The story of the 4-year-old whose faith led to lowering the age of first Communion

Nellie Organ — affectionately known as “Little Nellie” — was a 4-year-old child from Cork, Ireland, whose piety and closeness to God led in part to the lowering of the age at which children could receive their first holy Communion. In 1910, a decree was promulgated by the Sacred Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments under Pope Pius X on the subject. Quam Singulari states: “The age of discretion, both for confession and for holy Communion, is the time…