The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch. The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1323-1327 )
The First Holy Communion ritual celebrates a child’s second step toward full initiation into the Church. The Eucharist is the greatest gift Jesus gave to us – the gift of Himself. This gift takes a lifetime to understand, and requires a response from us. The special nature of this gift requires that our children are prepared to receive it well.
The Eucharist is the heart and soul of our Catholic faith. In celebrating this Sacrament, we are fed on both God’s life-giving Word and the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Participation in the Eucharist transforms us into Christ’s body present in the world as the Church, calling us to do in our own lives what Jesus did in his.
Preparation for the Sacrament
At your child’s Baptism you, the parents, were told that you “would be the first and best teachers of your children in the way of faith.” Parental involvement in the preparation of your child for First Holy Communion is paramount. The Parish helps, but does not replace your part in the process of leading your children in the development of their faith. The best preparation for the Eucharist is taking your child to mass regularly and helping your child understand what it is all about.
First Holy Communion is most often celebrated by children around the age of seven or eight, when they reach the age of reason and are capable of participating in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church.
Children preparing to receive their First Holy Communion must meet the below criteria.
- Be baptized
- The Sacrament of Confirmation and Eucharist are often received at the same time.
- Attend at least 2 years of Religious Education classes at St. Dominic Parish
- Regularly attend Sunday mass
Adults looking to receive their First Holy Communion must do so through RCIA. Please contact the Parish Office to learn more about this program.
The Eucharist is more than you realize: the Real Presence, a Sacrifice and a Meal.
