In Catholicism, how is the practice of infant communion reconciled with the rule that first reconciliation must precede first communion?
2
votes
2
answers
592
views
Paragraph 1457 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, without qualification,
> Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.
On the other hand, in some Eastern rite churches, *infants* receive the Eucharist. Paragraph 1233 of the Catechism says,
> In the Eastern rites the Christian initiation of infants also begins with Baptism followed immediately by Confirmation and the Eucharist, while in the Roman rite it is followed by years of catechesis before being completed later by Confirmation and the Eucharist, the summit of their Christian initiation.
Since infants have not committed any personal sins, it doesn't seem like it would make sense to require them to receive the sacrament of Penance. Should Paragraph 1457 have an exception for infants?
Asked by user22790
Jan 21, 2017, 08:07 PM
Last activity: Jan 22, 2017, 03:54 AM
Last activity: Jan 22, 2017, 03:54 AM