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Receiving Holy Communion in the Catholic Church
Jesus did not abandon us when He ascended into Heaven. He remains with us in His Church, which continues His work of teaching, healing, and guiding us. One of the greatest ways that He is with us is in the sacrifice of the Eucharist, where bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, who is fully present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
We worship Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament during the Mass, at Eucharistic Adoration, and where He is present in the tabernacle, but one of the most important and intimate ways that we share in His presence is when we receive Holy Communion. Holy Communion unites us more closely to Jesus, and it is also a sign that we are living in communion with His Church, following the teachings that Jesus has handed down to us.
WHAT HAPPENS AT HOLY COMMUNION?In Holy Communion, we receive Jesus Christ, who gives Himself to us in His body, blood, soul, and divinity. This intimate union with Christ both signifies and strengthens our union with Him and His Church. Jesus speaks of the importance of Holy Communion when He states, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”1 Because Holy Communion unites us to Jesus, it also strengthens us against sin, helps us to live a Christian life, and prepares us for the heavenly banquet.
Each time we receive Holy Communion well, we not only receive the Body of Christ but become more deeply united to Christ in His Body, the Church. This great gift calls for great preparation and invites us to give the rest of our lives to Jesus, as well. -
Children in the second grade are prepared by their parents for the reception of the Eucharist for the first time. The program for parents is held in the winter. The celebration of First Holy Communion is held in the spring. The preparation program is under the direction of the Religious Education Office at (302) 994-7757. The welcome letter detailing the sacramental preparation is located in the Document section on this page. The link to register your child for Sacramental Preparation is https://form.jotform.com/61545226060145.
Catholic Mass - Order of Mass (structure, explanation, basic texts)
Sacramental Resource: Catechism of the Catholic Church