'Finally, Jesus Will Come to You in the Blessed Sacrament'

“Sometimes in life, we need to have patience knowing that God will provide,” Monsignor Victor Finelli told children who finally were able to receive First Holy Communion after a long, Coronavirus-related delay.

“Your patience has brought you here tonight,” he said. “Finally, Jesus will come to you in the Blessed Sacrament.”

As people around the Diocese are returning to Mass, and to the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, the Real Presence also is being experienced in other sacraments such as First Holy Communion.

Monsignor Finelli reminded the children that the celebration was important not because of the special clothes they were wearing, “Today is special because this very day you will receive Christ into your life in a way that you've never done before,” he said.

“Today is your ‘First’ Holy Communion, but there will be hundreds and hundreds of Holy Communion days in your life. That will always be the most special time of the week for you when you are able to receive Jesus.”

Restrictions to limit the spread of the virus were still present. The Mass, delayed since April, was held on a weeknight, rather than celebrating the event as part of a normal Sunday Mass, and each family was limited to five guests. As always, masks were required and social distancing norms were followed. There was no group photo, and no parish social afterward, but the event was livestreamed for those who were unable to attend.

“I think we are blessed to come together even during this time,” said parent Marie Shanner. “My son has been looking forward to this day, and he has been very excited.

“This is important to us because when we got married we made the commitment to each other, our families, the priest, and God that we would carry on the tradition and raise our children in the Catholic Faith,” she said.

“This is important to both of us and our families. Our children have come to learn that this is part of our family tradition and it’s an expectation, and we hope that they follow through when they get older also.”