St. Francis – Maximilian uses a special phrase for what is generally known as First Communion, as being ‘Welcomed to the Table of the Lord’ because it better recognizes that a person will be coming many times to this ‘Table’ rather than this only on this one special day!
The process toward this Celebration actually begins with Baptism, as the parents promise to see that this child will be instructed in their faith…this instruction occurs in three places: home, liturgy, and school. Practically speaking the parents promise to teach the child to pray and to give good example in the home, bring the child to Mass on Saturday/Sunday, and bring the child to religion class. When the child has experienced faith in these three areas then in most cases by the time the end of his/her seventh or eighth year, he or she is ready to come to the ‘Table of the Lord’ during the time of Communion. Although all children do not mature at the same time, some may be ready to be ‘Welcomed to the Table’ at age six while others may not be ready until they are ten! Sacraments should not be ‘stuck’ into grade or age groups.
The process for all the Sacraments is guided by Rome and the Archdiocese. Basically, the guidelines say that the family should spend a specified time of preparation to insure that both the family and the child understands ‘what the Sacrament is all about’. And this preparation must occur outside of the ‘regular’ religion class. Parents, of course, are expected to understand the theology and the practice of the Sacrament more than their child. However, the child too, should have an elementary understanding of both. Further, the Archdiocesan guidelines specify that the age of most children should be at least seven and must have experience at least one year of religion class.
At St. Francis-Maximilian we ask that the child have attended first grade of religion and then at the beginning of grade two we schedule a parent session. This session reviews the theology and practice of the Sacrament. This is followed by a parent interview with the pastor or pastoral associate in order to converse about the families faith life and the parents feeling about the child’s readiness. The parents then ask the parish community to accept their child as a candidate for the Sacrament and in the name of the parish the pastor accepts them and a cross is place on them. This Rite of Acceptance occurs at all the weekend Masses of the First Sunday of Advent.
Please contact Betty Sheehan, DRE 586.598.3314 ext. 302.
