FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

September 20, 2015 / 8:00 a.m.

UNIVERSITY CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
GREETING/REMINDER (by the commentator)
Good Morning, my brothers and sisters in Christ! The Mass is about
to begin. To keep the solemnity of the Mass, may we request all cellular
phone users to please turn off their units now. May we also request that no
picture taking be done during the Mass. An official photographer has been
hired to take pictures of your children. Thank you.
INTRODUCTION
C: Today is one of the most memorable days of your children and our
students because they will receive Jesus, the Bread of Life for the first time
in the Sacrament of the Church, the Holy Eucharist.
In the Eucharist, Christs presence and love are manifested. All who
participate in this Eucharist are fed by the life of Christ and nourished by
the same Body and Blood of Christ.
Let us pray that a strong bond of love will be formed between Jesus
and the First Communicants.
Please rise as we welcome our First Communicants, the Knights of
the Altar and our celebrant, Fr Arnel T Ong of the Society of Jesus.
ENTRANCE PROCESSION
(Instrumental music plays, First Communicants enter)
(Celebrant with servers enter)
Opening Hymn: Halina at Pumasok sa Bahay ng Ama
GREETING AND INTRODUCTION (Stand)
P: In the name of the Father
All: Amen
P:

Dear Parents,
In the name of the Church, I thank you for coming to this
celebration. I congratulate you in joining your children on this
very important occasion in their life. On this day your children
will take part in the entire Mass.

P:

Dear Children,
What is it that you seek to receive this morning?

Children : Dear Fr. Ong, before you and our beloved parents
we wish to receive for the first time the Body and Blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
P:

Are you ready to receive Jesus with all your heart and mind?

Children : Yes, Father Ong, and we hope and pray that we are truly
worthy to receive Jesus.
P:

Dear Children,
Today when you receive Jesus in Holy Communion you will be
sharing Gods own life in a special way. So with all our hearts, let
us praise and thank God for this precious occasion.

PENITENTIAL RITE
P:

All :
P:
All :
P:
All :

1. Before we offer ourselves together with Jesus

let us think of those times we have been selfish.
Let us now tell God we are sorry for those times.
LORD, WE ARE TRULY SORRY.
2. For the times we have fought with our friends.
LORD, WE ARE TRULY SORRY.
3. For the times we have made our parents and teachers sad.
LORD, WE ARE TRULY SORRY.

P: May our Heavenly Father have mercy on us and forgive us

all our failures and bring us to joy of His friendship.
All :

AMEN.

GLORIA: (to be recited)

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks
for your great glory.
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
2

you take away the sins of the world receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us,
Foy you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit
in the glory of God the Father. Amen
OPENING PRAYER:
P: Heavenly Father, bless these children with a holy and sincere
desire to welcome Jesus in their hearts and from then on, to be close
to him as friends through a life of loving God and neighbor. We ask
you this through Christ our Lord.
All: AMEN.
C: Please be seated for the Liturgy of the Word.
LITURGY OF THE WORD:
FIRST READING
Reader: A reading from the book of Wisdom. (Wisdom 2:12, 17-21)
The wicked say:
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him.
The WORD of the Lord.
All:

THANKS BE TO GOD.

Reader: Let us pause for a moment to reflect on the reading.

Introduction to Responsorial Psalm

(Psalm for the day)
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: THE LORD UPHOLDS MY LIFE
1. O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
Response
2. For the haughty men have risen up against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
Response
3. Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
Response
C:

Our psalm is an invitation and an assurance of fullness of life in

Jesus,/ the Bread of Life./

RESPONSORIAL PSALM:
Response : WHOEVER EATS THE BODY OF JESUS WILL LIVE
FOREVER!
1. I am the Living Bread from heaven says Jesus;
if anyone eats this bread he will live forever!
Response
2. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
says Jesus will live in me and I in him.
Response
3. As the Living Father sent me and I live because
of the Father, so he who eats me says Jesus will
live because of me.
Response

SECOND READING
Reader: A reading from the book of James (Jas 3:16-4:3)
Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
4

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,

then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Please rise to honor the Holy Gospel.
Verse before the Gospel: Alleluia, Alleluia, Wikain mo..
P:

The Lord be with you.

