The Sacrament of First Eucharist (Holy Communion)
Eucharist is the sacrament that is at the heart of our faith and gives us our Christian identity. It is the sacrament that nourishes and strengthens the whole community and indeed makes us ‘Church and Body of Christ for the world’.
In preparing for the Sacrament of Eucharist, your child is preparing to receive Jesus at Holy Communion for the first time.
The Eucharist is the sacrament that completes the process of initiation into the Christian community. When candidates share in the sacred meal of the Christian community for the first time, they do so as fully initiated members.
Eucharist is unique among the sacraments. It gathers the community, gives it its Christian identity and prepares the community for mission. Eucharist is, by its very nature, communal. It is the sacrament that nourishes and strengthens the whole community and indeed makes us ‘Church and Body of Christ for the world’.
Although your child is completing their initiation into God’s family, this is not the end of the road; this is only the beginning. Once you are fully initiated (that is, you have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), you are called by God to a special mission. To keep you fed, strengthened and nourished for God’s special mission, God invites us to Mass each Sunday to play a special part in the Eucharist.
Often, parents wonder what their children wear for First Communion. The children are encouraged to wear their best clothes, or neat, casual clothes. Boys generally wear a shirt and pants with closed in shoes (no thongs please). Some boys wear a tie, others a suit and tie. Girls often use the opportunity to wear a dress or skirt and top. A white dress is not compulsory, but from our experience in previous years the majority, if not all, of the girls do wear white. Flowers in the girls’ hair is a popular choice and a veil is another option although has not been as common.
If your child cannot eat wheat or gluten allergy they still can receive First Holy Communion. Special hosts are available to meet gluten free dietary requirements. Please advise us in advance if your child has any allergies and requires a special host so that we may have it available on the day.
Jesus said to the crowd: ‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’ John 6:51
Some information has been taken from
Horan, Kathy (2009) Eucharist, A practical workbook for parents and children and
Horan, Kathy (2006) Becoming Catholic, a parent's guide to Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist & Reconciliation