On Blessing Children at the Altar

If a child is brought to the altar, ideally the child should be fit to receive the Sacrament. Whether he is or not is a matter of debate for another time, that is, the question of when a child becomes eligible. For the record, Gottesdienst has always rejected infant communion, but has encouraged the practice of permitting even very young children to partake in the Sacrament, according to the General Notes for “First Communion Prior to Confirmation” (LSB Agenda, 25).

But on the matter of children and infants who are not yet eligible, the relatively new practice of bringing such children to the altar for a blessing has become a fairly standard practice in our churches. I say relatively new, considering the matter from a longer historical viewpoint. A century ago it was not done, to my knowledge, nor at any time earlier.

But currently parents are bringing the whole family, including babes in arms and all not-yet-communicant children. And why not, the reasoning goes. We want our children blessed, after all, and what better time to do it than when the rest of us are communing? What harm can possibly come of encouraging this practice, by which, in all likelihood, these children will learn to love coming to the altar?

By such compelling reasoning, the practice has arisen and grown and by now become fairly ubiquitous.

So, at the peril of rushing in where angels fear to tread, I offer an alternative point of view.

There was a time not too long ago when people came to the altar for one reason only: to receive the Blessed Sacrament. Considered abstractly, that reason should seem enough. Of course it should be enough, should it not?

So what about this new custom, then, and the ‘compelling’ reasons for it?

My reasons for recommending that parents not bring their pre-communicant children to the altar at all are these:

First, if you are inclined to do so, you will find yourself of necessity looking after these children who approach with you. You must teach them to behave, to be still, etc. This requirement that you have as a parent can be, and often is, a significant distraction. You will not be able to devote your full attention to your own receptivity and faith and to what the Sacrament is. It will be more difficult to pay full attention at this sacred moment in your own approach to the altar, and for that matter the importance of this moment in your very attendance at church, and even in your entire life.

Second, the pastor distributing will also have more responsibility attached to his distribution of the Sacrament. He will not only have to attend to the question of his members and eligible guests, as a faithful steward of the Gifts must be expected to do; he must also pay heed to the children at the altar and to which of them are eligible and which are not.

Third, the entire focus of this high point in the entire matter of the Church’s worship will have been diluted. There is certainly something most beneficial in a pastor’s blessing of these children, and while that is a practice worthy of encouraging, to place the practice here at this time and place is counterproductive, as least in this regard. It takes some attention away from the very apex of the Holy Mass.

Fourth, if you want children to learn to appreciate coming to the altar, there is another way to do that. If they instinctively learn by staying behind that they are not yet ready, that in itself will encourage them to want to become eligible, and to start asking questions. The sooner, the better.

On the other hand, we must deal with the reality of life in the church of the 21st century. So I do have some suggestions, lest anyone who considers this alternative point of view so compelling that he become the fool who rushes in where angels fear to tread. The downside of my venturing to post these remarks here might only be the possibility of creating a cyber-kerfuffle at worst, initiated by the usual suspects. But the downside for, say, a young pastor so eager to do the ‘right’ thing at once could be an entirely avoidable rebellion. So, here are my suggestions.

Let your blessing of young children at the altar be as inobtrusive as possible. What I do is give a silent and inconspicuous blessing, using the pinky finger of my right hand (while still holding my thumb and forefinger together according to the rubrics). I do not say a word at this point, and I make the blessing as simple and discreet as I can. This blessing occurs only once. The distribution of the cup does not include a second recognition of the child.

This is all done by way of concession. I do not encourage it, but I do not object either. Occasionally a member who brings an adult guest who is ineligible will ask if the guest might also receive such a blessing, but I discourage it by saying that it’s generally for little children.

What I find disturbing is the growing popularity among pastors themselves of making too much of this blessing of children at the altar. They do this in various ways, often with the laudable intent of tying the blessing to the child’s Baptism. So the pastor might make a point of calling the child’s Baptism to mind, or even stooping down and kneeling to the child’s eye level to preach a little mini sermon of sorts about God’s love and mercy, and whatever other kind words might be said to make the child, or, more likely, the parents of the child, feel as though this has become a very special moment in the child’s life.

But I repeat, this moment is not the ideal moment for such a blessing. Somewhere it is written that to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. This is not that time, in my opinion.