Reception of the Eucharist
The Catholic Church teaches that upon consecration of the gifts, the bread and the wine become the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The fullness of Christ's Divinity is truly present in the bread and the wine, although the accidents of bread and wine still remain. In the reception of the Holy Eucharist, the Christian receives the fullness of Christ and becomes transformed more and more through grace to be like Christ.
Guidelines for Catholics
On November 14, 1996, the Administrative Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) approved the following guidelines in regards to the sharing of the Holy Eucharist:
As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.
Christians of other denominations are not ordinarily invited to participate in the reception of the Eucharist because they do not believe in the reality of the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Likewise, a Catholic should not receive communion from a non-Catholic service. For a Catholic to receive communion from a non-Catholic service, though perhaps not intentionally, is proclaiming that the two communions are equal. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states,
Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, "have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy Orders." It is for this reason that Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible for the Catholic Church. However these ecclesial communities, "when they commemorate the Lord's death and resurrection in the Holy Supper ... profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and await his coming in glory." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1400)
Reception may be on the tongue or in the palm, though Pope Benedict XVI has stated that the preferred method of receiving the Eucharist is on the tongue. If receiving in the palm, make a little "throne" with left hand, and place your right hand underneath it. Once in your palm, place the Host reverently in your mouth with your right hand. The Host must be consumed immediately. Do not take the host back to your pew to be consumed.
If you find a Host on the floor or in a hymnal, please notify the pastor or a Eucharistic minister immediately.
Preparation for First Communion The parish, as the place of sacramental celebration, prepares children from both our Catholic School and our parish religion program for their first reception of sacraments. Children need to be both 7 or above and in Grade 2 or above in Catholic School or in the parish's Religious Education program and attending Sunday Mass regularly. There is no upper age limit, and yearly we prepare children through Middle School. A child's parent must be registered in the parish.
Children are required to prepare first for the Sacrament of Penance.
Preparation for first Holy Communion begins after the first of the new year for those who have already been prepared for Penance in the fall or in previous years. First Eucharist is usually celebrated at a parish Mass by the whole group together shortly after Easter.
There is no fee for sacramental preparation.
[Download the Sacramental Prep Class Schedule]
[Download an enrollment form]