The Catholic Church professes that, in the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instrumentality of the priest. Jesus said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. . . . For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (Jn 6:51-55). The whole Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine—the glorified Christ who rose from the dead after dying for our sins. This is what the Church means when she speaks of the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.
First Eucharist (or First Communion) usually takes place in the spring of a child’s second grade year. To learn more about preparation for this Sacrament, visit our Faith Formation pages by using the main menu or clicking here.
Contact:
Parish Office
952-474-8868
stjohns@stjohns-excelsior.org