Infant's Reflux and Receiving the Eucharist

[scamandrius]

Maybe this belongs in faith issues, but I'm wondering what to do about my  4 1/2 month old son who has reflux.  He spits up pretty much every time during and immediately after feeding and sometimes he will still do it even about 2 hours after he finished his bottle.  He is on zantac and our physician say that this is something he will eventually grow out of.  ANyway, because of the frequency of his spitting up, my priest has been hesitant to commune him because he might vomit up the body and blood of Christ.  I know the rules that come whenever the Body and BLood of our Lord come up (burning the material it is on) but for my son to be denied the Eucharist simply because of his reflux (no fault of his) and what could possibly be happen seems to be a bit cold.  Have any of you had similar issues and what did you to do rectifty this?

That said, I know that this is something he will eventually outgrow, but if any of you parents have some solutions or tricks to helping him not spit up as much, I'd be grateful for that, too.

No snarky remarks, please.  I'm dead serious about this.

 

[Svartzorn]

I'm assuming your question is on faith matters.
I don't think it would be a great deal if he happened to spit it out. He can't help it, why should him be kept from Communion because of that?
Seems like lack of piety to me.
My son had reflux, but that's fairly common in babies, and he does not have it anymore
I don't see a reason for you to keep him from Communion because of that, even more because he'll grow out of it.

Christ healed the sick.

 

[scamandrius]

I'm assuming your question is on faith matters.
I don't think it would be a great deal if he happened to spit it out. He can't help it, why should him be kept from Communion because of that?
Seems like lack of piety to me.
My son had reflux, but that's fairly common in babies, and he does not have it anymore
I don't see a reason for you to keep him from Communion because of that, even more because he'll grow out of it.

Christ healed the sick.

I'm not. It is my priest who has reservations.

 

[Svartzorn]

Well, you can try to discuss it with him, but isn't submission to our spiritual father always the best thing?

 

[scamandrius]

Well, you can try to discuss it with him, but isn't submission to our spiritual father always the best thing?

Look, I get that before the Dread Judgment Seat of Christ my priest and every priest will be held accountable for whether he distributed the BOdy and Blood of our Lord faithfully in accord with the Church's teaching, but I fail to see how denying my infant son (he's 4 1/2 months) who has been baptized and is a full member of the Church from the life giving Eucharist helps to safeguard the Eucharist.  Submission does not mean obsequiousness.

 

[DeniseDenise]

And ocnet is the perfect place to get the answer you want. I am sure random guys on the Internet are authoritative, print the thread and show to priest

Regardless of whether it would change your priest's mind. 

More grist for the 'I don't like the way he does things' mill

 

[scamandrius]

And ocnet is the perfect place to get the answer you want. I am sure random guys on the Internet are authoritative, print the thread and show to priest

Regardless of whether it would change your priest's mind. 

More grist for the 'I don't like the way he does things' mill

Thank you for contributing nothing.  Did my plea for no snarky remarks just fall on your deaf ears?  Besides, I also asked for some advice on how to deal with reflux from other parents.  Maybe you can help with that?  If you want to help, great. If not, then stay out of this.

 

[minasoliman]

Based on my experience in the Coptic Church, Coptic priests would avoid to give the body, but they dip the spoon in the blood (dip, not fill it) so that the toddler can have a taste of the blood that would make it highly unlikely to regurgitate it.  Or sometimes I've seen the priest dip his finger in the blood and direct it towards the child's mouth.

Or give a very very very small speck of the body if the child can handle it.

 

[Christina]

Have any of you had similar issues and what did you to do rectifty this?

No.

That said, I know that this is something he will eventually outgrow, but if any of you parents have some solutions or tricks to helping him not spit up as much, I'd be grateful for that, too.

Your son is old enough to add 1-2 tsp of rice cereal to his formula to thicken it.  This makes it harder to spit up.  You could also try a different type of bottle.  I used Dr. Brown's bottles which eliminate negative pressure and air bubbles.  It may be necessary to change his formula to one made from hydrolyzed protein or soy if an allergy is suspected.

