'I feel really let down by the Catholic faith. . . what they are doing is so cruel': Mother accuses church of discrimination over priest's Communion ban on Down's boy, 7

The parents of a seven-year-old boy with Down’s Syndrome have accused the Catholic Church of ‘cruel discrimination’ for refusing to allow him to take Holy Communion.

Denum Ellarby attends a mainstream Roman Catholic primary school and his parents wanted him to join his classmates in the First Communion ceremony.

But they claim their parish priest refused to consider him for the necessary preparation classes and was ‘abrupt’ when Denum’s mother Clare tried to discuss the matter with him.

Hurt: Denum Ellarby's mother Clare claims the priest said Denum 'would not understand the preparation' for Holy Communion

Mrs Ellarby said she complained to diocese chiefs, but they have backed Father Patrick Mungovin’s stance that the boy would not sufficiently ‘understand the preparation’ or be able to ‘enjoy participation in Mass’.

The church has denied banning Denum and says it hopes he will be ready to participate in the important religious ceremony in the future.

Children being prepared for their First Communion, when they receive the ‘body and blood of Christ’ for the first time, are expected regularly to attend Mass on a Sunday.

Mrs Ellarby, 30, said Denum doesn’t go every Sunday ‘as a one-hour Mass is simply too long for him’.

Row: Denum's parents have collected signatures in a petition supporting the schoolboy who attends St Mary of the Angels Church in Batley

Compassion: Denum's parents say they hoped the church would be more flexible with the schoolboy

But she and her husband Darren, 36, a property developer, said they expected the church to allow Denum to be taught about the Catholic faith at home and that the authorities would be ‘flexible’ as is customary for children with learning disabilities.

The couple have collected 400 signatures on a petition supporting Denum in only two weeks.

Mother-of-three Mrs Ellarby, of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said: ‘I believe it is because of his disability that they won’t accept him. I feel very upset my son is being discriminated against and I feel really let down by the Catholic faith.

‘They need to have more compassion. What they are doing is so cruel. As a child with Down’s Syndrome he may never have a full understanding of what it is about.’

Although Denum does not read or write and strangers have difficulty understanding what he says, Mrs Ellarby said: ‘I think he is very bright. He is doing everything that a child with Down’s Syndrome would normally do.’

Mrs Ellarby said four generations of her family had worshipped at St Mary of the Angels Church in Batley where Denum was baptised and where she wanted him to take his First Communion as she had done as a child. Denum also goes to her old school, St Mary’s Primary.

Cross: Denum Ellarby, aged seven, attends a mainstream Roman Catholic primary school - and all his classmates will be receiving First Holy Communion

Michael McQuinn, the Leeds diocese Vicar General, said in a letter that Father Mungovin was not ‘unreasonable in sharing the view that Denum should proceed to First Sacraments when he will be better placed to understand the preparation and to enjoy participation in Mass’.

A diocese spokesman said: ‘Christians come to share fully in the life of the Christian Church through the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.

‘Often Baptism is celebrated for babies in order to bring them into the life of the Church but they only proceed to the sacrament of First Communion when they take part in the Church’s life and understand the Church’s faith in regard to these sacraments.’

Anger: Denham Ellarby with his mother Clare and father Darren