Children receiving the Eucharist

[glo1]

Our church is going through the process of allowing children to receive the Eucharist before their Confirmation.

I have attended other churches, where children automatically share in the communion - but never in an Anglican church.

Can anybody tell me more about this?
What does your church do?

 

[AngCath]

The Episcopal Church allows all baptized of any age to receive.

 

[Wildcat48]

Yep, the Episcopal Church in the US allows any baptized Christian to receive the Eucharist, regardless of confirmation status. In the past, I believe it was limited to confirmed Anglicans only (may still be that way in England?). However, we now practice open communion and have for awhile. This is not uncommon here in the States.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Is it common for baptized infants to receive now? I never saw that in the ACC.

Mary

 

[Albion]

Is it common for baptized infants to receive now? I never saw that in the ACC.

Mary

It's routine in TEC and common in the REC. It is still, however, rare in the Continuing Anglcan churches such as the Anglican Catholic Church. But when I say this I have in mind young children, not actual infants as would be the case in an Orthodox church.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Okay, thanks. Do you know why there would be a distinction between young child and infant in peoples' minds, assuming baptism has taken place? Oh, it's probably the method of receiving communion that is the problem?

Mary

 

[Wildcat48]

I've seen several infant baptisms in my parish (part of the Episcopal Church in the US). It's common.


Edit: Sorry about that...I thought you asked if infants were baptized in TEC. Infants are often receive a blessing in my parish if they come forward with their parents. It probably comes down to the troubles of delivering communion to such a young child.

 

[PaladinValer]

So long as the person has receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I have no problem of anyone of any age receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Baptism, not Confirmation, is the doorway.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

I've seen several infant baptisms in my parish (part of the Episcopal Church in the US). It's common.


Edit: Sorry about that...I thought you asked if infants were baptized in TEC. Infants are often receive a blessing in my parish if they come forward with their parents. It probably comes down to the troubles of delivering communion to such a young child.

Yes - Ive been Orthodox too long . I forgot that we distribute the Gifts in a different way.

Mary

 

[Albion]

Okay, thanks. Do you know why there would be a distinction between young child and infant in peoples' minds, assuming baptism has taken place? Oh, it's probably the method of receiving communion that is the problem?

Mary

In principle, there's no difference.

However, in the parishes that I've visited where children are communed, I picked up enough information to conclude that they felt comfortable doing this doing this after telling the children, perhaps 4 and up, about Jesus, that he loves you and wants you to do this, and so on. I have the hunch that there might be some reluctance among the parishioners to communing an infant who had not even a superficial understanding of what the Lord's Supper commemorates--the matter of how to deliver the elements to a babe in arms without any spills aside.

 

[ebia]

In Australia children of 7 years and older (who have been baptised) can be admitted to communion via a short liturgy.

In the Church of England its still a mess, with parishes having to apply to their diocese for permission to admit children to communion. So what happens, if anything, will vary from parish to parish and diocese to diocese.

 

[AngCath]

I have seen infants receive communion in TEC.

 

[glo1]

In the Church of England its still a mess, with parishes having to apply to their diocese for permission to admit children to communion. So what happens, if anything, will vary from parish to parish and diocese to diocese.

That's true.
Our church is just going through that process - and that's the reason I was asking.