Don’t want to meet my friends today

[mummy1234321]

My friends invited us for a coffee this afternoon but I don’t think I can face them.
We go to the same church and my DS and their DD are the same age.
We wanted our DS to start preparing for the holy communion this year (first holy communion is usually once a year in June)
My friends told me that there were announcements some time in August to submit the form if you are interested but we were away for 3 weeks, so we had no idea.
I approached our priest last Sunday saying that we are interested in signing our DS up for preparation course but he told us it’s too late, they don’t accept late applications anymore.
I was very upset, I cried on our way back home and I feel it’s my fault that DS will miss out on it, as I didn’t enquire early enough.
I thought I got over it but today priest was handing envelopes out to the parents, also my friends DD, and I got upset again.
We left the church quickly and I drove home straight away without our usual chat (and cried all the way home again).
Friends texted me that they didn’t say hi and if we want to pop in later on but I just don’t want to talk about holy communion. I know it will upset me again.
My friends don’t know that my DS is not on the course.
We have been with this parish for over 9 years and yes, I could move and get my DS prepared for holy communion somewhere else but I don’t want to.
AIBU to say we are busy or something and turn the invitation down?
I’m on my own with the kids today my partner is away on business.

If you're leaving the parish anyway i say go for it, you have nothing to lose - bypass the priest, contact the organisers directly. The priest will have nothing to do with it now until the day of the Holy Communion. Don't give up. There is always flexibility. Tell them you'll order and pay for the book(s) separately.
Good luck.

I would have thought anyone with anything approaching a brain would realise they were rhetorical.

Well yes, that's why I didn't offer any answers.

You are being ridiculous! Get a grip.

If you feel very strongly that you weren't given enough of a chance to get your application in on time then you could of course be "that parishioner" and complain to the bishop. I wouldn't though.
I'm related to an awful lot of priests and I know for a fact that not one of them would consider it to be completely awful if a child had to wait a year. It might be that this rule has come about for a particular reason (most likely some form of CF-ery) and making a huge fuss would just mark you out as a hugely entitled twerp.
If it really must be this year and you (rightly) don't want to make a complaint then you could surely speak to a priest in a neighbouring parish.
BTW, I laughed at the comment someone made about "this is what priests are paid for". RC priests don't tend to have salaries as such (although I'm sure this varies a lot according to diocese). Ours pays himself £500 a year and our parish is relatively wealthy so could afford a lot more. The parish pays for his house, heating & fuel for his car but in terms of cash, he gets very, very little. So "I pay your wages" isn't going to fly as an argument.

I would have another go at asking. Is there a parish council or similar? Send a written request saying why you missed the deadline and how upset you all are about it as you are moving and wanted first communion at this church. Have one more go to see if they will relent.

OP when my daughter was younger we were planning to move 200 miles away. We had a lovely Parish Priest and she wanted to make her First Holy Communion with him. She was actually a year younger than the other children but our priest allowed her to join the class and she made her First Holy Communion the month we moved house. It meant a lot to her.

In your case you seem to have a priest who is more interested in rules than in your child. I would wait, join a new parish, find one with a very caring priest and allow your child to have a very positive First Holy Communion.

I do understand your upset but honestly he doesn't sound like the priest I would choose.

Mightn't it be a nice thing to take first communion at your new church? It might help him (and you) to feel part of your new parish.

given the responses on here I feel sorry for the priest

Why? I'm sure he has better things to do on a Sunday than read Mumsnet.