First Holy Communion

St. xavier’s Parish

Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, India

Remembrance of First Holy Communion

9^th Feb 2014

Rev Fr. Valerian Dias

     (Parish Priest)

           Our Teachers

Sr. Vilasini                                        Sylvia Joseph

  

LIST OF COMMUNION CHILDREN FOR THE YEAR 2013-14

1)     STANLEE BARTHOLOMEW FIGUEIREDO 

2)    TERESA D’COSTA

3)    CALVIN MIRANDA

4)   NIKHIL MATHEW

5)    SHREYA MAKWANA

6)    NATHAN SERRAO

7)    CLIFFORD MASCARENHAS

8)    CHRIS MOSES

9)    DICKSON DAVIS

10) LEONARD FERNANDES                    

11)  LEANDER RODRIGUES

12) ABHIGYAN PARMAR

13)  RISHVA RAY

14) TRINSON THOMAS

15) ROSE MARIA FERNANDES

Animator:

The Sacrament of Holy Communion is the third of the Sacraments of Initiation. Even though we are required to receive Communion at least once per year (our Easter Duty), and the Church urges us to receive Communion frequently (even daily, if possible), it is called a sacrament of initiation because, like Baptism and Confirmation, it brings us into the fullness of our life in Christ.

In Holy Communion, we are eating the True Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, without which "you shall not have life in you" (John 6:53).

Receiving Holy Communion worthily brings us graces that affect us both spiritually and physically. Spiritually, our souls become more united to Christ, both through the graces we receive and through the change in our actions that those graces effect. Frequent Communion increases our love for God and for our neighbor, which expresses itself in action, which makes us more like Christ.

On Behalf of the First Holy Communicants and their Parents , I welcome you today for this special Eucharistic celebration. Today 15 children of our parish are going to receive jesus in their hearts for the first time. let us now stand and welcome our Communicants by singing the entrance hymn.

Entrance Hymn:

Celebrant:          In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
                     and of the Holy Spirit.
All:            Amen

Celebrant:          The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of      God,    and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:            And with your spirit

Penitential Rites

Child:        Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations
                  into the peace of God’s kingdom:

                  Lord have mercy                   

Child:        Lord Jesus, you come in word and sacrament
                  to strengthen us in holiness:

                  Christ have mercy                        

Child:        Lord Jesus, you will come in glory
                  with salvation for your people:

                  Lord have mercy                          

Celebrant:          May almighty God have mercy on us,
                  forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

All:            Amen

Glory to God on High.  ( To be Sung )

Celebrant:          O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament

                  have left us a memorial of your Passion,

                  grant us, we pray,

                  so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood

                  that we may always experience in ourselves

                  the fruits of your redemption.

                  Who live and reign with God the Father

                  in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

                  one God, for ever and ever.

All:            Amen

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading

A  reading from the book of Isaiah. (Chapter 58 verse 7-10)

Thus says the Lord, “ Share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, cover him, an do not hide yourself from your own flesh. Then shall your light break fort like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, here I am. “ If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness and your gloom be as the noon day. “

The word of the Lord.

All:   Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm ( to be Sung)

Second Reading

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.(Chapter 2 Verse 1-5)

When I came to you, brethren I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with in weakness and in much fear and trembling; and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

The word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

Gospel acclamation: ( to be Sung)

GOSPEL:

The Lord be with you

And with your spirit

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew Chapter 6: Verse 51-57

Glory to you O Lord.

Jesus said to his disciples: “ You are the salts of the earth; but the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. “

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

 

Homily:

Renewal of Baptismal Vows:

Animator: My Dear children, on the Day you were baptized you were given a candle lit from the Paschal Candle, which stands for Christ. The Priest said, “Receive the Light of Christ.” You were just a baby then so your God Parents received it for you. Now you are a child of God and are big enough to receive this light yourself. Take the light of Christ now and remember the promises you made in Baptism.

Priest: Do you reject Satan and all his works?

Children: I do

Priest: Do you believe in God the Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth?

Children: I do

Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified died and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

Children: I do

Priest: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church the Communion of Saints and forgiveness of Sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

Children: I do

Priest: May the light of Christ that you have received help and guide you to do what you have promised.

Children: Amen.

                 
Animator: Prayers of the Faithful

1. We pray for all our families. May God bless them and keep

     them safe.

     Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer

2. We pray for those with whom we share food every day.

    We remember those who have little food and often go hungry.

    Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer.

3. We pray for all those who have helped us prepare for this

Special day. We pray especially for our teachers Sr. Vilasini and Ms Sylvia and all who have helped us, May they know how much we appreciate their care and concern for us.

Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer.

4. We pray for ourselves as we celebrate our First Communion.

   May we always try to live like Jesus and to grow more like him

   as we follow him each day of our lives.

   Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer.

5. We pray for Fr Vally our Parish Priest and all the other Fathers   that God may give them the strength to carry on the good work they are doing for this Parish.

Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer.

6.We pray for all the sick, the lonely and those in grief, that the light of Christ’s love may shine on them and comfort them                               Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer.

7. We prayer for our Confirmation friends who will be receiving their Confirmation next Sunday, that the Holy Spirit come upon them and make them true Soldiers of the Church.

Your Respond: Lord hear our Prayer.

Pray for Community and Local needs.

