Am I crazy or catholic church wrong to deny First Communion to Downs Syndrome child?!

[mummybiz]

My ex parish and the ex school of my children - which we left after my son was bullied- another story) has gone a step to far this time in my opinion see tinyurl.com/7qkqz9a denying a Downs Syndrome child the chance to take his first communion. I can't think of this as anything other than blatant and horrible discrimination - what do you all think?

How can this thread detract from discrimination? As I said before when the discussion gets heated some forum users resort to the age old "can't be true and she must be a troll".
If I was still a teacher my inappropriate use of apostrophes would no doubt be met with a 9 week fast track to dismissal! In actuality I am a caring parent from the same area who is disgusted at the treatment of a family - whether they are regular church goers or not there is no hope for this parish if it cannot welcome all comers with open arms.

All comers? I'm a Satanist. Would you like them to accept me?

I like your persistence in linking allegations of troll with people just thinking you are wrong.
I don't think you are a troll. I think you are extrapolating many erroneous things from one isolated incident.

Why are you saying the child is not welcome. He is welcome as far as I can see. His parents chose not to take him as he can't cope.

And it detracts from real discrimination because it is not discrimination.
The child has not been prevented from taking his communion because a) he does not go to mass and b) he does not seem to understand the significance of the ceremony viewing it instead as a party with his mates. That probably would matter les if his parents didn't also seen to view it as a party.

I am not sure I can explain that any better. I can try if you like

So, you're not 'in actuality' a teacher. This does not come as a surprise.

Is it Catholic bashing week or something? 2 Nd thread ive read today with derogatory comments about Catholicism

How can you make sweeping comments such as "he does not seem to understand the significance of the ceremony viewing it instead as a party with his mates" - you don't know the family or the child !
I can assure you there will be a high percentage of children who do not go to mass on a regular basis who are in that First Communion cohort in that parish - I agree with delaying First Communion if people don't attend but it has to apply to everybody

The family would of course be welcome but the attitude of the priest would make it very difficult for most people to feel genuinely a part of that community - it has been handled very badly and the silence from the church on the subject suggests no compromise will be reached.

Shouting discrimination whenever you don't get your own way makes people skeptical about true cases of discrimination [like the story of the boy who cried wolf].

Agree.

And IMO taking on the Catholic church is nuts, makes you look doubly loopy.

I suspect the massive sad face phot spread in the local paper probably inhibited a sensible solution. The parents chose a path.

okaay
So you position is that whilst the mother says that her son cannot cope with an hour long mass and therefore never takes him he, quite independently has figured out that he has a serious faith and wishes to take communion.

That is what has happened?

Oh dear ... So we have slipped into the realms of the ridiculous .Let me be clear Zzzzz....so because catholics don't believe in contraception they will have a greater proportion of children with Downs Syndrome? Please don't elaborate on that arguement it's simply too much for a Friday night. I would have expected more compassion from Mumsnetters for this family - the much maligned readers if the Daily Mail show a lot more humanity than some posters here.
Pagwatch - i know of no parent who can hand on heart say categorically that their seven year old who is about to make their first communion has a "serious faith" and fully understands transubstantiation!

You have missed my point.
Most 7 year olds have some sense of the ceremony, an expectation of the form of the ceremony and the ritual and a few of the reasons they are taking part having attended church.
The child in question does not attend church because he can't cope with an hour long mass.

And I was responding to your disputing that he just sees the day as a bit of a party. If he sees it as more significant than that I wondered how?

this is being discussed on five live radio now

So you position is that whilst the mother says that her son cannot cope with an hour long mass and therefore never takes him he, quite independently has figured out that he has a serious faith and wishes to take communion.

Pag - got it in one :)

I wonder if his knowledge was revealed, self-taught or gleaned from clandestine discussions with Elders?

And we slipped into the realms of the ridiculous when the fact that people on the daily mail support the parents was cited as evidence that they may be right.

This is why things like holy communion shouldn't be done as a class thing in school it should be about when each child Is ready to have a suitable understanding and make the decision that they want to do it.

Communion and confirmation shouldn't happen at such a young age. I doubt any of the children really get it.

Of course if children weren't confirmed until 15/16 there'd be a hell of a lot less children confirmed.

'A serious faith'! I made my first communion at 7. I fervently believed in God. I also fervently believed in Father Christmas.

I'm in NI where abortion is illegal and when we had our baby the consultant said that there were miore children here with Downs because if that. Not so sure about the contraception thing as I doubt many stick to that these days (but I may be wrong).

I think the fact that no children ofbthis age really understand transubstantiation makes a bit if a joke of the whole thing.

"the silence from the church on the subject suggests no compromise will be reached"

Did you actually read the press coverage? The Church hasn't been silent. They say ?We hope that this will change as Denum grows and we are working with him and his family to help him achieve this.? ('this' refers to his lack of participation and preparation to date).

Oh what a load of bollocks! When I took communion, when DH took his first communion and when almost everyne I know did it, it was because it was 'what you did', not because we were serious about our 'faith' at the age of fecking seven.

Religion is indoctrination. A child cannot understand what they are signing up for whether they have learning difficulties or not.

Agree with the poster who said 'lucky escape' quite frankly. The Catholic church only likes poor little 'handicapped' kids it can take to Lourdes and patronise. Anyone with any more severe difficulty, behavioural etc, isnt made welcome in my experience. Its an orthodox religion living n the past. You cant expect rational, sensible decisions from them.

The Diocese spokesperson said; "Denum?s family has not participated in the regular life of the Church or in the preparation preceding First Communion. We hope that this will change as Denum grows and we are working with him and his family to help him achieve this.?

Sound fair enough to me. Havn't read the DM article, though.