 

[scamandrius]

Have any of you had similar issues and what did you to do rectifty this?

No.

That said, I know that this is something he will eventually outgrow, but if any of you parents have some solutions or tricks to helping him not spit up as much, I'd be grateful for that, too.

Your son is old enough to add 1-2 tsp of rice cereal to his formula to thicken it.  This makes it harder to spit up.  You could also try a different type of bottle.  I used Dr. Brown's bottles which eliminate negative pressure and air bubbles.  It may be necessary to change his formula to one made from hydrolyzed protein or soy if an allergy is suspected.

Actually he has his four month appointment this afternoon and that is one of the first questions we will ask, if he is ready for that. 

 

[Christina]

I don't know what type of formula you use, but I found that the powdered variety was too thin when mixed according to the instructions.  Ready-to-feed is slightly thicker but more expensive.  I ended up changing from Similac to Carnation Good Start because of the price, and since my son was able to tolerate it while demonstrating good growth, they said it was fine.

 

[Mor Ephrem]

Well, you can try to discuss it with him, but isn't submission to our spiritual father always the best thing?

Look, I get that before the Dread Judgment Seat of Christ my priest and every priest will be held accountable for whether he distributed the BOdy and Blood of our Lord faithfully in accord with the Church's teaching, but...

Unless one is a priest, I doubt any of us will really get it. 

...I fail to see how denying my infant son (he's 4 1/2 months) who has been baptized and is a full member of the Church from the life giving Eucharist helps to safeguard the Eucharist.  Submission does not mean obsequiousness.

I don't know what the custom is in your Church, but in mine it is similar to what Mina described.  The priest dips his finger into the chalice and gives the child a drop of the Blood (we'd probably do the spoon dipping thing if our spoons weren't so poorly designed).  Never fails. 

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck!   

 

[tuesdayschild]

Maybe this belongs in faith issues, but I'm wondering what to do about my  4 1/2 month old son who has reflux.  He spits up pretty much every time during and immediately after feeding and sometimes he will still do it even about 2 hours after he finished his bottle.  He is on zantac and our physician say that this is something he will eventually grow out of.  ANyway, because of the frequency of his spitting up, my priest has been hesitant to commune him because he might vomit up the body and blood of Christ.  I know the rules that come whenever the Body and BLood of our Lord come up (burning the material it is on) but for my son to be denied the Eucharist simply because of his reflux (no fault of his) and what could possibly be happen seems to be a bit cold.  Have any of you had similar issues and what did you to do rectifty this?

That said, I know that this is something he will eventually outgrow, but if any of you parents have some solutions or tricks to helping him not spit up as much, I'd be grateful for that, too.

No snarky remarks, please.  I'm dead serious about this.

Had a similar issue. Son grew out of it before he could walk. Was never offered a prescription for it. We learned to notice "the look" just before he erupted and aimed him in the opposite direction. You might try changing to a different brand of formula. Pro tip: Feed him in rooms with tiled floors.

We weren't Orthodox at the time, so all I can suggest about that is don't argue with your priest on this because you won't win but you might become seen as "difficult." Access to the Chalice is his call. Take your son up for a blessing at Communion until the priest is satisfied that the risk has passed.

 

[scamandrius]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

 

[scamandrius]

You might try changing to a different brand of formula.

Can't. This is also prescription.

 

[DeniseDenise]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

Dare I say 'because you wont force the priest to perhaps re-eat the now vomited up Eucharist'

 

[servulus]

You might try changing to a different brand of formula.

Can't. This is also prescription.

We have had terrible experiences with formula. We finally switched to goats milk with our last child. We started our new son immediately on goats milk and have avoided all problems. Doctors won't recommend it, but it has been the healthiest option for our children. If we had known this earlier we would have put all of our children on goats milk. Except, of course, for those who were able to breastfeed.

