The Holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord’s own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist. Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC 1322]
“At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Saviour 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'” [CCC 1323]
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” [CCC 1324]
Preparation of Candidates for First Holy Communion
Only those who have been baptised or received into the Catholic Faith (as baptised) can make their First Holy Communion. There are two stages of preparation:
- Children should already be attending Sunday Mass before instruction. Regular attendance is essential so that they can be at least familiar with the Mass. Children need to absorb the Faith just as much as being taught it. They cannot do this if they are not regularly coming to Mass. This is the responsibility of all Catholic parents who should themselves be attending. Sunday Mass is, after all, an obligation for Catholics. [CCC 2042]
- The final preparation of children is the responsibility of the Parish and it takes place after school hours in our Parish Halls at St John Vianney and Our Lady of the Assumption, but in school at St Cuthbert’s.
Applications for this year – See the latest Newsletter