To our Young People Preparing for First Holy Communion Fifth Sunday of Easter

To our Young People

Preparing for First Holy Communion

Fifth Sunday of Easter

 

Dear Boys and Girls,

I want write to you to assure you of my prayers for you at this time when you were to celebrate your First Holy Communion Day.   I feel very close to you in my thoughts and in my heart.

I can remember the Day of my First Holy Communion Day in Saint Gregory’s Church, Maryhill, on 6^th May 1972.  It was a lovely, sunny day when we processed into the full church, boys in our school uniforms and girls in their lovely white dresses.  In school we had practiced for weeks it seemed and I will never forget the first touch and taste of Jesus on my tongue in the Sacred Host, or our prayers after Holy Communion which our parish nun, Sister Gregory, led so devoutly.  Then there was our Holy Communion Breakfast in the Parish Hall; sausage rolls and sandwiches, cake, crisps and juice.  Then the official photos and back home for another party.  It was Scottish Cup Final Day and, for a treat dad took me to my first ever football match with my brothers at Hampden Park where we watched Celtic beat poor Hibs 6-1.

Thinking of my First Holy Communion Day makes me sad to think of what you will miss during this terrible Pandemic.  All of us has had to suffer in lots of different ways but I have a special sorrow in my heart for you, your families and teachers, who have missed out on this Day, so precious to the Church on earth and to Jesus and Our Father in Heaven.

I promise you we will not let you miss out for long.  I will make sure you and your families, parishes and schools have your First Holy Communion Day as soon as possible.  More than that, we will make sure your First Holy Communion is the most special and precious we have celebrated for years.

The Readings for Sunday Mass today mention a group in the early Church who were sad because they felt they had been overlooked.  But the bishop and priests kept on praying to Jesus for them and soon the Holy Spirit and the people found good people to take care of them and everything worked out well.

To miss out of your Holy Communion Day when you get lots of presents is a big sacrifice.  But you can give offer this up to Jesus. Say to Him, ‘Jesus I am sad that I am missing out on my First Holy Communion Day.  But I know you had to give up Your whole life to come to me in Holy Communion and I offer up my sadness as an act of love to You.  Jesus will be so happy with this gift that He will make sure your First Holy Communion will be extra special. when it comes.

In the Gospel Jesus tells us we will always find our Way in Him.  So, do not be worried about this Pandemic, or afraid you will miss out. Jesus will make sure you have everything you need and desire to the full, and you will do great things in and for Him.

I am praying to Our Lady for you.  She wrote a lovely song called the Magnificat where She sang of the great things God Our Father had done. And the greatest thing was how He took care of His little ones, fed them with good food and raised them up.  Her prayers will make sure God takes care of you, feeds you with Holy Communion and raises you up to be good disciples who live happy lives and take your place in Heaven and the Heavenly Banquet forever when the course of your life has run.

 

God bless and keep you safe and full of hope and joy.

 

Bishop John