 

[tuesdayschild]

You might try changing to a different brand of formula.

Can't. This is also prescription.

If your doctor won't adjust the prescription, then I guess you're stuck with that decision.

 

[Christina]

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?

I wouldn't approach the chalice to receive Holy Communion if I felt that there was any chance I might vomit.  Somehow, I seriously doubt that you would be so eager for your son to receive it if there was the slightest chance that you would have to lick up every drop from wherever it landed.  This might sound harsh, but your son isn't entitled to receive Communion simply because he's a member of the Church.  No one is.

 

[hecma925]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You do well to not sin in a week.

 

[LizaSymonenko]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You do well to not sin in a week.

Kudos to you if you can go a week without sinning.  I am lucky if I can make it an hour or two...and that's wishful thinking.

My niece is 17.  We were all heading to Confession....but, she stubbornly resisted.  I told her that it would be good to start the school year having partaken of the Eucharist...but, she resisted...and told me she was worried, because she was feeling nauseous.  She did the right thing by abstaining.

One time I was in line behind a mother with an infant daughter.  The girl was cute and sweet...and took Holy Communion without a struggle...but, as the mom turned to head towards the table with the zapyvka...the little girl exploded...with a milk and Eucharist splattering all over the place.  I immediately cordoned off the place...not letting anyone step on anything....until paper towels showed up...and then we tried our best to absorb all we could and place it on a platter...to be burned.  However, without a doubt....I'm sure some remained on the tiles after we smeared it into oblivion...and there must have been drops that oozed under the icon stand...and probably some droplets that landed on the carpeted ambo and went unnoticed....what else could be done?

The mother was horrified...and was so embarrassed she wasn't helpful in cleaning anything up. 

The following week the mother again brought up her daughter....thankfully, the episode wasn't repeated.

I would say that if you know the child is going to vomit...don't bring them up...unless as Mina and Mor mentioned, they are able to get just a droplet and be able to hold it down.

Otherwise....if you feel the child is in need...perhaps ask your priest if you can commune him later in the day...after Liturgy...and his tummy is settled.

 

 

[kelly]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You're making it into something personal - the priest isn't denying your son, he's protecting the contents of the chalice.

 

[scamandrius]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You do well to not sin in a week.

It was a huge "if."  You don't really think I believe that, do you?

 

[scamandrius]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You're making it into something personal - the priest isn't denying your son, he's protecting the contents of the chalice.

When it concerns my son, of course it is personal.

 

[LizaSymonenko]

I'm smiling...because it is evident just how much you love your son.

You are acting as any good parent would....in defense of your child.

I find it endearing.

However....it is a fact...that one must love God above all else...even their children.

Therefore...your best option is to "fix" his tummy issues...and only then take him up to Holy Communion. 

He must be unhappy...if he's spitting up...his stomach must be bothering him.  We all want happy baby...

 

[kelly]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You're making it into something personal - the priest isn't denying your son, he's protecting the contents of the chalice.

When it concerns my son, of course it is personal.

Nevermind.

 

[scamandrius]

I'm smiling...because it is evident just how much you love your son.

You are acting as any good parent would....in defense of your child.

I find it endearing.

However....it is a fact...that one must love God above all else...even their children.

Therefore...your best option is to "fix" his tummy issues...and only then take him up to Holy Communion. 

He must be unhappy...if he's spitting up...his stomach must be bothering him.  We all want happy baby...

You're damned right I love my son. ;D

I cannot fix the reflux, regrettably. It's something that he will have to grow out of a nd probably will, but it may take several more months. Fortunately though, I got the go-ahead this evening from his pediatrician that he can start having rice cereal in his bottles which will help the milk curdle and, with luck, he won't be as luck to spit up.  And despite the spitting up, he's actually a very happy baby.

 

[Mor Ephrem]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all? 

But who is denying your son the gift?  God has already given him everything in the sacraments of initiation and he has not yet lost it through sin.  When not communing him, the priest is not snatching it away from him. 