Conclusion by the Celebrant:

Loving and merciful Father, we thank you for the light of  grace and love your Son Jesus brought into our world. Help us to keep his light burning in our lives so that we may bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips. We make this prayer...

Animator: Offertory Procession:

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

The gifts of bread and wine to be offered are now presented.

Priest: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours

may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Offerings

Priest:  Look upon the offerings of the Church, O Lord,
as she makes her prayer to you,
and grant that, when consumed by those who believe,
they may bring ever greater holiness.

Through Christ our Lord.

All:            Amen

The Eucharistic Prayer

Celebrant:          The Lord be with you.

All:            And with your spirit.

Celebrant:          Lift up your hearts.

All:            We lift them up to the Lord.

Celebrant:          Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All:            It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,

through Christ our Lord.

His Death we celebrate in Love,

His Resurrection we confess with living faith,
and his Coming in glory we await with unwavering hope.

And so, with all the Angels and the Saints,
we praise you as without end we acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

Priest: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.

Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,

by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,

so that they may become for us

the Body X and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion,

he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,

and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and eat of it:
For this is my body which will be given up for you.

In a similar way, when supper was ended,

he took the chalice       and, once more giving thanks,

he gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  do this in memory of me.

Priest: The mystery of faith.

When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,

we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.

Then the Priest, with hands extended, says:

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation,

giving thanks that you have held us worthy

to be in your presence and minister to you.

Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,

we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.

 Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world,

and bring her to the fullness of charity,

together with Francis our Pope and Thomas our Bishop,

and all the clergy.

 Remember also our brothers and sisters

who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection,

and all who have died in your mercy:

welcome them into the light of your face.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,

that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,

with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints

who have pleased you throughout the ages,

we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,

and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.

The Celebrant takes the chalice and the paten with the host and,
raising both, he sings:

Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours,

for ever and ever.

All: Amen!

The Communion Rite
Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come, thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Priest: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,

graciously grant peace in our days,

that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin

and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope

and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ

                 

                  All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory

                  are yours now and forever.

         Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles:

Peace I leave you, my peace I give you;

look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,

and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will.

Who live and reign for ever and ever.

All:            Amen.

                 

                     Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

All:            And with your spirit.

Priest:        Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

 Lamb of God :

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Priest: Behold the Lamb of God,

behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,

but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Animator: Now the children will come for communion followed by their Parents.

Communion hymns begin.

Prayer after Communion

Priest:  May sharing at the heavenly table
sanctify us, Lord, we pray,
so that through the Body and Blood of Christ
the whole family of believers may be bound together.

Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Animator: A brief word of thanks from a communicant , followed by a Parent. 

Solemn Blessing :

The Celebrant, with hands extended, says:
The Lord be with you

All: And with your spirit

May God the Father, who called us together
bless you, protect you and keep you faithful.

All: Amen.

May Christ the Lord, the High King of Heaven,
be near you at all times and shield you from all evil.

All: Amen.

May the Holy Spirit,

who is the source of all holiness,
make you rich in the love of God’s people.

All: Amen.

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

All:  Thanks be to God.

Recessional Hymn

Animator: Children please come after your name is called for your Certificate and Gift.

We Thank very specially the below Persons who have made this day a success for all of us.

Rev Fr. Valerian Dias sj    (Parish Priest)

Rev Fr. Jerry Fernandes sj (Asst Parish Priest)

Rev Fr. Siddharth sj           (Asst Parish Priest)

Rev Fr. Mathew sj              (Asst Parish Priest)

Sr. Vilasini                          (Teacher)

Ms Sylvia Joseph               (Teacher)

Children views on receiving First Holy Communion.

We the First Holy Communicants would like to share our views on receiving Jesus for the First time.

1.    Holy communion helped me in having more faith in Jesus. I learnt many things about Jesus. It  is a nice experience.---------Chris Moses

2.    It feels like now  I am a soldier of Jesus. I have been waiting to receive my Holy communion. Now I am happy I will receive Jesus in my Heart. ---------Leander John

3.    I enjoyed to learn about Jesus and to be with him. This is my First Holy Communion,that I am going to receive. After this I will promise Jesus to be good.----------Trinson

4.    I am happy to receive my First Holy Communion and I am happy to receive Jesus for the 1st time and I know Jesus loves me a lot.--------Nathan Serrao

5.    I sm receiving god in my heart so I am feeling happy and saying that i will always remember him. In joyful remembrance of my First Holy Communion.-----------Danisha

6.    Jesus is a gift for me and he is my spirit.------Shreya Makwana

7.    I am happy to recieve Jesus in my heart. I am very excited ,i cannot wait to receive my First Holy Communion.---------Nikhil Mathew

8.    I am very happy to receive Jesus in my heart. I am waiting for this for a long.------------Leonard

9.    I am feeling good and I am feeling very excited from inside that this year I am receiving Jesus in my heart.----------Rishva

10.I feel now that I am a desciple of Jesus. I am very happy to receive my First Holy Communion. I am happy to receive Jesus in my heart.--------  Abhigyan

11.Receiving Jesus is going to be a wonderful and spiritual experience. ------- Dickson Davis.

12.When I receive Jesus I will feel truly blessed------ Stanlee.

13.It was a wonderful experience for me to come close to Jesus.------- Clifford.

14.I welcome Jesus in my heart.--------Rose Maria.

15.I am blessed to receive the Holy Communion and am happy.--------Calvin.