Catholic school etiquette

[LanaL]

I am working in a Catholic school . We take the children to Mass regularly. I have not been baptised , I’m not a Catholic. I have my beliefs, I do believe in God , I do pray . But I don’t attend church etc .

All the teachers , aside from one it seems, take Holy communion . I don’t because I thought it would be disrespectful to as I don’t really understand it ( I’m new , I am learning ) I do always uphold the values of the school and I am very respectful- but the children have begun to notice that I don’t and I don’t know how to explain it.

Am I being disrespectful by not doing it?

Not at all. Just tell the children if they ask that you don't because you aren't Catholic/never had a Holy Communion so can't.

"I am not a baptised Catholic. HC is for people who are baptised"

I'm C of E and if you haven't been confirmed, you can't take holy communion. Pretty certain it's the same in the Catholic Church.

You can however, approach the altar and receive a blessing when others are receiving the sacrament

As a non-Catholic, you shouldn't take communion as you haven't received the sacrements.Tell the kids you're not baptised, surely that's ok to do? Or do the school want you to pretend you're catholic?

You would be disrespectful for taking it, so you are doing the right thing. Tell children you didn't take your Holy Communion (taken about age 8/9 usually) so can't have it.

To take holy communion you would usually be baptised, have completed classes on it (my child has just done it) as its one of the sacrements for Catholics.

So I'd say absolutely not disrespectful NOT to take part. Many adults in church don't go up, or if you do it's acceptable to cross your arms across your body and you'd get a blessing instead.

As a non Catholic you can’t take HC so you are doing the right thing. As a previous poster has said you could go up for a blessing if you wished.

Might be worth checking with your SLT how they would prefer you to deal with answering the questions, but explaining that you are not catholic should be fine.

actually ive seen some of the teachers do this and not have the drink and the wafer- that must be what they’re doing ! I really need to ask other teachers x

I'm convent school educated but not Catholic and never went up. Only those who had been confirmed did I seem to remember. It wasn't considered a big deal then.

Children are naturally curious and will ask.

Edited because typing skills have gone out the window today

All they said when I started was that I don’t have to be Catholic to work there I just need to uphold the values x

Do you go up for a blessing? You can still do that even if you are not a Catholic. Just approach the priest with your arms crossed across your chest and he will bless you.

In my child's catholic school many teachers (and pupils) are not catholic. So chances are if they are going up they are just getting a blessing.

(My dad also does this when he goes with my mum weekly to mass). It's very common and the church will be used to it!

You are right not to take Holy Communion OP.
Taking it would show extreme disrespect, not the other way round.

Catholics start taking it after their First Holy Comnunion, not Confirmation.

If you wish you can receive a blessing when others receive communion. You cross your arms with hands on shoulders to signal this to the priest. (Maybe let them know of your intention first if that's not commonplace where you are.)

As a non catholic or not take your Holy Communion you can go up for a blessing. Which is respectful if you feel inclined to do so, that is what non catholics at my school do. Depending on the school the tradition way is to cross your arms across your chest and bow your head. They will place their hand above your head, sometimes touch your head and say a blessing.

At my school we ask the teens/adults to put their hands behind their backs for a blessing.

It means you go up with everyone and would be taking part. My colleague feels less awkward going up with everyone rather than sitting alone.

Refer to it as ‘bread and wine’ 🙂

The sacraments in order are baptism (christening), reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation.

Therefore, if you haven’t had the required sacrament, you can’t take Communion. Just tell the children this.

If you care to take advantage of the opportunity, going up with your arms crossed to receive a blessing is perfectly acceptable.

No I think you wouldn't have been employed if they were concerned about you not being catholic. I work in a catholic school and I would say about 50% off staff are also not catholic. In HC we still participate but don't take the bread and wine. We still say the prayers too but don't necessarily believe

I also like the idea of the blessing but it is fine if you do not, OP.

You’ve assured the school you share Catholic values to a reasonable degree. Could you just tell the children the same thing?

Just go up for a blessing, cross your arms across your chest so the priest knows just a blessing

It would be massively disrespectful to have body and blood of christ when not actually done the sacraments

Different for Catholics. Catholic children have a First Communion which precedes Confirmation. So you can take Communion without being Confirmed.

Just tell the kids you’re not Catholic.

If you want to take part, go up for blessing as pp said but I was raised catholic, had my first holy communion etc, am now not practicing anymore and when I go to mass the odd time, I just don’t go up and nobody cares. It’s not a big deal.

I know you said the school only requires you to uphold the values etc but if you’re going to mass and involved in this kind of thing, it might be a good idea to learn some of the basic ins and outs. I’m surprised that you would think it would be ok to just go up and get communion like that tbh.

OP of you walk up with your arms crossed over your chest you will receive a blessing instead of a communion wafer.

What @Singersong said. I am Catholic and worked in a Catholic school for years. School was the only time I went to Mass so I wouldn't take the host or wine - just a blessing. Tell the children you are not Catholic but support their values etc - is all the class Catholic?

You are doing the right thing. Technically you have to be a practising Catholic, in a state of Grace to receive Communion.

I'm an ex-Catholic. I think it'd be more disrespectful to go up and take it than not!

I stopped believing while I was still at Catholic school and no longer felt comfortable taking communion. I didn't feel able to tell my teachers the truth, so the couple of times I was asked about it I said that I wasn't going because I hadn't been to confession, which you're supposed to do before taking communion. (Not at all suggesting you do this! Just showing that there are multiple reasons a person might decline to take part.) I didn't know about the 'arms crossed for a blessing' thing back then, but I've done it several times in different churches as an adult and have never come across a priest who didn't know what it signified.