“The Eucharist is the heart of the Church. Where Eucharistic life flourishes, there the life of the church will blossom.”
– Pope John Paul the Great
You know, it seems like just yesterday that I was bringing this little gal home from the hospital and my mom was commenting on how she looks so much like me. (She looks like me and she is like me. Gulp!) It seems like just yesterday and in a way it was. The years have passed very quickly.
It was different preparing my daughter for this sacrament than it was with my two sons. It was fussier, first of all, what with the hair and the veil and the gloves and all, but in addition to all that it was also just more… mother/daughter, if you know what I mean. It was just different.
Here she is reading the letter that I wrote for her. This was the first time that I’d done that, having never thought of it before, though I have done birth letters for all my children.
When I asked Cate what she thought of it, she replied, in her typically chipper little way, “Well, it broke my heart!”
So would you be interested in seeing a few more photos? I’ll admit that I winced when I heard we were given the 9:00 a.m. Mass for Cate’s First Communion, as we are decidedly an 11:00 a.m. Mass family. Plus we had to get there early, which meant leaving the house at 7:45. Ack! I didn’t know how in the world I was going to get Cate ready and yet, it all worked out in the end. God is good and do you know how He helped me do it? He had our heater break over the weekend! Cate came downstairs at 6:00 a.m., freezing cold but ready to go.
Anyway. Back to those photos.
Another huge difference (in my family anyway) between girls and boys is the length of time that girls are willing to be photographed. Cate was more than willing to pose for innumerable photos.
What do you think? Does she look like me? I haven’t ordered reprints yet, so let me know which ones are the best. I think my favorites are the two close-ups where she is looking off to the side.
Or how about this one?
Have I mentioned she’s an extrovert? Yes, I believe I have.
We took as many photos at Mass as we were able, although most of our time was spent keeping our squirrelly First Communicant focused and our 3-year-old in the pew. We were able to take the following photo which is always always always my favorite:
Now it’s my heart that is breaking. At one point my husband remarked, “Three down, two to go,” and that just did wonders for my mascara, I’ll tell you. How can one be unmoved by the thought of welcoming God into your soul? Why are we not at Mass more often? (That is not a rhetorical question. I am addressing it to my own family.)
Here is a photo of the whole big beautiful group:
And the obligatory family shot outside the church:
And of course one with Grandma and Grandpa:
This is my husband’s mom and her husband, two of the sweetest people you would ever care to meet. My own dear mother suffered a mild stroke on the Monday before the ceremony and so, understandably, was not able to attend. (She is doing well, thanks be to God. She had to take half the pharmacy home with her from the hospital but she is well.)
I have to show you a few photos from the reception and then we’ll be done, I promise. Here I am with my mother-in-law and my neighbor, Gloria, who is also an amazingly kind woman. Her daughters have been babysitting our children for years.
Gloria is the sort of person who will drop everything to help you out. The past week had been a difficult one for me, given my mother’s time in the hospital and the fact that my husband & son took off on an overnight camping trip on Friday. They had my blessing, don’t worry, but this does not mean that I dealt well with it once they’d left. In fact, I hit a wall. I called up Gloria on Friday evening and said, “Gloria, I’m stuck. I don’t know what to serve on Sunday and I’m thinking that Macaroni Grill after Mass sounds really good right now.”
Well, I’ll tell you. She talked me through it.
And then she did all my shopping for me on Saturday while Cate and the other kids & I were at her retreat; and she brought us lunch when we got home; and she stayed to help prepare the food for the reception.
That’s the kind of kind person she is. What did I do to deserve such generous people in my life? Nothing. Will I pay it forward, though? Ah, that’s the key.
Let’s wrap things up, shall we? Here’s a photo of the cake (because you have to include a photo of the cake):
And a photo of the little lamb-shaped lump of butter that Gloria brought (pretty cute, huh?):
And finally, one last happy shot of our guest-of-honor.
“Happy” is the word for it, isn’t it? He has come so that we may have life, and have it to the full! I am reminded of Blessed Mother Teresa, who was a living witness to the power of the Eucharist, and who summed up her own humble, amazing life so beautifully with these words:
“We cannot separate our lives from the Eucharist; the moment we do, something breaks. People ask, ‘Where do the sisters get the joy and the energy to do what they are doing?’ The Eucharist involves more than just receiving; it also involves satisfying the hunger of Christ. He says, ‘Come to Me.’ He is hungry for souls.”
Coincidentally, when we asked Cate on the way home from Mass how it was, receiving Our Lord for the first time, she responded, “Well, I was really, really starving when I went up to receive Him, and afterwards, I was barely hungry!”
Enough said.
Thank you all for sharing this first sacrament with us. May God bless and keep your family always, and may His Eucharist love be yours.
Ad Jesum per Mariam,
It’s about time! The photos are GORGEOUS! She is gorgeous (so is her mom). It sounds like you had a joy filled day and I’m so happy about that.
Congratulations from Uruguay. I always told my children (10) when they had their first communion, that many years afterwords, in my case let´s say 50, they will remember even every little thing that happened that glorius day.
OH happy day! Such gorgeous photos and gorgeous family! First communions are so awesome, the kids look like angels and well, the joy just abounds. Glory be to God in the highest! It’s the coolest sacrament! Congratulations!
beautiful photos – like the very first one best. i would love to hear what you served – your table looks scrumptious!
