First Eucharist Preparation  

First Eucharist Class 2011

The First Eucharist Program at Saint Clare of Montefalco Church expects:

1. faithful attendance and active participation in weekly classes and at weekly Sunday Mass, 

2. attendance and participation by parent and child in the Sacramental preparation sessions, classes, meetings, and rehearsals, see dates below.

THE EUCHARIST - SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF ECCLESIAL LIFE

(From the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

1324 The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life."¹³⁶ "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."

1325 "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."

1326 Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.

1327 In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: "Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking."

1389 The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily.

First Eucharist Banners

(Samples shown here:  Directions and size requirements for our parish project may be found at this link here:) We we will continue the tradition of the First Communion banner-making-project to mark the pews where families will sit on First Communion Day. 

Completed banners are due at the first rehearsal in Church for First Eucharist on April 19, 2012.

In keeping with our banner theme for First Eucharist, the children will all be signing a very special hymn called “His Banner Over Me Is Love” at the First Communion Celebration. The song is age-appropriate for young children and it has simple words and gestures that we will practice with each of the classes and all together as a group, so that the children can sing it as a post-communion reflection with joy for the congregation on their special day.

We will set up the music practices to help the children learn both the music and gestures.

Parent Meeting for First Eucharist  and First Reconciliation Candidates:  Wednesday, January 18, 2012 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Church social hall.

Parent-Child Pot Luck Dinner and Bread-Tasting Workshop, Thursday, February 9, 2012 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Church social hall.

First Reconciliation:   March 15, 2012 7:00-8:15 p.m. in Church.

Grade Level Mass for grades 1 & 2, Sunday April 1, 2012 at 9:00 a.m., Sunday Social follows

Mandatory First Communion Practice: Thursday, April 19, 2012 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Church 

First Communion Banners are due at practice.

Celebration of First Eucharist: April 22, 2012 at 11:00 p.m. Holy Mass in Church. 

Pews will be reserved for all First Communicants and their families at this parish celebration.