FIRST COMMUNION - DETAILS

SOLEMN FIRST COMMUNION MORNING

On the morning of May 1, please make sure your child is in his or her assigned classroom by 9:30 a.m. Classroom assignments are same as for the retreat, as follows:

Mr. Liberato (8:30 a.m.) – Room 104
Dan and Joe (10:30 a.m.) – Room 104
Ms. Palaka and Ms. Raina (10:30 a.m.) – Room 100
Ms. DeLuca and Ms. Leppek (10:30 a.m.) – Room 100
Mrs. Ravizza (5 p.m.) – Room 101
Mrs. Lewis (5 p.m.) – Room 101
Mrs. Paget and Mrs. Jong (Monday) – Room 105
Mrs. Brantley (Monday) – Room 105

We ask parents not to remain in the classrooms. It is much easier to keep the children calm and get them organized without parents in the room. Teachers will make certain that veils are secured and ties are straight.

PHOTOGRAPHS – Please DO NOT take photographs until Mass is concluded. Sometimes so many people stand outside to take photographs before Mass that the children process into a half-empty church. Furthermore, the photographers’ late entrance into their seats annoys others. A number of people have asked me to emphasize – Please, No Photographs! Also, please refrain from taking photographs during Mass. When people move around in order to take videos or photographs, or cameras flash, it is not only distracting, it takes away from the solemnity of the occasion. Enjoy the liturgy! Then after Mass, take as many photographs as you wish.

LOVING KINDNESS - We will have many guests and out of town visitors at the first communion Mass; so let’s be sure to be gracious hosts. Please do not reserve seats in the church. If it important to you to have seats near the front, make sure your entire party arrives early. When people are turned away from seats in church, it is hurtful.

RECEIVING COMMUNION - Your child has had the opportunity to practice receiving communion with unconsecrated hosts. Children will also have the option of receiving from the cup. We have practiced this at the retreat, using water, but if your child plans on receiving from the cup, please give your child a taste of wine so that they are not surprised into making a face (or worse).


FOLLOWING MASS - The children will remain in their pews. You meet them there. Photographs will be taken in the Chapel directly following Mass.

SEATING – Fr. Mark and Fr. Mike will be distributing communion to the first communicants. For this special occasion, the priests will be standing on the carpeted area just beneath the altar at the foot of the three steps. The priests will be facing slightly outward so that parents and guests can have a better view of the children as they receive. You will have a better view if you sit on the opposite side of the church from your child. You can ask your child or his/her teacher where their class will be sitting.

VEILS and SHOES - Every year there are several girls who have a terrible time keeping their veils on. Here is a little hint I learned from years of theater experience: Veils are best kept on by means of a small comb placed in the front, center of the veil. (You may need to sew it there yourself; for some reason manufacturers often put two combs, one on either side, where they are almost useless.) Figure out where you want the comb to be on the girl’s head. On this spot roll up a small section of the hair close to the head and pin with two crossed bobby pins (as you would do for a pin curl). Hook the comb under this pin curl and the veil will stay securely in place.

Our beautiful terrazzo floors are polished to a gleam for this special celebration, but we have found this to be a bad combination with the slick and shiny soles often found on dress shoes. It is a good idea to either let your child wear his or her first communion shoes a time or two prior to the big event, or to scuff the soles up a bit ahead of time. This can be done with coarse sandpaper or by scraping them against a rough sidewalk or pavement. Another effective “fix” can be obtained by putting a strip of tape – duct tape, electrical or masking tape – on the soles.

PARTICIPATION IN THE LITURGY

All older brothers and sisters of first communicants who are presently altar servers are invited to serve at the Solemn First Communion Mass on May 1. Please call me and let me know if you have a child who would like to participate in this way. We need more!

We also still need some Eucharistic Ministers for this Mass. If you have been trained in this ministry, please call if you would like to help.