Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Were just wondering does anyone know what time of year children in Melbourne (or anywhere in Oz) make their first holy communion. Also what age and school grade does this happen?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Anyone?

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Best wait til Australia wakes up before you'll get a reply mate....

:beer:

Buzzy

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Its about 7 or 8yrs old I think.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Hya
as far as I know they make it in year three - like here in the UK and that is at age 8. Not sure aout the time of year though! I also believe that they make their communion in school unofprm and change into their white dresses after the mass.
Will tell you as soon as I find out as Im in the process of enrolling my girls in school in western Melbourne.
best of luck
Louise

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

My youngest son made his in Y3 in England. A couple of months later we moved to Melb where he started Y3 again. During that year he took his First Holy Communion again. Confirmation is done in Y6 whereas had we stayed in England my children would have done it in Senior School.

I believe NSW does things differently. I think they take their Confirmation before their First Holy Communion.

HTH

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Odd. I would have thought it was more a church than a state decision.

Perhaps call up a local catholic school and ask (isn't it only catholic that does First Holy Communion?).

big.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Roman Catholic.

Obviously it's got nothing to do with state governments, but many churches have internal governance areas in Australia (eg Synods in the Uniting Church) that roughly coincide with state/territory boundaries.

Many Protestant denominations also celebrate communion but do not seek to exclude children by imposing an arbitrary age limit. The United Methodist Church in the U.S. for example states that it is for parents to decide when children should participate and there isn't any dramatic ceremony when they start doing so.
http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=1&mid=1336

The Uniting Church in Australia has a similar policy. It's up to parents and individual congregations to decide.

For any Christian parent, what should be really important is that children develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Without that, any kind of religious ritual is basically meaningless.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Thanks a million to all that have replied. Were hoping to emigrate to Melbourne Jan 2008. My son will be 8 since June 2007 so we are wondering when he will make his holy communion as family will want to come over to Oz to celebrate with us (so it's more so to let them know what time of year they will be looking at coming out). I just hope they don't make their holy communion before we move out!!

Maybe as Big Galah suggested we will call up or email one of the Catholic schools.

Thanks Louise. Maybe you could post back or IM me when you know?

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

I think there are probably different rules in different parishes.

My local parish does first holy communion and confirmation together about half way through year 3. The kids can wear what they want......in most cases this is a white dress, of varying "puffiness" for girls and a smart outfit for a boy.

The neighbouring parish does first holy communion in year 3 and then confirmation in year 6.

As others have said, maybe contact the school / parish where you plan to be to find out their rules.

Rudi

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

I always thought kids did it in midteens eg 12-14 as they had to be old enough to really understand.

This seems young!

I never got confirmed but did receive by mistake at my wedding the priest having assumed it.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Think some posters may be confused between the Protestant - confirmed before you receive Holy Communion for the first time, and only confirmed when you are old enough to understand, usually around 10 or 11 years old, rarely younger - and the Roman Catholic - with which I am less familiar, but I believe that the children take their First Communion at a much younger age, about 7 or 8 (I have read that it is linked to their first confession, but I'm willing to stand corrected on that by anyone with more firm knowledge.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Badge, you surprise me, but I guess thats where the "old enough to understand and make your own decision" comes into it.

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

I just share this one reported in the (Glasgow) Herald as seen on a noticeboard in northern Scotland on a poster.

"If the last time you went to church, a big man called you names and splashed you with water, it could be time for you to go back again".:D

OzTennis :)

Re: Question about making holy communion in Melbourne
 

Just confirm I'm talking about Roman Catholic religion.