Annual Eucharistic Catechesis

A GIFT FROM THE BISHOP  A First Communicant offers her thanks as she accepts a gift from Bishop Serratelli, a memento from his annual diocesan celebration with First Communicants from parishes across the Diocese on June 5 in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Parsippany. This year, 144 First Communicants took part in the annual diocesan Eucharistic Catechesis.

PARSIPPANY  First Communicants from around the diocese met with Bishop Serratelli to celebrate the importance of their receiving Jesus for the first time in the Eucharist. Considered one of the Bishop’s favorite diocesan events, the annual Celebration for First Communicants with Eucharistic Catechesis was held in St. Peter the Apostle Church here June 5.

The celebration in St. Peter’s Church, which was filled with family members of the 144 First Communicants who were wearing their Holy Communion outfits, consisted of catechesis by the Bishop, questions asked by the children and answered by the Bishop, a procession with the Eucharist, adoration and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It ended with the Bishop presented each one of the children with a gift. The event was organized by the diocesan Office of Catechesis at St. Paul’s Inside the Walls in Madison, led by SOLT Father Derek Anderson, who is also pastor of St. Mary Parish in Dover.

In his welcoming message to the children, Bishop Serratelli said, “We are gathered here today because you made your First Communion in your parishes, and now, you come as representatives for all those young people in the Diocese, who received Jesus for the first time in the Eucharist. You come to be with the Bishop so that the whole Church of Paterson can celebrate what is a very, very special day not only in your life but in the life of the Church as well.”

During the catechesis, he spoke about the Eucharist and the Last Supper. The Bishop said, “Jesus loves us so much. He is our best friend and a best friend for the rest of our lives. He gave us the great gift of the Eucharist so he could be with us always.”

Following the Bishop’s talk, he invited the children to ask him questions about faith, about Jesus and about him. First Communicants raised their hands quickly to have the Bishop call on them for their questions.

One of the questions came from Brianna Bellome from Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, who asked the Bishop, “What does it feel like to represent Jesus as a priest?”

The Bishop responded, “Humbling. God chooses every single one of us to represent him to the world once we are baptized. Everyone is called to be a mirror image of God. Then from among us, God calls certain people to certain jobs, to certain vocations. When he calls a man to be a priest, that man represents Jesus. When people come to you for counsel, for prayers, it’s very humbling.”

From St. Luke Parish in Long Valley, Owen McCoy asked the Bishop, “What do you remember from your First Communion?”

“I remember how happy I was,” said the Bishop. “In fact, I’ll tell you a little secret. In the dining room of the house where I live, I have a picture from my First Communion with my mother and father next to me and I never forgot how happy I was that day to receive Jesus.”

Sophia Varua from St. Lawrence in Chester asked the Bishop, “What is it like to be a priest?

The Bishop responded, “It is the best life ever” and invited all the boys to think about a possible vocation to the priesthood.

Following the catechesis session, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held. The First Communicants took part in the procession around the aisles of the church. Bishop Serratelli followed them carrying the Blessed Sacrament under a canopy. Benediction followed with the recitation of the Divine Praises.

At the end of the celebration, the Bishop called the First Communicants forward and gave each one of them a gift to remember the day. The children and their families were then invited to take a picture with the Bishop and meet with him during the reception that followed in cafeteria of All Saints Academy, located on the St. Peter the Apostle Parish campus.

As homework for the First Communicants, the Bishop told the young people the story of St. Dominic Savio, who received his First Holy Communion at the age of seven. “On his First Communion Day, Dominic Savio made four promises to God. He promised to go to church every Sunday and holy day. He promised to receive Communion every chance he could. He promised to avoid sin and he promised that his best friends would be Jesus and Mary. I want all of you to do the same. When you get home tonight, I want you to write down promises to God as a result of receiving Jesus for the first time. Refer to this list often. To become a saint, it is not a matter of age. It’s about being good in your daily lives,” the Bishop said.