*Updated to Add: She passed the interview!
“How lovely it was, that first kiss of Jesus in my heart — it was truly a kiss of love. I knew that I was loved and said, ‘I love You, and I give myself to You forever.’”
–St. Thérèse on her First Communion (from Story of a Soul)
Felicity has her First Communion interview this evening, after which we get to make her banner.
I love the banner-making workshop! My inner scrapbooker comes out with a vengeance.
(You didn’t know I had an inner scrapbooker, did you. Alas, the cardstock & glue sticks & die cuts & stickers have long been forsaken in favor of, well, this blog.)
(The blog’s less messy.)
Seriously though, if you could say a prayer for Felicity I would appreciate it. She is so very shy and it is hard for her to express her faith. Also, the sacramental terminology is confusing her. She gets the words “consecration” and “communion” mixed up, and she has a hard time remembering what makes a priest a priest.
(You know the answer, right? It’s the sacrament of Holy Orders.)
So of course I’ve been fretting over whether or not she’s “ready”. Does Our Lord care that she doesn’t completely understand what’s happening? Probably not.
And who among us does, really?
I did feel indicted this morning when I read this beautiful testimony by St. Thérèse. I have been so caught up in the busy-ness of this event—that is, in the external preparations for Felicity’s First Communion this Sunday—that I feel as though I’ve missed the whole point.
She will be receiving Our Lord for the very first time, and there will never be another first time.
It makes my eyes water to think of it.
Would that all our communions be treated with such care.
I have really enjoyed your posts about your daughter's first communion preparation and anticipation. My daughter will be having her first communion in the Anglican church, on Pentecost Sunday. I am so excited about this growth in her faith, and yet so nostalgic for those sweet baby days, which are certainly now long gone.
Great post, Margaret! She is ready! We will be praying for her!
St. Therese's account of her first Communion was the best thing we did to prepare Gianna. We read it to her a final time the morning of her big day. It's the first advice I give when anyone asks me how to prepare a child to receive Our Lord. I'm so happy for you both Margaret. Felicity is ready. (In the eastern church they receive Him in infancy!)
Did you read our Fr. Sebastian's words on Gianna's day? "Newborn lambs…a new colony of bees…the flower of our ministry…" So beautiful! Gianna still loves to hear them.
God bless Felicity!
Our pastor reminded us all during his homily at the First Communion masses that we should ALL have that same glowing smile that the children do every time we receive.
It's a blessing to prepare children for First Eucharist — our own and my students. Seeing it new through so many children's eyes just helps to remind me of the awe of Jesus giving Himself to us.
Kristen's reminder that the Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox receive in infancy gave me the hope that someday my daughter, who is 7 this year, but developmentally disabled, may receive her First Communion. It will just take her some years longer to be ready.
Prayers for Felicity!
Got me thinking and praying. Yes…if only ALL our communions were like this kind of preparation.
Thank goodness God gives us children so we can experience all this wonder.
We will be praying for her.
We will continue to pray for Felicity and all other First Communicants.
Pax Christi – lena
My daughter's first communion was at a progressive Anglican church – we went in for a midday service and they offered us communion afterwards and she said she was okay with it, but I was so freaked out that I'd done it without any preparation or thought, I prayed for ages in the church afterwards and rushed off to buy her a candle! I'll always regret that episode. Felicity's experience is a profound and beautiful one and I do pray for her.
I will definitely pray for her.
It is a special sacrament! She'll be absolutely fine! Just as in the confessional, the Priest has seen and heard many many things at these interviews (and more than likely, many chuckles). I make my confessor laugh all the time. 😉 My weaknesses are hilarious. I hope God sees them that way, too.
God bless!
I was going through a box of stuff my mom kept from my childhood yesterday. In 7th grade I did a Marian Medal project for Girl Scouts. One of the sections dealt with the mysteries of the church and for the wrap up I wrote the following:
I can understand mysteries and talk about God all I want but if I do not have love I will be like a person who likes to talk about everything and anything. Love goes to anyone freely and willingly. Hate, not love rejoices in what is evil. Love rejoices in what is good. There is no limit to love. It can go on forever.
Men are imperfect. Women are imperfect. Prophets and priests are imperfect. The people closest to perfection are children. They love everyone no matter what. There are 3 things that will last: faith, hope and love. Of course, as pointed out by St. Paul the greatest of these is love.
I thought these word may help you find comfort. I was 11 years old when I wrote them. It reminded me that children are capable of understanding much more about issues of faith than adults. I'm sure that Felicity is ready for her first kiss from Jesus. Especially with the wonderful example from her parents and so many people praying for her.
OOOH! I love that workshop. Have fun and give Felicity "a warm embrace" from me.
God bless her! We'll say a Hail Mary for her at dinner tonight.
P.S. Word verification: poopa
They must know Ellie. That's her favorite word these days.
Margaret, I hope you don't mind. But I'm now responding to Kate J.
Kate, talk to your pastor, DRE, or someone in the Diocesan office. It is definitely possible for developmentally delayed or disabled children (or adults) to receive the sacraments. Sometimes there are special programs to do so, other times it's individualized for the family with the pastor's consent.
We have a family with several special needs children and their daughter — who is nonverbal and autistic, receives Communion. They worked with the way she learned, used picture stories, and could demonstrate to Father that she recognized that the host was holy, not regular bread. (I'm over simplifying it here however).
We also have a Special Disciples program that uses small group or individual religious instruction to children with special needs. I had a boy in my ("regular") class diagnosed with a number of issues this year. At the beginning of the year, his mom told me she didn't think he'd be ready for his sacraments this year.
But he was! With his parents' help and reinforcement at home and a great young aide (a Confirmand) in class, he clearly understood enough and was prepared.
So keep praying for your daughter, but also find out what help you can get for her — or what materials you can use at home. She should be able to receive the Eucharist!
We just had First Communion at our parish last weekend, and our pastor reminded us that EVERY time we receive Jesus is just as special as our first time. And then he commented on how beautifully the kids were dressed, and how we should always dress our best for receiving Jesus…it was definitely a convicting moments for me in my jeans and shirt (not my normal Mass attire but we had just come from a family party and didn't have time to change) – gulp!
Margaret, I love reading your blog, and I have enjoyed your posts about Felicity's preparation. I am too late for the meeting, but since God is outside of time, I will pray for Felicity, and you tonight, and the family will include her in our Rosary intentions tomorrow. I am so happy for you, and for Felicity! May God bless you all in this joyful and exciting time!