“The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the Blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the Body of Christ”.

[1 Corinthians 10:16]

At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1323)

Because the Eucharist is the supreme act of worship of God, the Mass is celebrated daily.  And, it is in the Eucharist that we find our strength to live the Christian faith and go forth to continue the mission of Christ in today’s world.

The Eucharist is the source and centre of the Christian life.”  In the Eucharist, we find our life, our hope and our strength and we return all of our love and thanksgiving to the Eucharist, “for in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.

(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324)

To receive Holy Communion, one must be a Catholic in good standing with the Church. Children in Primary 4 who attend St. Patrick’s Primary School are instructed for reception of the sacrament both in school and in the parish-based ‘Do this in Memory’ sacramental preparation programme. Adults who would like to receive this or any of the other sacraments are invited to join the Diocesan RCIA program. For more information, please contact the parish office.

Prayer

 O God,

I came to You, this morning

with my failings, my troubles, my weaknesses and my sins.

I go away now one with Christ your Son,

to live with his life,

in the little part of your world

in which You, my Father, have set me down.

I have offered my life with Christ to You

in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Let me go out now

and be true to that offering among all those with whom I live

and whom I shall meet in the course of this day.

Let me be to them a Christ,

loving with his love;

not asking for anything

but ready to give of myself in patience, in compassion,

in service, in co-operation and in forgiveness. Amen.