Mags, it’s just beautiful, you are just beautiful and so is that new little first communicant!! Many blessings to you all!
Okay, I just wrote this long comment only to have it disappear, so in short:
Beautiful, sweet, happy girl! You are radiant in every way! May each and every one of your receptions of Our Lord be as though it were your first, your last and your only.
(I love the photos in front of the bay window and the gorgeous picture on the tire swing. And I agree with you, Margaret, on the best picture of all. 🙂
What a beautiful post!!
First, prayers for your mother.
I love the picture of Cate full length by the bay window best. But they are all beautiful!!
Yes, I notice the same thing, my girls are always ready to pose, but my son, always ready to make funny faces and disappear!
What a wonderful neighbor you have!! I still have tears in my eyes from reading that part. How wonderful also of you, to allow her to do all she wanted to to help you. I always go into the “I can do everything” mode.
What a wonderful, holy, blessed day!!
Yes, she DOES look like a little Margaret, only blonde!
My son is counting his Communions and we’ve only made it to one week-day Mass, so he’s only up to 4 Communions in 2 1/2 full weeks…yes, we HAVE to go to Mass more often!
What beautiful pictures! What a beautiful little girl – so full of joy! We had our First Communion on Saturday. I have pictures up at my blog. It was nice – though 90 children received at one Mass. It was a bit crowded (okay – really really crowded)
So precious, and she looks just like you down to the smile.
You are blessed. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
What wonderful prayerful preparations and blessings of friends! The pictures are just lovely. I think my favorite was of her at the altar rail:)
What a lovely day…what a blessed young lady!
How delightful that you shared your celebration with us all. The photos are beautiful, and yes, she looks just like you!
Blessings to you, dear Cate! May you be this excited every Mass hereafter.
Two peas in a pod, the both of you. I loved all the pictures, but I really like the one where she’s looking out the window.
Thank you for sharing in this beautiful Sacrament.
Many congratulations to Cate on her blessed day!
I thought of you, my dear, as we sat at the 11:00 Mass and wondered how Cate’s First Communion went. I got the privilege of helping to distribute Communion, so I got to see all the kids from the front. Another one of the extraordinary ministers commented on how pure and innocent the kids looked. Made me wonder how we can help them hold on to that…
BTW, I am going to keep your mother’s recovery in my prayers. I love how she said she was full after she received Our Lord. How sweet!!
How beautiful she is! I can’t imagine getting a party after ready with the retreat the day before– ours was a month ago—but maybe it would have solve the rehearsal problems we had.
Anyway, your right, girls are different. And of course we are praying for your mom.
Beautiful, beautiful! The First Communion girl, the mom, the dad, the brothers, the sisters, the grandma and grandpa, and the cake! What a glorious day! Happy First Communion Miss Cate!
PS The bedroom below is not beautiful, but I suppose you are excused!
Beautiful!
Prayers for your mom.
I vote for all the pictures. Have one blown up to 8 x 10. They are all so beautiful.
I have only one daughter so the picture taking will be a little crazy on her big day!
She is so darling. Oh, how beautiful, so pure, in her white dress and lovely veil.
What a blessed day.
You, Margaret, are also quite beautiful! Like mother, like daughter!
Congratulations to a beautiful first communicant! Great photos and description of the day. Thank you for sharing all of the sweetness with us.
Love the pictures. What a wonderful day!
YES she looks like you!!!!!! 🙂
Bless your darling Cate! It reminded me of when my daughters made their first communion many moons ago.
Margaret your Mom is in my prayers, and so are you. How are you “feeling” these days?
My favorite pictures? The very first one with the shadows and the “can I get a ‘whoopwhoop’?” one. Congratulations! It’s really beautiful that she could receive kneeling and on the tongue.
She really looks just like you!
Such beautiful photos, Margaret. Thank you for sharing them with us. Congratulations and blessings to your sweet girl on the occasion of her First Communion. Our parish had First Communion this past weekend, and the priest called the kids up to stand around the altar during the Consecration. It was such a sight to behold; I couldn’t help but cry!
Your celebration looks like it was such a special and fun time. What a joy for your whole family. 🙂
yes, she looks just like you.
and… you got a picture of her receiving??? Wow. At my church, they told us at every meeting not to take pictures and just before Mass, the priest asked us in English and Spanish not to take pictures. I didn’t know anyone allowed that. Congrats on your beautiful day!
Beautiful! Blessings, so many blessings!
Congratulations Cate!
She does look like you, especially in that one photo…she is smiling with her head slightly tilted, just like your photo in the sidebar. 🙂
What a beautiful little girl who YES, looks just like her MAMA. I don’t have the experience of boys, but we just went through our 3rd Communion and I have to say it was so meaningful. Maybe it is because my husband now shares the faith and our family as a whole is so much more involved in our Church.
Congratulations to your daughter and big ((((HUGS)))) to her Mom who I can tell is so very, VERY proud.
She’s a beauty, just like her Mama!
Your daughter is so blessed to have a mother that understands the importance of the Eucharist. I hope someday I can be the same good teacher to my children. God Bless you!
Beautiful photos, Margaret. That one photo of her with the white background where she’s looking away from the camera is stunning! It’s a wonderful shot.
As for the rest, it’s a good thing I don’t have mascara on. You need a tissue alert.
Congratulations to Cate.
can i just say how happy i was to see her receiving on the tongue?! that’s such an amazingly beautiful shot! i only wish it was done that way here. Maybe one day…