Mt. 26:17-19, 26-30; Mk. 14: 12-16, 22-26;
Lk. 22:7-20 & 24:13-25; Jn. 6; 1 Cor. 11:23-29
First Holy Communion Requirements
- A child must be at least 7 years old and a registered member of this parish.
- Be able to demonstrate sufficient understanding of the sacrament.
- Have been in the Faith Formation Program for at least one year prior to taking the First Holy Communion Program.
- A copy of the candidate’s Baptism Certificate must be presented upon registration.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist
CCC 1323 “At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'”
Holy Eucharist
In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. The Eucharist fulfills this call: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor 10:16-17):
If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. To that which you are you respond “Amen” (“yes, it is true!”) and by responding to it you assent to it. For you hear the words, “the Body of Christ” and respond “Amen.” Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true (St. Augustine, Sermon 272: PL 38, 1247).
Our Blessing Cup is a Communion
As Catholics we believe the Eucharist, or Communion, is the real presence of Jesus, who died for our sins. As we receive Christ’s Body and Blood, we also are nourished spiritually and brought closer to God.
The Eucharist – “Pledge of the Glory to Come”
CCC 1402 In an ancient prayer the Church acclaims the mystery of the Eucharist: “O scared banquet in which Christ is received as food, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace and a pledge of the life to come is given to us.” If the Eucharist is the memorial of the Passover of the Lord Jesus, if by our communion at the altar we are filled “with every heavenly blessing and grace,” then the Eucharist is also an anticipation of heavenly glory.