YOUCAT for kids-My First Communion

My First Holy Communion Album YOUCAT for Kids

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From the bottom of our hearts we wish you all happiness and blessings on your First Holy Communion.

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My First Holy Communion Album YOUCAT for Kids

CATHOLIC TRUTH SOCIET Y

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Bob and Lilly and their First Holy Communion Hi, Bob, what did you like best about our First Communion?

OK. What else? Didn’t you find Communion exciting? I could hardly wait to be standing at the altar for our First Communion …

Yep, the enormous, enormous, enormous God was in my mouth and in my heart … I still can’t get my head around it!

Mm-hmm, it sure is … Hey, do you want to hear what Clare whispered into my ear when we brought the gifts to the altar?

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We got to use the thurible.

That was cool! It smelled so good!

… and for Jesus to come to us.

Is that what you mean?

No chance of that, Lilly: it’s the biggest mystery in the world!

What?

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She is getting a smartphone!

No, really? Cool.

I wish I had one too.

Yeah, I’m not getting a smartphone, at least not for my First Communion.

Maybe. But you know what, it’s not that bad. I don’t need a smartphone to talk to Jesus. I can always talk to him, he is available twenty-four hours a day.

Dunno. But I guess he’s like a best friend who always has time for you.

It’s called First Holy Communion!

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Me neither. I’m still hoping to get one for my birthday. Maybe you’ll get one for your birthday too?

You’re right! I never thought about it that way. How does he do that without a smartphone?

And who you can visit at any time of the day. Like we did at our First Co… Co… Co… ugh…

Right. And to remember how awesome it was, we have this album!

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The Profile of

JESUS Name: Mother: Foster father: Birthday:

Place of birth:

Mary Joseph the Carpenter Christmas day. You celebrate my birthday on the 25th December, which is OK with me. Most scholars say I was born seven years earlier (7 BC). That’s fine too! But what’s really cool is that, at my birth, a new calendar began. Did you know that?

Bethlehem in Judaea

Profession:

Carpenter

Languages:

Mother tongue: Aramaic; First learnt language: Hebrew

Outdoor activities: What I like:

What annoys me: My greatest moment:

My motto: What I like about you:

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Jesus of Nazareth

Walking, sailing, mountain climbing Being with children; celebrating festivals, but I also enjoy being alone sometimes; my friends; having my feet anointed; healing diseases and forgiving sins; talking to my father in heaven; talking with people about God When my people are divided into various groups, poor and rich, pious and not so pious, and don’t live as God wants them to any longer Oh, there are so many … How about the time I turned water into wine at a wedding, after my mother pointed out that there was none left …

The absolute highlight was my resurrection. I’m alive! ‘‘Change your life now, for God is already very close!“ I’d really like us to get to know each other better here and now!

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You can stick your photo in here (2.3 x 3.0 cm)

My

PROFILE

Name: Mother: Father: Birthday: Place of birth: When I grow up, I want to be: Languages I want to learn: Outdoor activities: What I like:

What annoys me:

My greatest moment: My motto: What I like about Jesus:

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Photos of my best friends

Bob

is always on the lookout for new pranks.

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Lilly

knows the funnie st jokes in the whole wor ld.

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The story of how Jesus made a lot of friends

You’re might think Jesus was alone, but you’d be

Was it him or not?

wrong: he had no lack of friends, and I can tell you

John was so famous that some thought,

how it all began.

“He must be the Messiah!” Now, what does the

At the very beginning

word “Messiah” mean? It is Hebrew and means something like “anointed one” (= king) or saviour.

Jesus had a relative, John, the Baptist. He was

The people of Israel had been yearning for the

a prophet, that’s someone who fiercely tells people

Messiah, and they thought, “It’s John! He is the man

the truth. John was tough: he lived outdoors in the

who is going to throw those stupid Romans out of

desert with wild animals, he wore a shaggy garment

the country and make Israel great again.” But John

made of camel hair and lived on locusts and wild

said, “You’re barking up the wrong tree. I’m nothing

honey. People found their way to him, even though

compared to the one who is coming. I’m not even

he was not one to flatter them, “Hey, you are the

worthy to untie the straps of his sandals!” And he

worst of sinners! You need to change your lives

pointed at Jesus.

completely!” There were many people who said, “Whew, he is right!” And they were baptised as a

Curiosity mounted

sign to show that they wanted to start a new life.

Let’s check this out! Two of John’s followers went after Jesus until he turned around: “Are you searching for something?” What should they say?

It was awkward. “Let’s try addressing him as ‘rabbi’ (= teacher)”, they thought. And they said,

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“Rabbi, where do you live?” Jesus probably had a

to do this on your own now. I have to go away with

smile on his face when he said, “Well, come and

Jesus!” Well, it didn’t take long for him to become

see!” That’s what they did; and they didn’t just stay

the “boss” in Jesus’s crew as well.

for the whole day – they stayed for ever.