In a normal circumstance, of course it is normal and to be desired that your son should commune regularly.  Based on your descriptions, however, your son's situation is not entirely "normal" for the purposes of communing, but neither is it permanent (thankfully).  In this situation, not communing him doesn't really deprive him of anything God hasn't already given him in abundance and which he has not lost. 

If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

No, but if you didn't/couldn't commune, you wouldn't have been deprived of anything.   

 

[hecma925]

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

You do well to not sin in a week.

It was a huge "if."  You don't really think I believe that, do you?

Even "if" you don't sin, the priest still protects the chalice.  So, maybe, I guess.

 

[mike]

@scamandrius, it's like 20th thread you start with an intent for OC.net to find arguments to help you win an argument with your priest. You certainly do not get on well with him. Have you ever thought about changing the parish?

 

[Fr. George]

I'm not sure that I see the "protecting the chalice" and "communing the son" as opposed priorities.  One informs the other.  I'm sure if your son were deathly sick and still had the reflux, he would commune him.  But, as Mor pointed out, that's not necessarily the case - instead your son, a child without voluntary sin, is still graced by his baptism and first Communion, and the frequency of communing while in infancy, while helpful, may not be the first worry at this point considering the issue with the reflux.  St. Mary of Egypt hardly communed in her life, but is now honored twice in the Church calendar (April 1 and the 5th Sunday of Lent); I dare say your child's soul has far less sin on it than hers did.  The anxiety is understandable, but not necessarily helpful for you (or your son).

The amount (full spoon or just the smallest drop & crumb) doesn't matter - the Spiritual Reality is the same, receiving Christ.  And the frequency of communion for those who do not sin is not as worrisome.  I make a bigger deal out of 3 and 4 year-olds (who know when they're being mischievous) who skip communion than babies (but that's me).

 

[ZealousZeal]

I make a bigger deal out of 3 and 4 year-olds (who know when they're being mischievous) who skip communion than babies (but that's me).

No kidding. My daughter was just shy of 2 when we were received and held such a grudge against our priest for her baptism that she refused to commune for months. She just flat out refused. He told us that it's not uncommon for kids to go through such a phase and assured us it would pass, and eventually it did and our deacon was able to coax her to receive one day. It's been smooth sailing ever since. And if there were ever a child on this earth who needs frequent access to Christ and forgiveness and graces, it is her.

 

[hecma925]

I make a bigger deal out of 3 and 4 year-olds (who know when they're being mischievous) who skip communion than babies (but that's me).

No kidding. My daughter was just shy of 2 when we were received and held such a grudge against our priest for her baptism that she refused to commune for months. She just flat out refused. He told us that it's not uncommon for kids to go through such a phase and assured us it would pass, and eventually it did and our deacon was able to coax her to receive one day. It's been smooth sailing ever since. And if there were ever a child on this earth who needs frequent access to Christ and forgiveness and graces, it is her.

Way to throw your daughter under the bus, ZZ.

 

[ialmisry]

Well, you can try to discuss it with him, but isn't submission to our spiritual father always the best thing?

Look, I get that before the Dread Judgment Seat of Christ my priest and every priest will be held accountable for whether he distributed the BOdy and Blood of our Lord faithfully in accord with the Church's teaching, but I fail to see how denying my infant son (he's 4 1/2 months) who has been baptized and is a full member of the Church from the life giving Eucharist helps to safeguard the Eucharist.  Submission does not mean obsequiousness.

Often people only communed once a year (or even less) so it doesn't depend on frequency-though infrequency is not to be encouraged. Your son's body isn't the problem, the problem is floor that He might be vomited out onto where He might be stepped on.

If your son was suffering from a permanent condition, that would be different, or if he had never communed. But since weekly communion is neither a necessity nor a right, and many people have had to forgo for reasons not their fault (for instance, when I had an ulcer I did not commune), it might do well to defer to the priest, at least for the priest's own conscience.

