S t. pet er C atholiC Ch ur ch
S T. PETER’S YOUNG PAR
FIRST COMMUNI
Close to 60 parish children received the Sacrament of First Communion on April 24.
T
he greatest gifts our Catholic Church has to offer come to us in the sacraments. With the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation — we are welcomed into the Church, receiving the abundant graces of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Just over a month ago, our parish was blessed by the celebrations of First Communion (April 24) and Confirmation (April 26). How wonderful it is to see so many of our youngest parishioners reaching these milestones in their Catholic faith! Sister John Marion, C.K., prepared about 60 second-graders to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion this year. “The thing about the Eucharist and First Holy
First Communicants receive the Eucharist for the first time.
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Communion is that it is such an intimate moment between Jesus Christ and us when He enters into us fully,” she says. “The children understand that far better than we do. They are so open to Jesus — they have no defenses against His love, so it’s just me guiding them to Him. It’s been really beautiful to see their openness to Him. To put it in their words, they were so excited to receive Communion and become living tabernacles of Jesus.” First Communion preparation consists of classroom teaching on Church doctrine and the parts of the Mass, coupled with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, which focuses on the contemplation and enjoyment of God. Sr. John Marion also used many parables from the Gospels to help the students more fully understand their relationship with Christ. In recognition of the many ways God works through the sacraments, Sr. John Marion invites all the parents of those who made their First Communion in April to remain open to the blessings that are sure to follow this special occasion. “This is a time of such grace for the First Communicants’ families,” she says. “It’s a time of intimacy where Jesus is quietly inviting and drawing them to Himself. I would invite them to open their hearts to His grace and come back to the sacraments if they
“The thing about the Eucharist and First Holy Communion is that it is such an intimate moment between Jesus Christ and us when He enters into us fully. The children understand that far better than we do. They are so open to Jesus — they have no defenses against His love, so it’s just me guiding them to Him. It’s been really beautiful to see their openness to Him. To put it in their words, they were so excited to receive Communion and become living tabernacles of Jesus.” — Sister John Marion, C.K.
