Can child baptised CofE make first holy communion?

[LauritaEvita]

Eldest child was baptised CofE as a baby. We have since moved to another part of the country and child attends Catholic primary school. The school makes First Holy Communion as a class and they prepare for this during school time. Would child be able to make first holy communion with class mates or would they be excluded from this as not christened RC? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Yes, my nephew, baptised C of E , went to a Catholic primary (they took up to 5% of another denomination as long as they were baptised). When it came to prepare for 1st holy communion, the teacher who organised everything asked his parents if they wanted him to do it. They had to meet the priest for a short chat but he and the school were very happy to include my nephew. Another boy in his class wasn't Catholic and he was included in the ceremony but instead of taking the host, he crossed his arms across his chest and the priest blessed him instead.

This was me at a convent school in the 1960s. I didn’t want to be left out so went up with the other children in my class. The priest gave me a blessing rather than communion. This wasn’t prearranged as far as I can remember and I am still grateful to the priest for not making a fuss.

Oh that’s great to hear, thank you! Hopefully this school will have a similar approach. I wasn’t sure if it would involve some kind of conversion course that would needed to be started well in advance of the First Holy Communion but that sounds like it was very straight forward.

My church does Rite of Christian initiation for children. For kids who are not catholic or catholic but not on Catholic schools. But the priest might be happy for the school to do the catechesis.

How lovely that you’ve remembered his approach after all these years! We would like him to be received into the Catholic Church rather than just be included in the ceremony, so I’m hoping there’s a way to do this.

Ahh ok, I know they do a RCIA course in the church attached to the school but it is for adults. Didn’t realise it’s possible for children to do it too so this is worth knowing about. They also do first holy communion preparation classes for children who attend other schools but this school has it built into their usual lessons once they get to juniors.

Ask the priest what he thinks.

Yes, that’s my next step I think. I’ve tried to grab him after Mass but he’s a popular guy and I’m not very good at forcing myself forward.

Email him then and ask?
Usually priests are happy to set aside time to talk through this sort of thing and will probably arrange a time to meet/ call you and discuss it.

Did this about 2 weeks ago and haven’t heard back yet. I will catch him- I just wanted to ask if anyone had experience of this and how it went.

The child will need to be brought into communion with the Catholic Church. If he is under 7 (the age of reason) then there isn't a ceremony for it, it is just recorded as a note in the church registers. If he is over 7, then he goes through RCIC. When I prepare children for it, First Communion classes make up the bulk of what they need to know, and we just give them one extra class a month throughout the FHC season (9 months) to make sure they're ready for baptism or reception into the Church.

As well as that, the priest will have to have what's known as a 'founded hope' that the child will continue to be brought up Catholic, so he may want to talk to you about your circumstances, particularly if there are no Catholic family members. And he will need to explain to you the rights and obligations of becoming a Catholic, e.g. that the child would be obliged to marry according to the rites of the Catholic Church, if he ever married, and so on.

There may well still be time to get it all done in time for FHC this year, depending on how the parish runs.

Whatever you do, don't let him go through FHC with his class without having gotten his status sorted (e.g. if the school don't check his baptismal record). That can create all kinds of confusion later on. I've got an adult in RCIA class this year who has exactly that situation. It's not her fault, it's all on the parish and school for not properly checking baptismal records, but it's still her who's left with the fallout 20 years later.

Thank you so much for this. He is 6 (but I also know of a 7 year old in the same boat as us, so looks as though we may end up on 2 slightly different routes). His father is Catholic and I semi regularly attend Catholic church, although have never converted, so the priest was happy to baptise our youngest Catholic. So would you suggest speaking to both the school and the priest now?

It's definitely easier with a Catholic parent, so they shouldn't have a problem with him becoming Catholic. But yes, speak to the priest ASAP. The school should also be informed, but less urgently, because it's not a problem if he takes classes with the others as long as they know before the communion day itself.

Brilliant. Thank you very much. I’ll pass on info to friend re her 7 year old also. Neither of the parents in that case are Catholic so she didn’t know if it would even be possible but are there some children who do this, do you know?

It's possible for a young child to become Catholic without Catholic parents, but the priest has to believe that the child will be brought up Catholic. That depends a lot on the priest himself, and on his bishop. Some are a lot more lenient than others. It's easier with an older child, because once they get to an age when they can take responsibility for the faith themselves, it only has to be determined that the parents aren't opposed. I've got three 14 year olds in my class this year, in at least one case the parents aren't bothered either way, but the boy is old enough to come alone and make up his own mind so it's fine.

I used to be a Catechist. My son was baptised CofE, then I converted to Catholicism. When the time came for him to do his First Holy Communion he then became Catholic. Even tho he’s baptised CofE the act of First Holy Communion converts him to being Catholic.

Oh that’s interesting. I wonder if the route to being received depends on the parish then. So he didn’t have to do a course or any additional sessions?

That’s so lovely to hear of teenagers joining the church, especially when it’s just led by them. The other boy is 7 and in catholic school (year above my son). He really enjoys the religious life in school, by all accounts, but I’m guessing would be classed as too young to be independently seeking Catholicism. Thanks so much to you and others for these insights- it’s a big help.

It depends, there are many different rules of varying strictness. If you can't catch priest ask teacher or Head gear the school policy is. Many churches require them to have been christened Catholic in order to do holy communion, some even insist that they are christened before aged 2! But others will have a policy that if parents go to a few sessions, ie to basically show commitment, then child can then go through the holy communion course with all the other children in his class.

The last couple of posters are correct that some parishes won't require additional classes, the FHC classes will be considered sufficient for reception into the Catholic Church in some places. But it's very important that the priest is consulted and fully aware of what is proposed so that the paperwork can be done properly and the registers updated. Receiving FHC in itself doesn't make a child legally Catholic even if the school and parish are willing to do it that way in terms of the ceremony.

Right, ok. Thanks for this. I will get clarification from the priest and check that any reception they agree to would stand outside of the parish also. We definitely want to do it the right way now that we are involved with the Catholic school and church.

I think I definitely need to speak to both school and priest. I know children in the same school who were baptised after age 2 and have had their FHC at the usual age so I’m hoping this isn’t one of the strictest ones! Thanks for your input- this all really helps me to work out what to expect.

RC and C of E recognise each other's baptisms so there is no need for your child to be re baptised. How first HC works will be something the local parish priest can advise on.