How many “communions” have you had? Do you remember your first?
On May 3rd, 2026, we celebrated our First Communion Mass at Holy Cross Parish in South Bend. More than 40 children celebrated their first communion at that Mass. What a joy it was.
Before Mass I asked the altar servers what their communion count was up to by now. They sheepishly said they did not know. Most of us do not know what that number is, whether it’s in the hundreds or thousands or more. It’d take a daily communicant just under 3 years to get to 1,000 and more than 27 years to get to 10,000. Perhaps counting the number is not so important, but appreciating that experience of getting to receive our Lord in his body, blood, soul and divinity again and again is. There’s a familiar saying that says you should receive every communion as if it were your first and your last. Each one is special and through it we seek to become what we receive.
The joy and excitement of the first Communicants was palpable and felt throughout the church. The children were fidgeting and doing their best to be holy and pious. And I would certainly say their childlike faith shone brightly and was a witness to all of us at the Mass. It shone through them just like the light shining through the rose window in our Church depicting the scene from Matthew 19:14, “Let all the little children come to me.”
During the homily I asked them why they were excited. They gave great answers, not just in what they said but the look on their faces that couldn’t be faked. They spoke of the joy of getting to receive Jesus’s body and blood and how this meant that they could do this for the rest of their life too! I also asked them why they ate food. They noted that eating food made them strong and healthy, satisfied their hunger, and kept them alive. We know that receiving the Eucharist does all of those things as well.
Their faith as children is strong. Many of them wanted to and did go to confession multiple times before their first communion. I don’t think it’s so much the case that they thought of themselves as such great sinners. I think it’s more that the mercy, love and grace of God received through confession is real for them. May it be real also for us.
I had the privilege of celebrating the Mass and being the instrument God used to confect the Eucharist that would be received by these Catholics for the first time. Jesus could have used any priest, but asked that I would feed his sheep. First Communions are a joyful time for all, and they help us to continue celebrating the Bread of Life and Bread from Heaven.
By Fr. Noah Junge, C.S.C.
Published May 6, 2026 by the Office of Vocations
Photo provided by the Office of Vocations
