docmattc wrote:I can see lots of merit in extending this ruling to first communicants.
Now you really have opened up a can of worms, Doc!
In our parish, we run a very successful parish-based sacramental preparation programme for Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. In recent years, we've tried to move away from the idea that every First Communicant has to have a job; the children are there to receive Communion for the first time, and have quite enough to concentrate on without worrying about readings, bidding prayers and bringing up the gifts. Chris Walker used to perform a little sketch about this which parodied the occasion perfectly! Something about having six children to bring up the gifts, two for the readings, a little quartet to sing the psalm, eight for the bidding prayers and one to introduce the 'Hail Mary'. That still leaves one without a job so he/she can read a little introduction to the Mass! He would follow this with an impression of eight children lining up to read at the microphone - one with the microphone at chest level, the second with it over his head etc., etc. You get the idea.
Anyway, a couple of years ago, we (the catechists) suggested that the families of the First Communicants might like to take on these roles instead. We had parents and/or older children reading, and younger family members bringing up the gifts. We thought it worked really well and the families involved were very happy but, this year, we almost had a riot on our hands when The Parents rebelled! They didn't like the idea of a parish-based programme in any case, saying that they sent their children to a Catholic school so this preparation could be done at school.
And they were practically apoplectic when we suggested that the children ought not to have any other responsibilities at the Mass. In the end, the catechists had no option but to back down, or risk the whole thing floundering.
Personally, I think it's a great shame; it worked wonderfully well having other family members taking on the various ministerial and other roles, and it meant that all the children had to focus on was receiving Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion, which is what they were there for!
As for Confirmation, I'm not so sure. In our diocese, confirmation takes place when the candidates are 11, and I think they have the maturity, often, to cope with being asked to proclaim the Word though, again, it would work equally well if their families were involved and they were left simply to focus on the Sacrament being bestowed.
