NEW Jersey priest John Bambrick, above, of St Aloysius Church in Jackson, is at the centre of a row that erupted after church officials said that an eight-year-old autistic boy could not receive his first Holy Communion because he was deemed unable to express ‘contrition for his sins’ as part of the sacrament of reconciliation.
Anthony LaCugna, second son of a devout Catholic couple, was on track to receive his first Holy Communion in April but his parents – Nicole and Jimmy LaCugna –
were recently informed that the boy would not be allowed to receive the sacrament at the church the family has attended for years.
were recently informed that the boy would not be allowed to receive the sacrament at the church the family has attended for years.
The reason given by the church was that, because Anthony has autism, he cannot express the contrition the church requires before it performs a Communion.
The matter erupted into a full-blown row after the family accused Bambrick of lying. The priest claimed that ‘there was never to be denial of Communion to this child’ and he had spoken to the family about the issue. But the LaCugnas said this is simply not true.
Nicole LaCugna told NBC News on Monday that she and her husband have not heard from St Aloysius Church or Bambrick.
We have never spoken to Father Bambrick at all. We’ve had no contact with him.
She described the the church’s action in denying the boy communion as:
Discrimination. This should not affect his religion. It is absurd.
Contacted by the Asbury Park Press, Bambrick said the church had reviewed the situation and determined that a person’s disability did not necessarily preclude them from receiving a sacrament. He did not reverse the decision regarding the LaCugna’s son, but indicated it could be “revisited.”
Anthony is diagnosed with a serious form of autism, is 100% non-verbal and with severe apraxia, which is defined as:
What are your thoughts?A neurological disorder characterized by the inability to perform learned (familiar) movements on command, even though the command is understood and there is a willingness to perform the movement.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefreethinker/2020/03/autistic-boy-denied-communion-because-he-cant-confess-his-sins/?utm_medium=Push&utm_source=WebPush&utm_campaign=Push_Main_AllBlogs
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