“Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.” – Luke 22:19-20
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the heart and summit of the Church’s life. The Eucharist is the source of community within the Church. The essential signs of the sacrament are wheat bread and grape wine, on which the blessing of the Holy Spirit is invoked during the Sacrifice of the Mass. The bread and wine through Transubstantiation become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We receive the Real Presence of Jesus when we receive Holy Communion. Our soul is nourished, helping us to become like Christ. Receiving Holy Communion with others during the Sacrifice of the Mass brings unity of the Church, the Body of Christ.
At St. Mary’s there are two programmes of preparation for the sacrament of the Eucharist depending on the age of the person receiving first communion:
First Communion for Children
At St. Mary’s, parents who wish to have a child receive First Communion need to enrol their child in the sacramental programme. A child must have received both First Reconciliation and Confirmation before preparing for First Communion. First Communion sessions are usually held after Easter with the celebration of First Communion taking place on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). The child must have turned 8 by the time they receive First Reconciliation. Keep an eye out for the notices concerning the sacramental programmes in the Sunday newsletter.
Contact the parish office for further information.
First Communion for Adults
The RCIA programme is a wonderful series of steps that can lead an adult to participation in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Communion (Eucharist). For adults in the RCIA, these three sacraments may be celebrated together at Easter.
Click here for information regarding the RCIA programme
Mass Times
The main celebration of the Eucharist, Holy Mass, takes place every day of the week. From Monday to Saturday, Mass is celebrated at 9:15am. On Sunday, the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, Mass is celebrated with a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening at 5:30pm, on Sunday at 8:30am, 10:30am, and 5:00pm. There is a children’s liturgy at the 8:30am and 10:30am Masses.