Children to receive bread and wine

‘We who are many are one body’ - says Bishop

 Parishes in the Newcastle Diocese wishing to admit children to Holy Communion before confirmation will now be able to apply to the Bishop for permission to do so.  Bishop Martin announced a "dual policy" for the diocese at the inaugural diocesan synod held at St. Nicholas’ Cathedral on September 9th. 

"My judgment is that the inherited pattern of Baptism followed by Confirmation before Communion will - and should - remain the norm," he said, "But those parishes wishing to adopt a policy of admitting baptised persons to Holy Communion before Confirmation can make an application to me to do so."

 The Bishop gave new synod members the background to the debate, recalling that in April 1999, the Children’s Committee of the Board for Ministry and Training were asked to help parishes discuss the issue and formulate their views.

He paid tribute to the work of the committee, and in particular the children’s work adviser, Judith Sadler, for facilitation of the debate within the diocese, and noted that further afield in the Anglican Communion, the matter had been debated "with varying degrees of enthusiasm, tentativeness or downright reluctance for decades".

His own decision, he said, had been informed by the House of Bishops’ guidelines, published in 1997, but he warned that "admission before Confirmation will not work everywhere and it should not be unthinkingly introduced anywhere." 

He added: "Parishes seeking to introduce such a policy should only do so after careful and sensitive preparation and because it is a natural development in their understanding of their community and fellowship in Christ."

"After all, we who are many - and of many - ages are one body, as we all share one bread."

The Bishop calmed fears that the policy would lead to a reduction in the number of confirmations or a diminishing role for bishops, pointing out that experience in other dioceses had shown otherwise - "Many claim an increasing number of young families attending."

The "dual policy", he concluded, should not be viewed as an experiment "but as part of the initiation policy of the diocese in keeping with guidelines agreed by the House of Bishops and in line with the other dioceses in this country."

He advised synod members that a helpful list of material called "Preparing and Celebrating" was available from the children’s work adviser, and that the children’s work adviser could offer advice and support to parishes.