Communion Practice

[mcts]

i didn't have "practice" beforehand and i remember being REALLY worried about how the wine was going to taste, so i was thinking about that instead of thinking about receiving Jesus. my baby brother, though, got to "practice" and he was just excited about being able to receive Jesus (plus, he had my other brother and I to "pump him up" for it, so he was extra excited)

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

I had the chicken pox when we did our rehearsal for Mass, so I don't know. I just did what I was told because I didn't know anything!
I think using the unconsecrated wine and host would be helpful so they know what it going to be like when they actually go up to receive at Mass. I can understand the concern, but as long as they are given good instruction and catechisis, than all shall be well.

[AccountDeleted]

My daughter's class practised with unconsecrated wafers and wine, and I am glad they did because when she tasted the wine for the first time, she made a horrible grimacing face, and her teacher admonished her, saying "Now you aren't going to make that face when you receive Jesus, are you?" And of course she said no, she wouldn't but she was also very embarrassed. If she hadn't been prepared for the taste of wine, she might have shown disrespect to Jesus accidently and also embarrassed herself during her First Communion. As long as the practise is done with reverence and respect, then I think using the unconsecrated items helps prepare communicants properly.

[icelandic_iceskater]

my parish doesn't use wine for communion practice. Something about running into legal issues giving alcohol to kids under 21. :eye_roll:

[icelandic_iceskater]

dp

Edited February 25, 2009 by icelandic_iceskater

[icelandic_iceskater]

TRIPLE POST

Edited February 25, 2009 by icelandic_iceskater

[eagle_eye222001]

I didn't get to practice at all (Smarties not a near substitute for practice at all) and ........................well............
.......it wasn't pretty. Ended up coming very close to making a mess on the floor and ended up running to the bathroom. It turned out okay and I made it.

Definitely one to advocate real practice though as it's real bad if you get up there and begin to choke.

[StColette]

Adam,

I was thinking about this as well a week or so ago. I'm instructing the First Communion class this year. I've decided to practice receiving Communion with flat shaped candies or crackers. I didn't think giving them unconsecrated hosts was a good idea. I'm afraid that even though they understand the difference between unconsecrated hosts and consecrated hosts it may cause confusion for them to practice with unconsecrated hosts. Children learn a lot through visuals and I'm afraid that they would come to see the hosts as something to practice with or whatever, you get my meaning. I think practicing with something other than a unconsecrated hosts will help keep that line of definition of sacredness of the Eucharist for the kids. That way when they receive for the first time they will KNOW it is Jesus and this will stick better in their minds. I'm afraid that if I gave them unconsecrated hosts it might cause confusion when they actually receive the Eucharist. I can imagine some of them going "Is this Jesus or is it not?"

[homeschoolmom]

I'm not saying one way or the other what to do, but think of this:

Most 7 year olds are not at all familiar with the taste of wine. When children encounter a beverage that they don't like, they tend to backwash. Multiply times the number of First Communicants.

If you go with a different "practice communion" there is really nothing surprising about the Host (flavor-wise that is). Necco wafers would work. Non-alcoholic Catawba juice tends to have a similar flavor to wine and could be used.... though, on second thought, I think that has bubbles... Hmmm....

One thing I told each of my children was to keep their lips closed on the chalice. Let the Precious Blood hit their lip and then discretely lick it off. There's never really more than a tiny drop. Neither one of them received under both species beyond First Communion.


eta:

I just looked up Necco Wafers on Wikipedia for kicks... and this was there:

[quote]Necco wafers are often used as stand-ins for communion wafers by children who are practicing for the Eucharist.[/quote]

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='icelandic_iceskater' post='1791325' date='Feb 25 2009, 12:06 PM']my parish doesn't use wine for communion practice. Something about running into legal issues giving alcohol to kids under 21. :eye_roll:[/quote]

But they have no legal issue with actual Communion?

[kavalamyself]

We got to practice! Sister kept a plastic container on her desk with the unconsecrated hosts in it!

[Thomist-in-Training]

My parents don't receive the Precious Blood because "it's not what they used to do" and also because of practical concerns about germs, so I didn't have the problem of dealing with the taste of wine at my First Communion. We didn't have practice, either. They MAY have told us about receiving on the tongue, but I never saw people receiving that way unless they were holding infants, until about six years ago, which gave one the idea that it was just a more convenient method...