The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.” The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all. In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: “Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1323-1327) 

First Eucharist at St. Leo Parish:

First Holy Communion is most often celebrated by children around the age of eight, when they have reached the age of reason and are capable of participating in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church. First Holy Communion is to be preceded by the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. “Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1457).

Children participating in the St. Leo religious education/faith formation program begin preparation for receiving these sacraments in the first grade. In the second grade they begin a more comprehensive  preparation to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Communion.  Parishioner’s children who attend Catholic school and do not attend religious formation at St. Leo are an important part of our family and are invited to attend a period of training directly before the sacraments and are encouraged to make these sacraments with their St. Leo parish family.

For more information, please contact Christine Green at 203-348-0052 or faithandlife@stleostamford.org or go to stleostamford.org/sacramental-preparation/