Dear Friends,
I am so happy to celebrate First Holy Communion with our children in the coming weeks. I consider those celebrations as moments of grace both for our parish community and the families of our children. For children who are preparing to receive their First Holy Communion, this is a big deal. And for all of us, no matter how many times we have received Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, it should always be a big deal. I want to direct the following paragraphs to the parents of our First Communicants. (Taken from Timothy O’Malley).
“Of course, we don't have to point out to you that your child is a gift. You know this most of all. You have held your newborn son or daughter in your arms. You have laughed at their earliest attempts to dance in the living room, bouncing up and down with joy. You have delighted in their developing sense of humor. You love them. And they serve for you as a daily reminder of the joyful gift of life itself.
The Church also has seen your child develop with joy. We at Christ the King – St. Stephen watched as your son or daughter was baptized in our midst. We have been overjoyed to see them here among us on Sundays and major feast days. We love them as our brothers and sisters in Christ, who remind us of the joy and wonder that should be part and parcel of the Christian life.
