Should infants/toddlers receive Communion?

[Jig]

Should infants/toddlers receive Communion? Why or why not?

Side question: Does a young child need to have sufficient knowledge of what communion is to partake?

 

[Incariol]

Should infants/toddlers receive Communion? Why or why not?

Side question: Does a young child need to have sufficient knowledge of what communion is to partake?

Yes, Jesus said that we should let all the children come to him.

No.

Sent from my iPod touch using Forum Runner

 

[Biblicist]

I was thinking about that text which said Jesus said that we should let all the children come to him. I'm not all that sure that Jesus had a bassinette or a pram in mind at the time.

 

[zeke37]

biblically, i think everyone that actually "chose" Christ, was of the age of accountability.

varies for everyone...

in the bible, no babies were baptized that we know of.

 

[Sieben]

yes and yes


why? Because if they are taking it, and knowing what it represents, they have the capacity to believe

 

[billybtennessee]

Infants, toddlers, no. Reason being we are told to 'discern' the Lords body. All He did in being bruised and broken. That would be the why not. Personally I do not believe that an infant or toddler can really understand or discern properly.

As far as a 'child', that is different. Timothy, from a 'child' had been taught and understood the scripture. If a 'child' can understand, discern, the Lords body, and trust all that God did for us through Jesus Christ, personally, I would not say they should not partake. Those are the points to consider. God Bless.

 

[PaladinValer]

If they have received Holy Baptism and have been given Holy Chrismation, yes.

 

[Frogster]

yes and yes


why? Because if they are taking it, and knowing what it represents, they have the capacity to believe

they take food , and they don't know if it was apple, or strawberry that day,

 

[Frogster]

Isn't the host to big? Do they have em in cream form? Seriously, no joke, that could be dangerous.

 

[Knee V]

Yes
No


If we baptize a child, then we ought to commune them as well, as they are part of the body of Christ.

What is "sufficient knowledge"? What is sufficient knowledge of baptism? What is sufficient knowledge of what sin is? What is sufficient knowledge of what Christ did? What is sufficient knowledge of who Christ is? At what point do we really have sufficient knowledge of any of this? If "sufficient knowledge" is a criterion for partaking of these things, who then can partake of them? How can an adult know that he has sufficient knowledge of baptism before being baptized? How can adult know that he has sufficient knowledge of communion before taking communion? How can an adult know that he has sufficient knowledge of Christ's death and resurrection before believing in Him?

 

[Fotina]

Isn't the host to big? Do they have em in cream form? Seriously, no joke, that could be dangerous.

Actually, wine form. Orthodox mix wine with warm water and the bread, so infants get a tiny bit on a spoon.

 

[Frogster]

Actually, wine form. Orthodox mix wine with warm water and the bread, so infants get a tiny bit on a spoon.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Knee V]

Actually, wine form. Orthodox mix wine with warm water and the bread, so infants get a tiny bit on a spoon.

My newborn son often gets only a spec of bread on the spoon with the wine.

 

[Thekla]

Our son, now 13, is always so eager to receive the Eucharist even as an infant.

We are given a piece of blessed bread after receiving the Eucharist.
Once when he was a bit wiggly and hungry (he was maybe 6 mos old), I said (as we were approaching to receive the Eucharist), "we will get some bread soon". I was trying to sooth him, and thinking he was wanting to put something in his stomach, was offering the assurance that he would get something to eat (he was still nursing, and I wanted to wait til after Liturgy to feed him). He received the Eucharist, and we walked over where we were given the bread. He took it in his hand, looked straight into my eyes with a disgusted look and put the piece of bread back in the bowl. He was calm for the rest of the Liturgy; it was the Eucharist he wanted.

I know he "understood".

Soon after his baptism (at 4 mos. old), I was holding him and showing him things around the house - as parents are wont to do to entertain and teach their child. Eventually, I showed him an icon of Christ and said, "see, there is an icon of Jesus". He smiled the most radiant smile, and stretched his arm out, opening his hand toward the icon as if to grab something. Then he closed his hand, and brought it to rest right on the center of his chest, again looking at me and smiling.

Children can indeed love and trust Christ.

If only adults could have such unadulterated faith

Why would we keep our children away from Christ, and everything He offers ?
Why would a parent hold back from their child the only thing of truly lasting value that they have to offer ?

 

[PaladinValer]

In the Anglican Church, the wee little ones who have received Holy Baptism receive a drop of the wine. Since the drop has some of the Host in it (because the Fraction is done above the chalice, allowing such to happen), they receive both Elements.

 

[Jig]

I found this to be quite interesting:

Code of Canon Law (Canon 913) (Roman Rite)

The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

Council of Trent (Sess. XXI, can. iv)

If anyone says that communion of the Eucharist is necessary for little children before they have attained the years of discretion, let him be anathema.

 

[heymikey80]

Should infants/toddlers receive Communion? Why or why not?

No. They need a rudimentary knowledge of what communion is to partake.

Side question: Does a young child need to have sufficient knowledge of what communion is to partake?

They need enough knowledge not to offend the Supper and thus the reputation of the church. Essentially the question revolves around whether they recognize the church they commune with as the subjects of communion. Recognizing Paul's point in criticizing the Corinthian practice in 1 Cor 11, it's more than simply letting everything happen. But it's less than requiring a massive process to assure that people are introspective during communion, either.

It's not as high a mark as developed in the western church; it's not as young a mark as developed in the eastern church. That's why it's under continual controversy.

 

[PaladinValer]

I found this to be quite interesting:

Code of Canon Law (Canon 913) (Roman Rite)

The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

Council of Trent (Sess. XXI, can. iv)

If anyone says that communion of the Eucharist is necessary for little children before they have attained the years of discretion, let him be anathema.

Not Vatican Catholic myself, so this doesn't apply for me.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I found this to be quite interesting:

Code of Canon Law (Canon 913) (Roman Rite)

The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

Council of Trent (Sess. XXI, can. iv)

If anyone says that communion of the Eucharist is necessary for little children before they have attained the years of discretion, let him be anathema.

At last, a breath of fresh air, even from a most unexpected quarter. it strikes me as absurd in the extreme to administer communion to those who are utterly ignorant of its significance.

 

[Thekla]

At last, a breath of fresh air, even from a most unexpected quarter. it strikes me as absurd in the extreme to administer communion to those who are utterly ignorant of its significance.

And you determine this how ?