A number of common and valid concerns are raised in PCC and congregational meetings when the issue of admitting children to communion before confirmation is discussed.  These are some of the comments most frequently made and an attempt to address them.

“Children won’t understand”

Who does understand this great mystery?

Young children may not have the vocabulary of formal concepts to express their understanding but they can still have a deep appreciation of the significance of the Eucharist and are familiar with working with symbol.  This understanding will grow as they share in the Eucharist alongside other adults.  Children learn by doing and we do faith before we necessarily understand it.  Adults too may find their own understanding deepened as they grapple with the children’s questions and receive alongside the children.

“Children will not know how to behave at the table”

Experience shows that this is not normally the case.  Children approach the table and receive with a deep reverence.  We are reminded that the Last Supper is embedded in the tradition of the Passover, a family feast where the presence of children was essential.  Children may skip away from the table but then as one dear older lady said “Would that we could all skip away when we recall the significance of what we have just shared.”

“Children should wait until they are older”

This is a real concern when many feel that children get things too easily these days and are pushed into growing up too quickly.  The question is which things?  Is communion one of them?  Holy Communion is ‘a means of grace’ that our Heavenly Father provides for us.  Maybe a better question is whether there is any good reason why we should deny children this means of grace.

“I had to wait – today’s children should too”

This is an understandable statement, one often raised by older members of the congregation.  If we take a step back, we shall recognize that during the past half century the church has lost the great majority of two generations.  There are many reasons for this but we must ask what part was played by the churches attitude to children?  We know that children need to have a sense of belonging and they want to share in activities with adults.  One of the most common responses children make to being able to share in the bread and wine is the joy of doing this together.  If children can be so generous about wanting to share with us why can we not be so generous in wanting to share with them?

“What is the minimum age children can receive?”

The House of Bishops Guidelines of 1997 and the proposed new General Synod regulations (GS 1596) do not state a minimum age, referring only to baptism as the pre-requirement.  The new regulations debated in General Synod in 2005 are likely to read,

Where a permission granted under paragraph 4 is in force [i.e. the parish has asked the bishop’s permission to admit children to communion before confirmation], the incumbent shall not admit any child to Holy Communion unless he or she is satisfied that (a) the child has been baptised and (b) a person having parental responsibility for the child is content that the child should be so admitted.  Otherwise subject to any discretion of the bishop,it is within the incumbent’s absolute discretion to decide whether, and if so when, any child should first be admitted to Holy Communion.   (Para 8 HB (06) 3)

The question of discerning when a child isready to receive communion becomes the decision of the local church.  This is likely to be different for individual children, according to their development and spiritual awareness, which is why imposing a diocesan age limit is unhelpful.  It should be noted, however, that some children may show this readiness before they are able to articulate its meaning.  In some parishes, readiness may also be affected by the child’s exposure to holy communion, i.e. whether or not the children are present for communion.

In all cases where a parish is considering admitting children to communion before confirmation, each child’s request to receive communion should be listened to and considered seriously in consultation with a person having parental responsibility.

“Will Confirmation lose its place?”

This is an important question. The role of Confirmation has always been a large part of this debate and leads us to consider what Confirmation actually is about.  Here is an opportunity for Confirmation to regain its rightful place as the time when a young person (or adult) makes a public confession of their faith, taking up the promises made at Baptism.  Today many youngsters asking to be confirmed may in fact be asking to be allowed to receive the bread and wine, confirmation can be confused as the gateway to communion rather than an affirmation of faith.

“What about preparation?”

There is still an expectation that children will have some form of preparation before receiving communion for the first time, although care needs to be taken that this doesn’t become a mini confirmation course.  There needs to be consideration of what preparation is necessary, the place of reflection and how children will continue to be nurtured in the faith.  A number of resources are available to help with preparing children at a level appropriate to their age.

“What about when children move to another church?”

The regulations state quite clearly that if a child receives communion at their own church they should be allowed to receive wherever they attend whether that church allows its own children to receive or not.