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Original poster

first holy communion

20 replies

tenby84 · 06/01/2013 15:29

How much did you have to pay church?. We have been told we need to buy a book (fair enough) but also pay for communual flowers and cake. Is this normal?
Thank you.

OP posts:
thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts · 06/01/2013 16:42

Not in my church which is Church of England. The confirmation service which is midweek is usually followed by a bring and share supper and cake. The flowers are the usual ones from Sunday and the flower arrangers do their own fundraising for that. When my son attended confirmation classes last year we were asked to pay for the book they used but that was it.

Hope that helps.

lillybloom · 06/01/2013 17:41

RC here- we werent asked to pay a thing. The book was provided by the parish school and the flowers by the parish.

Original poster
tenby84 · 06/01/2013 18:43

Thought it was a bit odd.

OP posts:
GregorSamsa · 06/01/2013 18:46

We were asked to buy the book. I think that's normal, as the kids have to write in them and they can't be re-used. The church social and fundraising committee pay for the cake for the celebration afterwards, but we do a lot of 'bring and share' type stuff and always end up with loads of food.

wigglesrock · 07/01/2013 12:21

My daughter is making her this year (Catholic). We have got the "workbook" free through the chapel. The PTA of the school do the tea/coffee etc after the mass and the same with the flowers.

finchale · 09/01/2013 12:56

Catholic here in a parish with no school so FC not done through the school. We were not expected to pay anything at any point for first communion - it is always seen as a parish event.

THERhubarb · 09/01/2013 13:00

The books are expensive so I guess it depends on how much money there is in your church funds to pay for them. A local parishioner did the cake and the flowers were just the usual ones provided for church services.

Our parish (RC) is pretty generous though. All the children got bookmarks and a prayer book from the Parish Funds too. We just contributed to a thank you gift for the catechists.

If your parish doesn't have the funds then I guess they have to ask parents to stump up. Personally I wouldn't mind as it's a huge expense to ask the church to bear - especially when you multiply it by however many children are participating.

TheWoollybacksWife · 09/01/2013 13:02

RC here too. Communion prep done through school. We pay for the book (£7 last time but that was 6 years ago). School ask for donations towards the church flowers but the church would provide them regardless. The children go home after Mass and have their own celebrations, then sometime later in the week they have a party at school. Each child brings a contribution to the party - cakes, crisps, drinks etc.

ThursdayWillBeTheDay · 09/01/2013 17:32

Catholic (and in Italy) We have just been asked if we want to buy the souvenir "party bag" (for want of a better word lol) from the parish as they have little knick-knacks made by an initiative they support in Brazil. Apart from that now't.

SummerRainIsADistantMemory · 09/01/2013 17:36

I'm in Ireland and it's all done by the school and church. We don't pay for anything (apart from the outfit, outfits for the test of the family and whatever celebrations we want afterwards obviously... Although there's a standing tradition in the school that last year's parents hold a party in the village hall for this year's communion crowd and act as hosts)

sashh · 10/01/2013 08:37

Do any dnomintations that are not RC do first communiun?

General interest, you are all saying RC but I thought it was only RC that did it.

SummerRainIsADistantMemory · 10/01/2013 09:23

I don't think other faiths do, orthodox religions allow communion from baptism anyway I know, not sure about others.

There is another branch of Catholicism in Africa isn't there?

PureQuintessence · 10/01/2013 09:26

Our son did his last year, and at no costs to parents. We could order photos, though.

BridgetJonesPants · 11/01/2013 21:09

Catholic & my DD is making her 1st communion in May.

Her school provide workbook free of charge and our parish organise flowers & first communion breakfast for kids in the parish centre afterwards. A parishoner also bakes a first communion cake. Parents & family can also go to the parish centre after first communions but have to make a donation for their tea/coffee/juice.

AChickenCalledKorma · 11/01/2013 21:12

The Church of England now has a system for first communion before confirmation. Our local Parish Church runs first communion classes for children aged around 8 or 9 and then they have a special service. There is none of the dressing up etc, though.

We are Methodists. Children can take communion whenever they and their parents are happy for them to do so. No fuss, no fancy outfits and definitely no bills for books and cake Confused.

IThinkOfHappyWhenIThinkOfYou · 11/01/2013 21:23

RC. We pay £15 for the book and cake, then the parents have to decide whether they want a everybody bring something meal or a catered thing. Ds's cost £4 for flowers and catering. Food is just for the dcs, tea and coffee for adults.

tbh I think the parish might get a bit Hmm if they had to start forking out £500 a year for books since the vast majority of dcs will not be seen until Y6 when they are taken back to church so their parent can ask for a reference for secondary school. We are a fairly poor parish with a leaky roof and spare cash goes to a South African orphanage. I imagine if you were really skint, then the parish or pta would pay for it, especially if you actually go to church.

LynetteScavo · 13/01/2013 22:26

I'm not even aware of any book!

We used to have a party after the FHC (no cake, but food and drinks and we weren't asked for any money), but as they are doing 5 DC at a time over five weeks, there will be no party this year. Sad

How much have they asked you to contribute?

MordionAgenos · 22/01/2013 07:42

We had to pay smething minimal like £1.50 or £2 for the workbook. Other than that, nothing - the parents were asked to contribute some food to the celebration afterwards (you know, packets of crips etc) but that was to feed the other children there (the siblings) - the CWL paid for the cake and the food for the kids who had actually made their first holy communion. The CWL also paid for the presents - all the kids got a prayer book, and a prayer bookmark and a certificate (which was written out in beautiful calligraphy by one of the nuns from the convent). The three times my kids have been involved, the parents clubbed together to buy presents for the catechists but obviously that was voluntary.

JakeBullet · 22/01/2013 08:01

RC here, nothing for the book or classes or communion. The only thing that we paid for was a trip to the seaside just after all the children had done their first communion.....and that was for the coach. This was not compulsory though and if someone hadn't been able to afford it then the Church would have paid for them to go.

3birthdaybunnies · 22/01/2013 14:18

Ours is quite a bit more £20, it includes a book and a bible, there is a day trip too, not sure if that's included in the cost too.

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