8-Year-Old Autistic Boy's First Communion Denied By Church, Family Claims

A couple in New Jersey has claimed that their child, who suffered from autism, was denied a chance to receive his first communion by their church.

Rev. John Bambrick at Saint Aloysius Church had informed the boy's father, Jimmy LaCugna and his wife, Nicole LaCugna that their son Anthony won't be allowed to participate in the religious ceremony because he thinks that the child is "unable to determine right from wrong due to his disability,” NBC News reported.

He further added that they were also told that their son was not at the "benchmark required to make his communion." The 8-year-old Anthony is non-verbal.

"This is very hard and upsetting to comprehend when we all are created by God and now our son is being shunned from the Catholic faith due to his inability to communicate. He wouldn't even be able to create a sin because he is one of the sweetest and innocent little boy someone would ever meet," LaCugna wrote in a Facebook post.

The first communion in a catholic church mostly takes place when the child is around 7 to 8 years old. This communion happens after the children complete their religious classes and confess their sins.

"Nowhere in the Bible does it ever show discrimination against anybody," Anthony's mother, Nicole LaCugna, told News 12 New Jersey. She also added that since Anthony can't communicate, it has been a struggle for him to get his first communion.

The church in response released a statement Wednesday on Facebook saying that Catholics cannot be denied the sacraments, as per the Code of Canon Law, as long as they remain prepared and ready to receive them.

"Should an individual not be ready, the Sacrament is normally to be postponed until the individual is suitably prepared and disposed to the reception of the Sacraments. These are guidelines we operate under in the Parish," the statement read.

However, Jimmy LaCugna told News 12 New Jersey that Bambrick and the church have not communicated with them since they were told that their son couldn't receive the first communion.