First Communion
By Communion, we mean receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in the transformed (consecrated) gifts of bread and wine. We also call this sacrament "Holy Eucharist." All Catholics who have received First Communion initiation are invited to participate in the sharing of communion in Christ's body and blood.
Children who are in grade two (7 years of age), will be preparing for the reception of Holy Communion soon. If you have not registered your child please do so by contacting their teacher at St. Joseph School or the Parish office.
Adults who have been baptised but have not received the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation and Confirmation are asked to contact Fr. Dale about instruction and completing their initiation into the life of the Church.
We receive the tradition of Eucharist from Jesus himself, who celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples and therein anticipated his death; he gave himself to his disciples under the signs of bread and wine and commanded them from then on, even after his death, to celebrate the Eucharist. “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:24).
Every Holy Communion unites me more deeply with Christ, makes me a living member of the Body of Christ, renews the graces that I received in Baptism and Confirmation, and fortifies me for the battle against sin. [CCC 1391-1397, 1416]
By going up for communion, a person declares that they are a member of Christ's body and Church. For this reason, in the case of members of other Christian “ecclesial communities” or denominations, Holy Communion may be administered to an individual if there is a grave necessity and evidence of faith in the Real Presence in the Eucharist. Otherwise, it would be a contradiction if the Church were to invite to Communion people who do not (yet) share the faith and life of the Church, since the reception of the Eucharist is a sign of unity with the Catholic Church.
From Youcat 221, 222