All: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT

P: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark
( Mark 9:30-37 )
All: Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through
Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
What were you arguing about on the way?
But they remained silent.
5

They had been discussing among themselves on the way

who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.
Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.
P:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All: PRAISE TO YOU LORD JESUS CHRIST.

C:
Please be seated for the Homily.
HOMILY
C:
May I request the children, parents, godparents and guardians to
please stand for the lighting of the Easter Candle and the renewal of
Baptismal vows.
LIGHTING OF EASTER CANDLE AS A SIGN THAT JESUS IS WITH US
P: We light this Easter candle to remember Jesus. He is the light of
the world. The lighted candle in your hands is a sign of your faith in
Jesus and your warm desire to live as children of the light by doing
good works.
(The celebrant lights the Easter candle. One child lights his/her
candle and passes the light to the next child.)
Parents : The lighted candle is like the one given to you on the
day of your Baptism. It was a reminder that you were called out of
the darkness of sin to light of a new life in God. We, your parents
and godparents made the promise in your name to grow in that new
life. We love you very much. As you grow up we want you to
follow Jesus message of love and service.
(Instrumental music plays-One Little Candle)
RECALLING OF BAPTISM :
P: We sprinkle this water to remember the day of our Baptism.
It is the water of life of our life as children of God.
(Priest sprinkles children with Holy Water while instrumental music
continues)

P: My dear children, today you will renew your Baptismal vows, which
you received in Baptism. When you were baptized your parents and
godparents professed the faith for you. Now, you will be the one who
will express the renewal of your faith. Are you ready to answer?
Children: Yes Father.
P: Do you reject Satan, the father of sin and prince of darkness?
Children: Yes Father, we do reject Satan.
P: Do you reject all his works and all his empty promises?
Children: Yes Father, we do reject his works.
P: Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and
earth?
Children: Yes Father, we do believe.
P: Do you believe in Jesus Christ His only Son, who became man
and suffered for us?
Children: Yes Father, we do believe.
P: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the
Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of
the body and life everlasting?
Children: Yes Father, we do believe.
P: Do you promise to love our Church, your parents, friends, and our
community?
Children: Yes Father, we do promise.
P: May the Almighty God help you to be faithful to all you have
promised.
Children: Amen.
C: Children, please put out your candles now.// (Pause till children kept
their candle) Please be seated for the liturgy of the Eucharist.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL WITH SYMBOLICAL OFFERINGS
1. CANDLES

Dear Jesus,/ may the light of these candles/

Enlighten our hearts of your presence./
Grant that we may always enjoy/ the light
of your wisdom/ to understand clearly your word/
so we may go closer to you./
Let us pray to the Lord.
RESPONSE: LORD, ACCEPT OUR OFFERING.
2. FLOWERS, FRUITS AND GIFTS
We offer you dear Jesus,/ these blooming
flowers/ and fresh fruits and gifts/ as signs of our eternal
love for you./ May their fragrance and freshness/ be the
incense to purify/ more and more our hearts / that we only
taste and smell your sweetness/ in all the people we
come in contact with./
Let us pray to the Lord.
RESPONSE:

LORD, ACCEPT OUR OFFERING.

3. CERTIFICATES, STAMPITA and HOLY ROSARY

Jesus,/ together with these First Communion kit / we also
offer our own selves as gifts- all that we are and
all that we have./ May you deign to look kindly
upon these humble gifts/ which we sincerely
offer to the glory of your name./
Let us pray to the Lord.
RESPONSE:

LORD, ACCEPT OUR OFFERING.

4. WINE
Jesus,/ this wine will give us life and joy especially today/
our First Communion day./ Grant us the grace to
celebrate it/ by taking the wine with you,/ our classmates,/
friends and parents./ Give us the grace to be united with
you/ today and forever./
Let us pray to the Lord.
RESPONSE:

LORD, ACCEPT OUR OFFERING

5. BREAD
O Jesus/ grant us the grace to beg for this bread
daily, / in a few minutes/ we are going to receive
this Daily Bread /that we will never be hungry./
Let us pray to the Lord.
8

RESPONSE: LORD, ACCEPT OUR OFFERING.

OFFERTORY SONG: Table of Plenty

PREPARATION OF GIFTS
P: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation,
through your goodness we have receive the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us
the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God forever.
P: Blessed are you Lord, God of all creation, for through your
goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine
and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All:

Blessed be God forever.