Things then moved quickly

One of them was called Andrew. He couldn’t wait to

The next day, Jesus wanted to set off from the

run to the fishing harbour to tell his brother Simon

Jordan – which, by the way, is the lowest point

the news, “Hey, hey … we’ve found him!!!” – “Who?”

on the earth’s surface – up to the hill country of

– “The Messiah!” Simon, of course, didn’t need to be

Galilee. That’s where he bumped into Philip.

told twice. He came to Jesus and stayed. That was

They had a chat, and Jesus said, “Come, follow me!”

amazing since he had a fishing company. Imagine

And he did. But Philip did not come alone – he

what his crew, who were perhaps sorting fish, must

brought Nathanael with him. Have you kept count?

have said when their “boss” told them, “You have

That already makes five …

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Just imagine what a huge troupe must have arrived

How do we arm ourselves?

in Galilee together with Jesus, and without the

Scene 1: They stop at a well: ah! water and shade!

slightest self-promotion. He could also have said,

They fill their bowls and sit down on the ground.

“I’m the greatest – and you are going to have a lot

All eyes are on Jesus, who is sitting at the edge of

of success. Money and all that!” That’s precisely

the well and quenches his thirst too. “Hey,” one of

what he did not do. He even said, “I’m warning you

them exclaims, “now tell us where we are heading

that if you come with me, foxes have dens and birds

and what we are supposed to do. Where do we get

have nests, where it’s cosy, but I can’t offer you any

weapons from?” Jesus is shaking his head: “Oh,

of that. Therefore, consider carefully if you want to

guys, you still don’t get it. My father in heaven has

join me!” Some of his first friends – the Bible also

sent me to you to bring good news to the poor. God

calls them “disciples” – certainly went back home:

wants the best for them. Whoever is blind now,

“Sorry, Jesus, but that’s too much of a risk …”

will see. Whoever is bound now, will be set free.”

Imagine if they had made a film of it back then.

The disciples probably had no idea of what he was talking about. “And what’s our job in all of this?”

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At the risk of their lives …

So they did just that. A few days later they came

Scene 2: A few weeks later: the friends have begun

back. “And, how did it go?” Jesus asked.

to understand Jesus better. Jesus picks out some of

“Amazing!” one of them said, “We were almost

them: “You! … You too! The two of you over there ...

working wonders. And nothing happened to us!”

and you with the red hair!” In the end, it’s seventy

“You’re my friends!”

people he comes back with – into, let’s say, a cave where they all can hear him well: “Listen. I’m sending

From now on you’re my friends

you, two by two, into the villages to tell the people,

Scene 3: Jesus said something incredible to his

‘The kingdom of God is very near!’ But do be

disciples: “I shall not call you servants any more,

careful: I’m sending you like harmless sheep into

because a servant does not know his master’s

the land of wolves.” – “But Jesus! don’t we need

business; I call you friends …” Wow! That was like

weapons?” – “No! Don’t take anything with you,

being promoted to the Premier League, and so

not even a money bag.”

much more. For what is a friend?

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You’re

FR I

my

EN D

S!!

A friend is someone I don’t keep secrets from.

A friend is someone I can trust one hundred percent, because I’ve tested him one hundred times.

And even if something happens, a friend comes and says, “I’ve got a confession to make, even if you’re going to despise me after that …”

Now you might say that these are just some old stories. No, they’re not! Jesus is still searching

Yes, I’m your friend.

I want to connect with you deeply!

today for real friends ready to go through thick and thin with him. Going to communion means you say to Jesus,

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My friendship makes you strong against evil!

I want to love people as much as I love myself!

o I want t have a rt! a pure he

Take w h Then y at you can ge ou are the gr t. eatest !

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sip! ! s o G tch a Scr te!

Bi

I want t peace o make w I see t hen w quarre o people lling.

I want to m ak no one feel e sure s lonely.

Don’t list en to Jes us!

He is the biggest spoilspor t in the w orld.

I want to forgive someone sincerely, as if nothing had happened!

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I’m proud if someone points a finger at me: “She/He is a Christian.

They even go to church.”

Think ofLF YOURSE! on l y

I res o not t lve to a abou lk badly t oth ers.

Be smart and phoney, devious and evil.

with I want to talk ay Jesus every d im kh (= pray), than elp oh and ask him t ife. dl me lead a goo

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c esus, be J t s n i a thing ag e m o s e DEVIL! I hav I’m THE

ause

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It’s good to have a friend Some people have a thousand friends;

being sad: be his friend!

Good and bad ones;

And when you see someone

Others have none at all.

being lonely: be his friend!

Maybe because they are not tall enough, not strong enough,

And when you see someone

not smart enough for everyone to want to be their friend.

no one likes: show him

God saw that.

that you like him!

Jesus did that;

And because it just cannot be that there is even one single person on earth who doesn’t have a friend, he sent his own son and said to him: “You be the best friend in the whole world!”

And when you see someone

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