Bishop's letters: March 06 +Graham

Should not Children Receive Communion?

For many centuries, children in the Church of England have waited until Confirmation before receiving Holy Communion. Confirmation is an important time. It is when those who were baptised much younger publicly announce their faith in Christ and their decision to be a Christian. If the decision is to be made with understanding it probably should not be before the child is at least between 12 and 14 years of age.

But Holy Communion feeds us. We say that we are sorry for our sins and hear God’s words of forgiveness. We celebrate in words of joyful thankfulness the full welcome we receive from Jesus at his meal table. It is a welcome only possible because on the table are the signs of his broken body and shed blood for our sins, on the cross. We come to the altar all together, no one more important than any other, and we leave knowing that Jesus has filled us with himself, as we have received him in holy bread and wine. We know that he is alive and with us and one day we are destined to live in his presence for ever. All this is God’s message to us and as we share in it, so our faith grows. We leave church to the words ‘let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord’.

Why should our children not share in this? Jesus said they were examples to adults of the attitudes necessary if we are to enter God’s Kingdom. If they are models, surely they should take part themselves? They are baptised – a sign that they belong fully to Christ.

Some will be worried that children might receive carelessly. Sadly, it is more likely that it is the adults who receive carelessly, not taking care to deal with the sin they know to be present in their lives. Most children know the wonder and solemnity of the moment of receiving Jesus. Having known it, they are likely in later years to return to it, if they have drifted from Church for a while. Communion has a power to it which has its effect on all who share in it.

We need both Confirmation and Communion for children, but not at the same age. Most dioceses in England now allow parishes that wish to do so to allow baptised children to receive Communion, after preparation. In the Diocese of Carlisle we shall shortly be announcing steps that can be taken by any parish that wishes to consider this possibility. Parishes will be asked to make their plans with a programme leading up to Confirmation. I believe this can be an important step in building Christian Faith in our children, both in churches and in Church schools.

+Graham Dow