just made her first holy communion. Absolutely no problem with your daughter wearing the dress. Looks nothing like a communion dress so she will be fine especially with a colourful cardi.
I wouldn't bat an eye seeing a young girl in a white party dress at a communion. Think your mil being a bit silly. Please don't buy something new.

I’m an Irish Catholic and this is fine! And love the cardi!
She’s only 5 - she’s not going to be mistaken for a communicant. And it’s not like a wedding - there’s going to be a load of little girls in white dresses.

Never even crossed my mind that it would be a problem. Given there's usually a whole class or more of them making it, one more white dress wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

Also, communions typically are in May/June. My son made his is in Sept 2021 but that was an anomaly, cuz covid...

My dd asked if we could take her friend with us to her FHC. She wore a dress similar to the one you're asking about. It was absolutely fine, no one batted an eyelid or commented it was in any way inappropriate. As a previous poster has said, most FHC dresses are a little more elaborate so taking that into account along with the stripey cardi (which is gorgeous by the way), perfectlyacceptable! Enjoy the special day!!

I think it’s fine and have been to many a HC, albeit not Irish ones!

Not if it's not her communion.

I am an Irish Catholic just having been to a friends daughters communion yesterday- in Ireland and anything goes as long as it is moderately respectful- that outfit will be grand OP

I have seen it done in Ireland, rented gowns for FHC just like the Confirmation gowns. It's a brilliant idea, child can wear a traditional white dress underneath or a Shamrock Rovers/Liverpool strip, whatever floats their boat. Some schools have moved back to doing it in school uniform.

Years ago my brothers wore their school uniform, short trousers (great to show off scabby knees) and a blazer on loan to them by the school for the day. My mother made my little matching bag and dress, not too dissimilar to the one in OP's picture, but with long sleeves in cotton broderie anglaise with puffed out micro mini skirt and my aunt knitted knee socks.

Agree with this.

Also about communions happing once a year, our parish dose them in May, sometimes it’s over 2 weekends but if busy over 3 weekends. The Catholic calendar is far too busy to do first communions every month. Yes there has been a catch up due to covid, but I can’t seriously see it being that many.

It sounds like some made up thing my mother would have said to get her own way.

I have seen it done in Ireland, rented gowns for FHC just like the Confirmation gowns.

Curious Sage where in Ireland have you seen this? I've family & friends all over Ireland, have lived several places myself & now in Dublin, grew up in Munster.

I've never seen this. As much as it has points to recommend it, the boys & girls love getting dressed up, and there's no other opportunity to do so if not for the Communion ceremony. (Different for Confirmation, where they often wear their school uniforms & then get dressed up (or not) afterwards),

It sounds like some made up thing my mother would have said to get her own way.

That's harsh.

There's nothing wrong with OP's DD wearing the dress with the cardigan. And there are no 'rules'

But generally it wouldn't be the done thing to wear a white dress at a Communion, unless you are making it. Mainly cause the only person in white should be the Communicant. But equally no-one will actually pass any comment on what a 5 yo is wearing!

I’m in Belfast and it’ll be a fat no from me too, sorry. If she’s too warm and takes off the cardigan she’ll look like she’s trying to be a communion child and the parents who invited you might not like it. You can get a cheap colourful dress off eBay.

It is totally fine.

https://www.vinted.co.uk/kids/girls-clothing/dresses/short-dresses/3046127454-beautiful-girls-summer-dress-age-4-5-years

this is lovely and would be perfect for a guest at a communion.

No, she can't wear white unless it's her first holy communion.

The cost of communion clothing in the ROI is astronomical. Last year I was looking at used dresses in charity shops that were 3/4 times more than I paid for one in the UK. Granted I bought it on sale, but it was new and it’s now been worn by 2 DDs last year and this year.

I know MN isn’t a fan but several of the girls at my DDs FHC last week had dresses, veils and accessories from Shein, they were stunning and all the girls looked lovely at a very small cost.

The boys only had to buy communion ties, some wore suits they already owned, some white shits and school trousers. They only needed to buy a new tie if they wanted the year on it, not all did, some used older siblings or cousins. They all looked smart regardless of what they wore.