Diocesan Resources
Catechetical Sunday 2011 First Communion Retreat
First Communion Retreat: Embracing Jesus’ Loving Sacrifice Present in the Eucharist by J. David Franks, PhD, and Angela Franks, PhD, The Theological Institute for the New Evangelization of Saint John’s Seminary, Boston (in English and Spanish)
- The retreat presents the Eucharist as sacrifice, real presence, and transforming encounter, forming children not only to receive Communion reverently but to be transformed into Christ for the world.
- Eucharistic faith naturally leads to Eucharistic living, grounded in love, sacrifice, and mission.
- This resource outlines a three‑hour retreat for children preparing for First Holy Communion and their parents, aimed at deepening understanding of the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ.
- The retreat integrates catechesis, prayer, symbolic activities, and parental formation to prepare families for a more fruitful reception of the Eucharist.
Core Theological Themes
1.The Eucharist as Sacrifice
- The retreat begins by forming children in the concept of sacrifice, using Scripture—especially the Binding of Isaac (Gn 22)—to show that true sacrifice means giving oneself out of love.
- This prepares children to understand Christ’s total self‑gift on the Cross, which the Eucharist makes truly present at every Mass.
- God does what he does not ultimately require of Abraham: he sacrifices his own Son for the salvation of the world.
2. The Mass Makes the Cross Present
- Through the “Phenomenal Liturgical Time Machine” activity, children learn that the Mass does not symbolically recall the Cross but re‑presents it sacramentally.
- In the Eucharist, God moves through time to make Christ’s one sacrifice present here and now.
- The sacrifice becomes present through the Real Presence of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine.
3. Real Presence and Transubstantiation
- The retreat clearly teaches transubstantiation:
- The reality (substance) of bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
- The appearance (accidents)—taste, look, smell—remain unchanged.
- A simple T‑shirt analogy helps children grasp this key distinction.
4. Reverence for the Eucharist
- Handling liturgical vessels and reflecting on the tabernacle helps children recognize that if the Eucharist is truly Jesus, it must be treated with love, reverence, and beauty.
- Gestures such as genuflection, bowing before Communion, and silence express faith in Christ’s presence.
5. Becoming "Living Tabernacles"
- Children are taught that after receiving Communion, they carry Jesus into the world.
- Just as the tabernacle holds Christ’s Body, communicants become “golden tabernacles”, bringing Christ’s sacrificial love to others through charity, obedience, and service.
6. Mary as the Model Tabernacle
- Mary, who physically carried Jesus, is presented as the perfect tabernacle and spiritual mother who helps prepare hearts to receive Christ in the Eucharist.
- Eucharistic devotion is inseparable from Marian devotion.
7. Living Eucharistic Love
- Drawing on St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s “little way,” children learn to live Christ’s sacrificial love through small daily sacrifices offered with love.
- Making sacrifice beads reinforces the call to holiness rooted in the Eucharist.
Role of Parents
- Parents are encouraged to be the primary formators in Eucharistic faith by:
- Faithful Sunday Mass attendance
- Family prayer and conversation about the Eucharist
- Ongoing preparation through confession and moral formation
- The retreat provides catechetical summaries and discussion prompts to support this role.