Faith/Spirituality Forum: sacramental initiation and order
sacramental initiation and order QUESTION from alexander james franco on July 11, 2002 Dear Brother: will you please clarify the Church's position on the order of the Sacraments of Initiation. My key question is: Is it consistent with Catholic Church teaching to bestow the Sacrament of Holy Communion before First Confession. This is a growing practice in many Dioceses---but is it correct? What does the Church state regarding such a practice?
Thank you kindly for your ministry. It is indeed a blessing.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on July 22, 2002 Dear Deacon:
Thank you for your kind remarks and I praise God that our ministry has been a blessing to you.
Please pray for us deacon as the dark storm clouds of Satan threaten our ministry.
Canon 914 says that parents have a duty to prepare their children for communion, AFTER they have made sacramental confession.
After Vatican II there were a lot of experiments with allowing First Communion before First Confession. The Holy See has REPEATEDLY ordered this practice to stop.
Proof of that for those who don't believe it may be found SCSacr and SCC, decl Sanctus Ponifix, May 24, 1973; AAS 65 (1973) 410, DOL 379, CLD 8, 563; SCSDW and SCC, letter In quibusdam Ecclesiae partibus, DOL 381; SCSDW and SCC, reply, Mary 20, 1977, AAS 69 (1977) 427, DOL 382, CLD 8, 607
The abbrev used in the cites above are:
SCSacr = Sacred Congregation for the Disipline of the Sacraments. SCC = Sacred Congregation for the Clergy decl = Declaration AAS = Acta Apostolicae Sedis (this is where the Popes declarations are recorded. DOL = Documents on the Liturgy CLD = Canon Law Digest SCSDW = Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship
This is one of those cases where one has to ask a person who believes in First Communion BEFORE First Confession.....
What part of NO do you not understand? The N or the O?
First Confession is to be FIRST BEFORE First Communion.
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