Colegio Santa Catarina de Alexandria Inc.

Poblacion, Bagac, Bataan

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST

Commentator: A grace filled morning to our parents, teachers, friends, brothers, and sisters.
Today is a significant event for the spiritual growth of our children as they receive
for the first time in their life the “Body of Christ”. Starting today their souls will be
nourished by the food that comes from heaven. In a special way we will celebrate
as a community of Christ. Let us welcome our dear First Communicants.

(Entrance of 1st Communicants/ background music)

Child 1: Rejoice and praise the Lord. (clap 3x)

1st Communicants: Rejoice and praise the Lord. (clap 3x)

Child 2: On this day, for the first time in our lives, we will receive Jesus the bread of everlasting
life. Like any bread that we need to grow strong and healthy, the Bread of Life will
make our faith and love for Jesus grow deeper.

Child 1: Glory to Jesus, the Bread of Life!

1st Communicants: Glory to Jesus, the Bread of Life!

Child 1: Let us rejoice and be glad, for we will receive Him today (clap 3x)!

1st Communicants: Let us rejoice and be glad! (clap 3x)

Commentator: Let us all stand and sing our joyful hymn of praise.

OPENING HYMN…

Presider: In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Presider: The Lord opened the gates of heaven and rained down manna for them eat to eat. He
gave them bread from heaven; men ate bread the bread of angels. The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
PENITENTIAL RITE

Presider: My dear children, coming together as God’s family, with confidence let us ask the
Father’s forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion.

I confess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters that I have greatly
sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed
to do. Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore,
I ask the Blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and
sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

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

All: Amen

OPENING PRAYER

Presider: Let us pray to the Lord who gives himself to the Eucharist, that this sacrament may
bring us salvation and peace. Lord Jesus Christ, You gave us the Eucharist as the
memorial of your suffering. May our worship of this sacrament of Your body and blood
help us to experience the salvation You won for us and the peace of the kingdom
where You live with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Commentator: Thru His word, Christ is present with us today. Words that will never change till
the end of time; let us honor the living Word of God as we all fervently listen to
His Holy Word.

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Lector: A reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.

Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord
Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread and, after he had given thanks, broke it
and said, “This is my Body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way
also 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.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink
the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
The word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord

I will bless the Lord at all times,

his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad. (R.)

Glorify the Lord with me.

Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free. (R.)
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called; the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress. (R.)

The angel of the Lord is encamped

Around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him. (R.)

Commentator: Please all stand to honor the Holy Gospel.

ALLELUIA…

Presider: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Presider: A proclamation of the Holy Gospel according to John

All: Glory to you, O Lord!

GOSPEL: John 6:51-57

Jesus said: ‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will
live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’
Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat? they said.
Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his
blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal
life, and I shall raise them up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
Those who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in them. As I, who am sent by the
living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me.’
The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Commentator: Please be seated.

HOMILY…

RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES

Commentator: Brothers and sisters let us now join with these children in their renewal of
baptismal promises. My dear 1st communicants please stand for your renewal
of baptismal promises.

(Two children will light their candle coming from the “Paschal Candle” and will pass it to their
schoolmates along the center isle)

Presider: Beloved children of God, before you receive the Holy Eucharist, I ask you to renew the
profession of faith that you made at baptism, or that your parents and godparents
made in union with the whole Church. Do you reject Satan and all his works and all his
empty promises?

Children: I do.

Presider: Do you believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

Children: Yes, I do believe.

Presider: 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: Yes, I do believe.

Presider: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in Christ
Jesus our Lord.

Children: Amen.

(Sprinkling the communicants with Holy Water)

SONG: “ISANG PANANAMPALATAYA”

Presider: And may the Lord God bless you and help you to become faithful in all your promises
now and forever.

Children: Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL…

Presider: My brothers and sisters, Christ invites us to the supper in which He gives His body and
blood for the life of the world. Let us say to Him:

“Christ, the bread of heaven, grant us everlasting life.”

