A reader writes in:<\/p>\n
A year and a half ago I heard that a young woman named Erin was flying to the West Coast for her godson Bryce’s first confession. I mentioned to her mother who informed me of this: “Tell Erin that she will have to go to confession herself during the penance service. Her example will be very important to Bryce.”<\/p>\n
Wrong! The liturgy was devoted entirely to the little second graders. Parents were in no way encouraged to take part in the sacrament of God’s merciful love and forgiveness. Not a single adult went to the sacrament that evening.<\/p>\n
I have since heard of several other parishes where the parents and other adults attend their child’s first confession as it they were witnessing a cute thing. They even take pictures.<\/p>\n
Am I missing something?<\/p>\n
Fifty years ago I can recall hearing confessions monthly in preparation for First Friday for Catholic school youngsters. \u00a0This was to develop a habit, one that has been lost for most recent Catholic school graduates.<\/p>\n
I hope I am not alone in my confusion about these children-only first penance services.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Celebrating a child’s baptism, first communion, confirmation, etc., is an exciting time for many families. These moments are times when we initiate our children into a new way of living, a sacramental life. It is a time for parents to be proud and snap a picture or two. Unfortunately, many parents seem to have forgotten the ritual significance that lies behind the sacrament being celebrated. The liturgical celebration is no longer seen primarily as a sacramental ritual, but a rite of passage detached in many ways from its religious function.<\/p>\n
I too cannot stand “communal” celebrations in which only those being “honored” are able to fully participate in the liturgy. If you are going to have a penance service in which your children will give their first confessions, then everyone should be allowed and encouraged to participate fully by going to confession.<\/p>\n
First confession is the one “first” that I would imagine would be immune to the pageantry and paparazzi so common for sacramental rituals like first communion. While our reader writes in specifically about first confession, I think his critique is not limited to the sacrament of penance.<\/p>\n
How does your community conduct first confessions? In what ways does your community attempt to focus a child’s ritual “firsts” on the sacramental rites being celebrated and not the pageantry that can be so distracting to proper liturgical celebration?<\/p>\n
Please comment below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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