Downs Syndrome child refused Holy Communion

[Bloomdido]

As an atheist, I haven't brought my children up as such. I never made my personal views known to them until they reached an age where they were aware of atheism and were veering in that direction themselves. I wanted them to make up their own minds and not be influenced by me. We've discussed all the major faiths and left it at that.

 

I raised my oldest two like that. I let them go to church with their gran and a family friend who later became my wife (Faith school agenda here). I recall the youngest asking me if I believed in god when she was about eleven. I managed to keep my views that well hidden.

 

I took a different tack with the youngest. Told him as soon as he was old enough to understand, that religion is a pile of poo.

[Suffragette1]

I raised my oldest two like that. I let them go to church with their gran and a family friend who later became my wife (Faith school agenda here). I recall the youngest asking me if I believed in god when she was about eleven. I managed to keep my views that well hidden.

 

I took a different tack with the youngest. Told him as soon as he was old enough to understand, that religion is a pile of poo.

 

I dodged the 'do you believe in God, Mummy?' question loads of times. I told them that it didn't matter what I believed, they had to make up their own minds. I eventually came out, although at one point my son was desperate to be christened, following taunting he had from school about going to hell etc, so I capitulated, rang the local parish vicar and had a chat with him. As soon as I did that, my son lost all interest.

[Balpin]

I think Jesus said 'Suffer little children to come unto me'.

I cannot imagine the man who started it all to turn children away.

It never used to be like this, all were welcome in every religion.

 

To me, it shows that the preists do not believe their own teaching.

If the Wafer is turned into the body of Christ during Mass, who are they to deny it to anyone.

Jesus gave his life for all mankind, not just for those who can pass an exam on the Catholic Faith.

I could understand it if it was Confirmation, but a childs First Communion is an important step in a Catholics life.

It is his first communion with Jesus, not some theoretical abstract notion.

[taxman]

On the news earlier it was said the parents hadnt prepared fully for the lads communion. The mum said "we dont go to church every sunday, we dont have time".

 

If the communion of a seven year old means so much to them they go whining to the press surely they are devout enough to actually go to mass?

 

I saw that earlier. The Mum asked her child "Do you want to take Communion with all your friends?" to which he naturally replied "Yes!"

 

She then triumphantly declared that this proved her point. It didn't. It just meant he wanted to do something along with his friends, she hardly probed him about what Communion means, his relationship with the Catholic Church and it's doctrines.

 

In her anxiety to get her face on the tele desire to see her son partake of this rite she said she had even written to the pope.

 

The diocese said children could "only proceed to the sacrament of first Communion when they take part in the Church's life and understand the Church's faith".

[Bloomdido]

I think Jesus said 'Suffer little children to come unto me'.

I cannot imagine the man who started it all to turn children away.

It never used to be like this, all were welcome in every religion.

 

To me, it shows that the preists do not believe their own teaching.

If the Wafer is turned into the body of Christ during Mass, who are they to deny it to anyone.

Jesus gave his life for all mankind, not just for those who can pass an exam on the Catholic Faith.

I could understand it if it was Confirmation, but a childs First Communion is an important step in a Catholics life.

It is his first communion with Jesus, not some theoretical abstract notion.

 

Zombie flesh-eating children. Whatever next?

[sumayyah]

Sadly, people with special needs or those who are a little bit 'different' in some way do not appear to be welcomed into the Catholic faith.

 

is that so?

when my daughter goes to the church ( catholic ) they dote on her, giving her jobs to do like holding the collection plate when the other children speak about what theyve learned so that she feels included in the church community

 

her schools also a catholic primary with a good reputation for educating special needs children

[Suffragette1]

I saw that earlier. The Mum asked her child "Do you want to take Communion with all your friends?" to which he naturally replied "Yes!"

 

She then triumphantly declared that this proved her point. It didn't. It just meant he wanted to do something along with his friends, she hardly probed him about what Communion means, his relationship with the Catholic Church and it's doctrines.

 

In her anxiety to get her face on the tele desire to see her son partake of this rite she said she had even written to the pope.

 

The diocese said children could "only proceed to the sacrament of first Communion when they take part in the Church's life and understand the Church's faith".

 

I didn't. Nor did I understand why I was dragged to the confessional on a weekly basis and forced to make up sins for which I wished to be absolved! It was a terrifying ordeal. I would never subject a child to that.

[Sierra]

My wife used to take beatings from the nuns who taught her as a little girl, heavens knows what these psychopaths would have done to a seven years old Down's Syndrome child.

 

I'm sorry for your wife. I took my fair share of whacks with a ruler and unfair punishments. Standing in the corner on one leg? Check. But I do remember some wonderful, gentle nuns as well who treated us very kindly. That seems to be the pattern with nuns. They're either really, really nice or really, really mean.

 

I can remember going home and telling my grandmother, "Sister hit me!" And immediately being asked, "well, what did you do?" Not exactly the answer I wanted. One of my cousins told me years later that a nun who taught us was put away in a psychiatric hospital, which I totally believe.

 

I used to blow my children's minds by telling them about the lockers we had in the hallways. None of them had locks on them and nothing was ever stolen out of them. Everybody was too afraid. I left Catholic school after several years because we moved. I sure didn't miss it.

[Bloomdido]

I didn't. Nor did I understand why I was dragged to the confessional on a weekly basis and forced to make up sins for which I wished to be absolved! It was a terrifying ordeal. I would never subject a child to that.

 

I recall Michael Crawford (Some Mothers ...) saying on 'Parkinson' that he would say confession as a child, walk out of the church, see a girl walking down the street and walk straight back into confession again. That stuff messes up peoples' heads.

 

It belongs in the Middle Ages with most other religions.

[wornout53]

'Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven'....the words of Jesus....not suffer the little children to come unto me if they enjoy mass.