About First Communion

At Masses and services offered in Christian churches, part of the liturgy is devoted to the celebration of the Last Supper, when Jesus Christ offered bread and wine to his disciples as his own body and blood. While Christian faiths incorporate communion in their ceremony, the Roman Catholic church dedicates half of its mass to the celebration.
The receipt of the first communion, or Eucharist as it often called, is a rite of passage in the church. Children between the ages of 5 and 8 prepare with study to take this first step into the church's family.

History

The Eucharist is derived from Scripture. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he writes: "The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' "

Significance

The First Eucharist is the third act of Christian initiation, according to the Catholic Church, and is the second sacrament offered to children following baptism. The tenets of the study revolve around Christ's sacrifice and the transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is the belief that the bread and wine offered at Communion is the body and blood of Christ.
First Communion is administered by an ordained priest or a diocesan bishop, who are the only representatives of the church that can facilitate the consecration, or the blessing of the bread and wine.

Function

The function of First Eucharist preparation is the requirement of Canon Law that children must be able to understand the "mystery of Christ" and have the ability to receive the Eucharist with a strong faith and devotion to Christ. The children are also taught the proper way to receive the Eucharist. The recipient approaches the Eucharistic minister, with one hand underneath the other. The minister presents the host by saying, "The body of Christ." The recipient says, "Amen."
If wine is offered to parishioners, the recipient moves to the next Eucharistic minister, who says, "The blood of Christ." The recipient answers by saying, "Amen." The recipient takes a sip of wine and returns to his seat.

Benefits

The First Eucharist opens the door to other Catholic sacraments. By making the First Eucharist, a child can participate in other Catholic rites, including the initiation rite of confirmation. In order to be confirmed, a Catholic must have received her First Eucharist and made her first penance. Adults cannot be married in the Catholic church or enter the priesthood without having been confirmed.

Function

The Catholic First Eucharist ceremony is usually held separate from regular Mass. The ceremony is as much about tradition as it is theology. Clothing by the child is often white to symbolize purity, with boys wearing white dress shirts and girls donning white dresses and veils.