Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary’s of the Lake,
This year our two parishes will have four children who will celebrate their FIRST COMMUNION. The celebration will take place Sunday May 22nd at the 10:30 AM Mass at St. Ambrose church in Wabeno. Do you remember the simple faith, deep joy and uncontainable excitement on the day when you received the Holy Body & Blood of our Lord for the first time? I do!
Now, as a priest, it is always a great inspiration for me to see in our students the innocent & respectful manners, the joy & zeal as they process in for Mass –especially as they approach the Altar to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord for the very first time in their life. On behalf of the entire Parish Communities of our two Parishes, I’d like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to all parents and teachers & families who helped prepare our children for this Great Sacrament. At the same time, may I rely on all the parents, grandparents, and the families to continue to teach your children at home so that they always have a faith-filled reception of the Holy Communion, and a firm belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.
FIRST COMMUNION does presuppose the fact that there would be Second, Third, Fourth and countless more times to follow, doesn’t it? As we all know, there is a close connection between ‘going to church’ and ‘receiving Holy Communion.’ Perhaps, more than ever in today's world we need to intend to claim or reclaim Sunday as the ‘Day of the Lord’. When we go to Church on Sunday we truly 'sanctify the day of the Lord.' If parents are serious in 'keeping holy' the days of the Lord and bring your children to church every Sunday & day of obligation, your children will have at least 52-55 times of receiving Jesus in the Holy Communion each year. On the other hand, if parents only go to church on Christmas and Easter (or whenever they feel up to it), the chance is your children will receive Jesus no more than a few times a year. As we pray for our First Communicants, let's also pray for one another that we all truly value our faith, live our faith, and share our faith with our children, so that, with the grace of God, we all may grow in our faith life & appreciate the Gift of the Holy Eucharist --the sign of Jesus' Great Love for us! The Scripture assures us: ‘Train children the way they should go; and even when they are old, they will not swerve from it.’ (Prov. 22:6). Parishioners at large: Please pray for our First Communicants, and be good examples for them, too!