On a Saturday in April I drove to St. Joan of Arc to cover one of the two First Communion celebrations held each spring. But I wasn’t in the mood. In fact, my disposition matched the weather, gray, overcast and rainy. The world seemed to be going crazy; murder and mayhem, on-going war and killing, right-wing vs. left wing - with no compromise in sight. And then…..I walked into the gym where the First Communion Mass was to be held, and in the blink of an eye the cloud was lifted (from my mood, if not the sky) as I glanced over the wonderfully frenetic activity of children and their families.

Everywhere I looked parents were pinning flowers on to white dresses or the boys dress shirts, straightening veils on the girls and ties on the boys. Brothers and sisters were doing their best to behave, and even the babies seemed to be cooperating. Families were finding their place in groups, surrounding their young communicant like a cocoon. Some of the children looked slightly overwhelmed to be the center of so much attention; others were clearly basking in it. Who could not be delighted by the innocence, expectation and joy that suffused this holy space.

THE MASS

The commotion began to subside as St. Joan of Arc musicians, Anna and Fred Vagle, Dick Hedlund, Cyril Paul, and Joe Chouinard prefaced the celebration with “Morning Has Broken,” By the time they moved on to “What a Wonderful World” it was darn near peaceful!
“I hear babies cry….I watch them grow,
They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know”

I looked around the gym and saw dozens of babies. How hopeful to know that in 6 or 7 years, they will continue their Christian journey in this same way, with all of the wisdom and social consciousness that St. Joan of Arc imparts on its young ones.

For Father Jim DeBruycker, in his first spring as pastor of our parish, these were his first First Communion services at St. Joan of Arc and he gladly welcomed everyone, having the children stand to be recognized, then the parents and grandparents, in turn.

After the Gathering Song, “Enter, Rejoice,” the First Reading was done by Dominik Elaesser. He read the beautiful, “Children of the World” by Pablo Casals:
Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again . . .And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France.

When will we also teach them what they are?

We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.

You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?

You must work - we must all work - to make the world worthy of its children. . . . . 
- Pablo Casals

One of the young communicants, Michaela Stein presented the Second Reading, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes…..

Father Jim Cassidy read the Gospel, the story of the loaves and fishes, following with a Homily that seemed to touch both children and adults. He reminded the children that on this day their families and the community were celebrating their lives and their Journey of Faith. He told them that receiving the Body of Christ is nourishment and a gift that they must give back to the world. Then he related a delightful story from his own childhood. The tale was of two older women who often cared for him as a child. Myrtle and Ethel provided him with unique experiences to see the world through the magic of a View Master and trips in their automobile (along with his dog, Tippy). Those experiences made him feel absolutely loved. As Father reminded the children, “You are that loved today. You are the Body of Christ.”

The children played a large part in this First Communion Mass. After the young communicants and the entire community recited the Profession of Faith, some of them came to the altar to read the Petitions. Each took their turns at the microphone speaking out in their clear, high voices. Fourteen other children delivered the gifts of bread and wine to the altar.

When it came time for the Eucharist, each child came up accompanied by their family. It spoke well of their intense preparation that they did so with grace and ease - but having families around them certainly helped this momentous occasion.

PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES

At the end of the mass, Kathy Itzin, Director of Religious Education, came to the altar to call each child up to receive their First Communion Certificate. Both of our “Father Jim’s” presented those certificates and then the children proceeded to the risers at the side of the altar. Anna stepped forth to direct the children in three songs learned in their First Communion preparation. They were amazingly good as they sang, “Share the Light,” “Circle Song,” and “Thank You”. When Father gave the sign, the families rushed to the front, anxious to get their photos while the children were still gathered on the risers.

PREPARATION FOR FIRST COMMUNION

There were 113 children in this year’s class, far too many to receive First Communion on one day since the average child has about 10 family members attending. As in previous years, the group was split into two with half receiving First Communion on Saturday, April 22 and the others on the 29th. Most of the children attend the Sunday Faith Formation program at St. Joan, but others attend Catholic schools and are members of the parish. One very unique aspect of the First Communion preparation at St. Joan of Arc is the First Communion Extravaganza held a few weeks earlier. The parents and children divide into groups then rotate between preparation experiences - Moses and the Passover, Jesus and the Last Supper, Bread and Wine Making, Mass and How to Receive Communion, and A Church Search in the Sacristy. In Moses and the Passover the children dressed in bathrobes with dishtowels on their heads to take the part of Israelites with Moses, eating lamb and pita bread, and again as apostles at the Last Supper. In each of the other groups they were given the opportunity to learn more about the bread and wine used in the Sacrament, even having the opportunity to taste the unconsecrated bread and wine. It is an experience that also helps them feel part of the greater community of the church.


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Sue O'Brien is the wife of Tom, mother of four children, and grandmother of eight. She is dental hygienist and manages a dental practice in Spring Lake Park. A parishioner for many years, Sue worked as a caregiver at Grace House for seven years, beginning the week it opened. Now she is looking forward to meeting new people at St. Joan of Arc as she helps out as a web reporter and photographer. Sue can be reached at sueo-b@comcast.net.
I may have entered the gym with a cloud over my head - but I left with the absolute certainty that all is right with the world. I’m sure that since the beginning of time, man has bemoaned the fate of the current generation. But in God’s infinite wisdom, our optimism and faith continue to be renewed through the lives of such special children as these who continue their journey of faith at St. Joan of Arc.

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