How many First Communions can a child have?

MindyDee · #1 Jun 10, '12, 6:30 pm

Today the children in my parish had their First Communion. One child attends the Catholic grade school in another parish and had his First Communion then (in April). I asked why he was participating in the one today. The teacher said this is his third time. He had a special First Communion without the other children with this parish priest. I would like to know if this should have taken place.

**Michelle Arnold** · #2 Jun 12, '12, 11:23 am

First Communion means the first time a Catholic receives Communion, which means you can only have one "First Communion." Allowing a child to get dressed up and join in the parade of first communicants merely because he wanted to participate with his friends, or (in the other, private "First Communion" you mentioned) because his parents wanted to show him off to a priest friend of theirs, denigrates the reception of Communion for the first time to the level of a grade-school "promotion" ceremony. This happens because too many have lost the sense of why their religion matters and are just "going through the motions."