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Hi, Lisa —
Thanks for the question.
Age seven is the age most children
receive their First Communion because, from the Church's view, it is the age of reason.
Nevertheless, the parents of the child should have
been bringing the child to Mass all along from infancy
onward. Even in their infancy, babies and children can embrace the Divine Presence through their five senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing) though they may not be fully developed yet.
At the child's Baptism, the parents promised to
bring their children up as Catholics. Going to Mass is an important part of this promise.
While the child is under the parent's
[roof|house], it's the parent's responsibility to explain the importance of:
This portion from a book called "Eucharist, God
Among Us", by Joan Carter McHugh, may help the parent
explain the issues in a comprehendible manner.
Worship: Our Response. Response to God's love
is expressed through worship. Emmanuel—God
is with us in the Eucharist!
Just as families show their love for each other
by spending time together, so do the members of
God's family assemble in Church on Sundays to "keep
holy the sabbath day" (Deuteronomy 5:12),
to express their faith and gratitude for His presence
in their lives. |
After Confirmation, the child has the obligation
to get to Sunday Mass on their own.
If they miss getting to Sunday Mass without a good
reason, they should go to Confession first, before
receiving Communion at the next Mass they attend.
I don't know of any Catholic parish that does not
schedule Confessions on a Saturday afternoon.
Just call the rectory to find out what their Confession
times are.
Hope this helps,
Mike
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