Question about converting and raising my children Episcopalian

I've been considering leaving the RC Church for many years, for various reasons and I've recently started attending an Episcopal Church. I love it and really feel at home there.

My children (baptised RC) haven't received their First Communion yet, and according to various Episcopal websites, any baptised Christian can receive Communion.

. . . and I know this sounds very superficial but how on earth do I give up the ritual of First Communion? The significance of it all, the ritual, (not to mention the dress!)

I've read (online) that some Anglican churches have a special Communion service. Is this something I can talk to the priest about?

The priest in charge is a wonderful, articulate, funny, lovely woman and I dont want to appear idiotic saying "I really love your church and want to belong but I want my girls to wear the white communion dresses." It's about more than the dresses, of course - but when I try and explain myself out loud I fear that I sound like I dont want to give up the dress.

Has anyone raised their child(ren) a different religion than the one they grew up in?

I guess I'm just trying to see if there are others sorting out their feelings on this issue, like I am.

Re: Question about converting and raising my children Episcopalian

I'm Episcopal. I grew up going to the Cathedral, sang in their choir etc. They DO a 1st communion - the girls wear white dresses- it isn't the big show that the catholic church does but they do a service. All the episcopal churches do some sort of service - some more elaborate than others. BTW you are not supposed to take communion in the episcopal church until you have had your 1st communion. I think what you are referring to is that the church welcomes people from any christian faith that has received communion to partake whereas my husband grew up catholic and I cannot receive communion if I go to a catholic church. My girls were baptized at the Cathedral and they go up for communion but they are giving a blessing they do not receive communion.

Feel free to FM me. There are MANY people who left the catholic church for various reasons who become episcopal. I think mainly b.c the service is very similar to the catholic services.

Re: Question about converting and raising my children Episcopalian

Re: Question about converting and raising my children Episcopalian

My dh was raised Episcopalian & he received 1st communion during a special mass as well (he attended Sunday school as a child). Like the pp mentioned, there wasn't as much hoopla as we had in the RC church, but there was a service with little suits & white dresses

I converted from the RC church when we were married, so to speak. I didn't actually have to do anything to convert since I received all of my sacraments in the Catholic church so I spoke with our priest and I'm now Episcopalian lol Like the pp mentioned, I was able to receive communion at mass & get married in the church w/out a problem. If we had decided to attend & raise our children in the catholic church my dh would have had a problem though...

Message edited 6/9/2011 2:23:44 PM.

Re: Question about converting and raising my children Episcopalian

I am RC and my DH is Episcopalian. I don't see myself converting, but there is a lot about his church that I really like. Mainly, I like that since the church is much smaller than any Catholic church I ever belonged to, there is a more familial feel to it, a smaller, more close-knit community feeling.

And as others have said, they do have a ceremony, but I don't remember the details of it.

Re: Question about converting and raising my children Episcopalian

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful replies! The Episcopal Church I've begun to attend has a VERY small congregration, so I can imagine my oldest daughter being one of say 3 children celebrating her first communion. The Catholic church in our town has maybe 3 weekends of Communion services to accommodate the hundreds of children - so this would be a change. . . but knowing that there is a formal ritual attached to the celebration of the first communion has put me at ease.

I'll speak to the Priest in Charge.

This site is the best!

Message edited 6/10/2011 9:59:07 AM.