Holy Communion
At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior, Jesus, 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: as sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity. We are encouraged to receive the holy Eucharist every Sunday and on feast days. During the Mass the Holy Spirit makes present the mystery of Christ to :
- Prepare the assembly to encounter Christ in an intimate union.
- To recall and manifest Christ to the faith of the assembly.
- To make the saving work of Christ present and active by his transforming power.
- Wipe away our venial sin and strengthen our charity.
- Unite us to all the faithful in one body-the Church.
- To make the gift of communion bear fruit in the Church.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1112)
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian Life. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, Christ himself. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324)
Reception of the Eucharist
Holy Communion is celebrated at all weekday and weekend Masses.
For adults, the reception of Holy Communion is for Catholics in union with the Catholic Church. The person says, “Amen”, I believe, these three things:
- I believe this is the Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord;
- I believe and ascent everything the Catholic Church holds to be true as revealed by God;
- I am in communion with this body of Christian people.
The teachings of the different Christian denominations vary and contradict. This is why Catholics do not receive communion in other Christian denominations because by doing so they would be making a false statement. If you are not Catholic, you are welcome to come forward with your arms crossed during the distribution of Communion to receive a blessing.
For children, the reception of first holy Communion occurs during second grade. If your child is not enrolled in our school, contact the parish office at 309-682-8642 for more information.
Additional Resources
Further Reading on the Eucharist