That said, I think a big problem here is in how you're perceiving this.  "Denied the Eucharist", "denying...a full member of the Church", "submission does not mean obsequiousness", etc.  If your son is four and a half months old, I'm pretty sure the Eucharist he received when he was baptised is able to keep him going at least until he needs to avail himself of confession, and I don't have a reason to believe your priest would intentionally make decisions that would spiritually harm your son (priests will also be held accountable at judgement for such things).  So while it may be frustrating for now, I'm not sure looking at it in terms of denial, deprivation, and loss is helpful.

Good luck! 

But why deny (for lack of a better word) him a gift of God at all?  If I haven't sinned in a week should I not avail myself of the Eucharist and/or confession and just wait until I slip up again?

I'm presuming that he communed at his baptism, so he hasn't been denied.

I'm also presuming that the priest is just giving a dip of the chalice, rather than a particle, to infants as Mina described-the only practice I've noticed (just noticed, never investigated). If I were speaking to your priest, rather than you, I might get into the issue of the digestion of such. But then it is his charge and responsibility.

I only had this happen once. Fortunately we had a drop cloth handy and my son gave enough of a seconds warning to what was going to happen that we caught it with Him, and burned the cloth.

 

[scamandrius]

- instead your son, a child without voluntary sin, is still graced by his baptism and first Communion, and the frequency of communing while in infancy, while helpful, may not be the first worry at this point considering the issue with the reflux.  St. Mary of Egypt hardly communed in her life, but is now honored twice in the Church calendar (April 1 and the 5th Sunday of Lent);

Surely, father, you are not saying that St. Mary's infrequency of communion (due to her circumstances) should be used as precedent for not communing?

I want my son to receive the gifts that God has given to us.  How is that unreasonable?

 

[scamandrius]

Or sometimes I've seen the priest dip his finger in the blood and direct it towards the child's mouth.

Or give a very very very small speck of the body if the child can handle it.

Mina,

My priest has never dipped the finger (at least not in my experience) but what he gives him is very little.  I would say it is no more than a drop.

 

[hecma925]

Or sometimes I've seen the priest dip his finger in the blood and direct it towards the child's mouth.

Or give a very very very small speck of the body if the child can handle it.

Mina,

My priest has never dipped the finger (at least not in my experience) but what he gives him is very little.  I would say it is no more than a drop.

It is plenty.

 

[minasoliman]

Or sometimes I've seen the priest dip his finger in the blood and direct it towards the child's mouth.

Or give a very very very small speck of the body if the child can handle it.

Mina,

My priest has never dipped the finger (at least not in my experience) but what he gives him is very little.  I would say it is no more than a drop.

That small drop is the infinite God incarnate.

 

[ZealousZeal]

I make a bigger deal out of 3 and 4 year-olds (who know when they're being mischievous) who skip communion than babies (but that's me).

No kidding. My daughter was just shy of 2 when we were received and held such a grudge against our priest for her baptism that she refused to commune for months. She just flat out refused. He told us that it's not uncommon for kids to go through such a phase and assured us it would pass, and eventually it did and our deacon was able to coax her to receive one day. It's been smooth sailing ever since. And if there were ever a child on this earth who needs frequent access to Christ and forgiveness and graces, it is her.

Way to throw your daughter under the bus, ZZ.

Don't worry. She can't read.

 

[hecma925]

I make a bigger deal out of 3 and 4 year-olds (who know when they're being mischievous) who skip communion than babies (but that's me).

No kidding. My daughter was just shy of 2 when we were received and held such a grudge against our priest for her baptism that she refused to commune for months. She just flat out refused. He told us that it's not uncommon for kids to go through such a phase and assured us it would pass, and eventually it did and our deacon was able to coax her to receive one day. It's been smooth sailing ever since. And if there were ever a child on this earth who needs frequent access to Christ and forgiveness and graces, it is her.

Way to throw your daughter under the bus, ZZ.

Don't worry. She can't read.

Ooooooh, I'm gonna tellllllll.