Lector: Christ, Son of the living God, You commanded that this thanksgiving meal be done in
memory of you, enrich your Church through the faithful celebration of these
mysteries. Let us pray to the Lord. (R)

Lector: Christ, eternal Presider of the Most High, You have commanded your presiders to offer
sacraments, may they help them exemplify in their lives the meaning of the sacred
mysteries which they celebrate. Let us pray to the Lord. (R)

Lector: Christ, Bread from Heaven, You form one body out of all who partake of the one
bread, refresh all who believe in You with harmony and peace. Let us pray to the Lord.
(R)

Lector: Christ, through Your bread You offered the remedy for the immortality and the pledge
of future resurrection, restore health to the sick and living hope to sinners. Let us pray
to the Lord (R)

Lector: Christ, our Kings who is to come, You commanded that the mysteries which proclaim
Your death be celebrated until Your return, grant that all who die in you may share in
Your resurrection. Let us pray to the Lord. (R)

Presider: Lord Jesus Christ, You gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and
death. May our worship in this sacrament of your body and blood help us to
experience that salvation you won for us and the peace of the kingdom where you live
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Commentator: Please remain standing. As we offer to the Lord the bread and wine, fruits of
the earth and work of human hands, let us also offer our whole self to His altar
as we sing our offertory song.
OFFERTORY SONG

Presider: Pray brethren, 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 the glory of His
name for our good and the good of all His holy Church.

Presider: Let us pray.

Lord, may the bread and cup we offer bring the Church the unity and peace they
signify. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Presider: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Presider: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

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

All: It is right and just.

Presider: Father, all-powerful and ever living God, we do well always and everywhere to give
you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is the true and eternal priest who
established this unending sacrifice. He offered himself as a victim for our deliverance
and taught us to make this offering in His memory. As we eat his body which He gave
for us, we grow in strength. As we drink His blood which he poured out for us, we are
washed clean. Now with the angels and archangels, and the whole company of
heaven, we sing the unending hymn of praise.

SANTO, SANTO, SANTO…

Commentator: Please all kneel

Presider: Lord, You are holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness. Let Your Spirit come upon these
gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our
Lord, Jesus Christ.

Before He was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, he took the bread and
gave you thanks. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take this, all of
you, and eat it, this is my body which will be given up for you.” When supper was
ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to His
 disciples, and said: “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will shed for you and for all so that
sins mat be forgiven. Do thus in memory of me.

Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.

All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

Presider: In memory of His death and resurrection, we offer you, Father, this life-giving bread,
this saving cup. We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and
serve you. May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together
in unity by the Holy Spirit.

Lord, remember Your Church throughout the world, make us grow in love, together
with Francis our Pope, Ruperto our bishop, and all the clergy.

Remember our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of the
resurrection; bring them and all the departed into the light of your presence. Have
mercy on us all make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the Virgin Mother of
God, with the apostles, and with all the saints who have done your will throughout the
ages. May we praise You in union with them, and give you glory through Your Son,
Jesus Christ.

Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is
yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

Presider: Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:

AMA NAMIN…

Presider: Deliver us Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our days. In your mercy keep us
free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming
of our saviour Jesus Christ.
All: For the Kingdom the power and the glory are yours now and forever.

Presider: Lord, Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you.
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church and grant us peace and unity of
your kingdom where You live forever and ever.

All: Amen.

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

All: And with your spirit.

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

All: (Giving of peace)

LAMB OF GOD…

Commentator: Please all kneel

Presider: This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who
are called to His supper.

All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and
my soul shall be healed.

COMMUNION…

SOLEMN PROMISE OF THE FIRST COMMUNICANTS

Presider: My dear children, after you receive Jesus for the first time it is only right for you to
thank Him in your prayers and to make a solemn promise to Jesus that you will always
seek him every time you will go to mass with purity and love. I ask now the 1 st
Communicants to stand and to make a solemn promise to Jesus, our bread of
everlasting life.

1st Communicants: The day of my first Holy Communion is the best day of my life. On this day, I
receive the Body of Christ and I become a living tabernacle among my family
and friends of Jesus. Jesus loves me so much that He gave His life for me. I too
want to offer my life for Jesus and never offend Him again with my sins. On this
solemn day I promise to observe the ten commandments of God, which are for
the good of my life and soul. Especially I promise to participate to the Holy
Mass every Sunday and to receive the Holy Communion with purity and love.

FIRST COMMUNICANTS’ THANKSGIVING PRAYER

O Jesus, my Lord and my God! I thank You for having come to me. I now possess You. You, my Savior,
now present within my soul. You are now most intimately united with me. How can I thank You for
Your goodness? How shall I repay You for what you have done for me? For me You have suffered, for
me You have died, for me You have given yourself in Holy Communion. Through You I will have
eternal life. I thank You from my heart, O Jesus! I adore and praise you, O Jesus, present in my soul
and with heartfelt love I offer You a thousand welcomes. O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament
Divine, all praise and thanksgiving be every moment thine. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Presider: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, You give us Your body and blood in the Eucharist as a sign that even
now we share Your life. May we come to possess it completely in the kingdom where
You live for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

Presider: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Presider: Bow your heads to receive God’s blessings. May the peace of God which is beyond
understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of
His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

All: Amen.

Presider: May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Presider: Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

RECESSIONAL…

December 2, 2022