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1st Comm
union
Eucharist
Sacrifice and Sacrament
In its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Vatican II begins chapter 2, “The Most Sacred Mystery of the Eucharist,” with these beautiful words:
“At the Last Supper, on the night when be 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.” (47) [1323, 1398]
In every Mass, Christ is present, in the person of His priest, in His sacred Word, in the assembly, and especially under the form of bread and wine.
Eating the supper of the Lord, we span all time and “proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Sharing this banquet of love, we become totally one body in him. At that moment our future with God becomes a present reality. The oneness for which we are destined is both symbolized and made real in the meal we share. In the Mass, both past and future become really present in mystery.
Talk to your child about the Mass before you go to church. Emphasize the Mass as God’s family celebration and meal. Remind your child that Jesus, by His death on the cross and his resurrection, won the life that he or she will share in the bread and the wine of the Eucharist: life that goes on forever, even after we die.
Point out that just as we wash our hands before eating a family meal, blessing ourselves with holy water as we enter the church, helps us to remember our baptism.
Criteria for readiness to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
Preparation for the reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist is conducted separately from that of Penance/Reconciliation, since each sacrament deserves its own concentrated preparation. But again, we are called at all times in youth, adolescence and as adults to study and seek formation in a deeper understanding of this most sacred mystery.
Physical/psychological readiness is shown by:
- Willingness to receive the sacrament. This involves a desire on the candidate’s part to participate in the preparation and to receive the sacrament with reverence appropriate to his/her age.
- Ability to attentively participate in the liturgy. This involves the capacity to be attentive and reverent, and to participate in the ritual according to his/her ability.
Catechetical readiness is shown by:
- Ability to understand Church affiliation. This involves the capacity to be aware of one’s belonging to the Catholic community through Baptism.
- Ability for child to express understanding of love and care for others just as Jesus did. This involves the capacity to know and reflect on the gospel stories of Jesus as one who loves and cares for each person and invites friendship. This invitation focuses on the sharing of a meal, (i.e., Feeding the Multitude, Sermon on the Living Bread, Vine and Branches, etc.)
- Ability to distinguish between ordinary bread and Eucharist. This involves the capacity to know the difference between ordinary bread and the Eucharistic bread, and to recognize the Mass as the sacrificial event in which we receive the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist, in the Word, and in the gathering of the community.
Liturgical readiness is shown by:
- Attending the Eucharistic Liturgy regularly. Thispromotes a familiarity with the parish community celebration and participation in the Mass.
- Ability to participate in the Eucharistic celebration. This involves the ability to participate in at least a simple way, in the ritual of the celebration and to understand the requirements of receiving the sacrament (i.e., simple responses, reverence according to age level, Eucharistic fast, etc.)
A loving family and a caring parish community surround your child, both before and after reception of the Sacraments of Penance/Reconciliation and Eucharist. It is our hope and prayer that both of these Sacraments continue to give affirmation and good example to your child so that a continued pattern of celebration is encouraged, and the relationship with God is fostered and developed.
For the gift of divine life is celebrated in the Sacraments of the Church where the most profound moments of our human experience are incorporated into the mystery and glory of our Lord. And so one day our faith tells us, we will all approach the table of the Lord, in everlasting forgiveness and enduring love.
CHOOSING THE “RITE” CLOTHES 
Further details will be given with regard to appropriate and traditional dress as we get closer to the Celebration of First Eucharist. However, in choosing your child’s clothing, we invite you to consider the following:
If it is true that every aspect of the liturgy carries meaning, then even the clothing we wear has meaning. Although the formality of dress for Sunday liturgy has declined in many communities, most adult Catholics are familiar with wearing our “Sunday best.” This is seen as a “faith statement.”
When it comes to deciding how to clothe a child on the occasion of their first full sharing at the Eucharistic table, we need to ask ourselves some important questions.
- What aspect of the clothing has meaning for us: the style, the fabric, the formality, the price, the color?
- How will the child understand this choice? What will the child think it means?
- How comfortable will the child be in the clothing we have chosen?
- What will be the child’s focus: the clothing or Communion?
- What do we usually wear to Sunday liturgy? Why?
- Is this liturgy a celebration of the child or a celebration of the paschal mystery of Christ?
- Are we making a “fashion statement” or a “faith statement”?
GUIDELINES FOR RECEPTION OF COMMUNION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
For the benefit of visiting friends and families, the following guidelines are offered to help with decisions regarding the reception of Holy Communion.
For Catholics:
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops offers these stipulations for practicing Catholics: “In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, communicants should not be conscious of grave sin, have fasted for an hour, and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors. Persons conscious of grave (mortal) sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church through the Sacrament of Penance (Confession).
For our fellow Christians:
We welcome you to the celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. For all practical purposes, non-Catholics are excluded from reception of communion at a Catholic Church. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops says: “Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us would imply a oneness which does not yet exist, and for which we must all pray.”
For those not receiving Communion:
Those unable to receive communion may simply remain seated while others go forward; or if you wish, you may come forward for a blessing. (If you come forward, please indicate that you wish to have a blessing by crossing your arms over your chest, hands on shoulders.) We ask that you be with us in prayer for the peace and unity of the human family.
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May the peace and love of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you and your families.
For your convenience, a variety of resource materials are available for you to borrow in our Faith Formation office and Parish library that may help give further insight into our Sacramental life.
Guia para la celebración de la
Comunión en la Iglesia Católica
Por el beneficio de los familiares y amigos visitantes, la guía siguiente se ofrece como ayuda para decidir sobre quiéndebe recibir la Sagrada Comunión.
Para los católicos:
“Para estar debidamente preparados para recibir la Eucaristía, los fieles no deben haber cometido pecado grave y deben ayunado por una hora antes de comulgar y buscar la unión y el amor con nuestros vecinos. Las personas consientes de pecado mortal debe primero reconciliarse con Dios y la iglesia a través del Sacramento de la Penitencia (Confesión).
Para Nuestros Compañeros Cristianos:
Damos la bienvenida a todos los cristianos, como a nuestros hermanos y hermanas, a esta celebración de la Eucaristía. Por propósitos prácticos, los no católicos están excluidos de recibir la comunión en la Iglesia Católica. La Conferencia Nacional de Obispos Católicos dice: “La recepción de la Eucaristía por Cristianos no completamente unidos con nosotros implica una unión que no existe, por lo cual debemos todos orar”.
Para esos que reciben la Comunión:
Para esos que no pueden recibir la comunión se pueden simplemente quedar sentados mientras los otros van al frente o si desea puede ir al frente para una bendición. (Si decide ir al frente por favor indique que usted quiere una bendición doblando los brazos en forma de cruz sobre su pecho.) Le pedimos que se una en oración por la paz y unidad de nuestra familia humana.
Que la paz y el amor de Nuestro Señor Jesús Cristo este con ustedes y sus familiares.
Para su conveniencia, hay una variedad de materiales disponibles para su uso en la Oficina de Educación Religiosa y en la Biblioteca de la Iglesia para expandir su conocimiento en su vida sacramental.