Having become a child of God (through Baptism), the person is admitted “to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9) and receives the food of the new life, the body and blood of Christ.
Communion
”The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life.' The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch. The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1323-1327
The Archdiocese of Denver has begun the deliberate process of restoring the order of the sacraments of initiation to their proper theological and historical order (following Baptism, Reconciliation in second grade, Confirmation and Eucharist in third grade).
To watch a video about the Restored Order and to read the Pastoral Letter “Saints Among Us” from Archbishop Aquila click below.
For children, we have a two-year program preparing them to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation in 2nd grade and Confirmation and Eucharist in 3rd grade.
2nd graders (and older children who have not yet received the Sacrament of Reconciliation) will prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (first confession) in the spring.
3rd graders (and 4th and 5th graders whether or not they have already received First Communion) will prepare for and receive the sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist in the spring. (Children already receiving Communion will be Confirmed in the same Mass).
Baptized children should register for their appropriate grade level class each year (based on the Colorado public schools cut-off date of October 1.) If your child has not yet been baptized, please contact Mary Brug at 303-988-6435 x 118 or mbrug@saintjudelakewood.org