PRIEST WASHES HIS HANDS

C: Please rise
P:

Pray, brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All:

MAY THE LORD ACCEPT THE SACRIFICE AT

YOUR HANDS, FOR THE PRAISE AND GLORY OF
HIS NAME, FOR OUR GOOD AND THE GOOD OF
ALL HIS HOLY CHURCH.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS (Stand)

P:

Lord, accept these gifts we offer to you

on behalf of these beloved children of yours
on this day of their First Holy Communion.
May they become more and more like your Son
whom they are about to receive.
we ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
All:

AMEN

SECOND EUCHARISTIC PRAYER FOR CHILDREN

9

P:
All:
P:
All:
P:
All:

The Lord be with you.

AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT
Lift up your hearts.
WE LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
IT IS RIGHT AND JUST

P:
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and
everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your
beloved Son, Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all
things whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer, incarnate by the
Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin.
Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people, he stretched out
his hands as he endured his Passion, so as to break the bonds of
death and manifest the resurrection.
And so, with the Angels and all the Saints
we declare your glory, as with one voice we acclaim:
All: HOLY (to be sung)
C:

Please kneel.

P:

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.

Make holy, therefore, these gifts , we pray by sending down your
Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for
us the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his
Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it
to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOUR, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice
and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
10

THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT,

WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
P:

The mystery of faith.

C:

Please rise.

All:

When we eat. (to be sung)

P:

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and

Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of Life and the
Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy
to be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,
we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord your Church, spread throughout the world, and
bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Francis our
Pope and Romulo our Bishop and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep
in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your
mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on
us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased
you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal
life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus
Christ.
Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father,
in unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever
and ever.

All:
P:

AMEN.
At the Saviors command
and formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:

AMA NAMIN (TO BE SUNG)

P:

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace
in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always
free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed
hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

11

All:

SAPAGKAT ..(to be sung)

PRAYER FOR PEACE

P:

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles:

Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity
in accordance with your will.
Who live and reign for ever and ever.

All: AMEN
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your Spirit
SIGN OF PEACE
P: Let us offer each other the sign of peace
PEACE BE WITH YOU
AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT
All: KORDERO NG DIYOS (to be sung)
C: Please kneel.

P:

May the mingling of the body and blood of

our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
May the receiving of your Body and Blood,
Lord Jesus Christ, not bring me to judgment and condemnation,
But through your loving mercy be for me protection in mind
And body and healing mercy.

P:

Behold the lamb of God,

behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

All:
LORD, I AM NOT WORTHY THAT YOU SHOULD ENTER UNDER
MY ROOF BUT ONLY SAY THE WORD AND MY SOUL SHALL BE
HEALED
12

C: The children will receive Holy Communion first. Others may follow after
all the children have finished.
POST COMMUNION SONG: Jesus Come Into My Heart
C:
Parents and guardians, please rise for the Litany of thanksgiving. The
litany of thanksgiving is found on the wide screen.

LITANY OF THANKSGIVING
Mothers: Thank you Lord for letting us bring
up our children in your name.
Fathers: Thank you Lord for your faith in us, in
allowing us to work with your creation.
All: FOR THIS WE THANK YOU, LORD
Mothers & Fathers: Make your love in us a beacon for
those who lost their way. Make our
family, our love, our affection for our
children a reflection of your
everlasting love.
All: AMEN

(Before Communion Rite)

CM: I would like to thank the following:
1. Fr. Gil C. Donayre our Basic Education Chaplain for celebrating
the Mass this morning.
2. The Administrators headed by Ms. Pilar C. Agraviador, faculty and
staff especially the Grade 3 moderators, and parents/guardians for
their support and cooperation to make this event grand and best
for their children and our students.
3. Most of all, I would like to thank and congratulate the First
Communicants for their very satisfactory performance today. A big
warm of applause please. Thank you.
C: Announcements
1. First communicants are requested to stay for the picture taking
after the mass. They will proceed to the grade school campus for
their snacks after the pictorial.
13

2. The First Communion kit will be given to the children by their

moderator in their respective classroom on Monday. Thank you.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
C: Please rise.
P:

May sharing at the heavenly table

Sanctify us, Lord, we pray,
so that through the Body and Blood of Christ
the whole family of believers may be bound together.
Through Christ our Lord.

All: AMEN
P: The Lord be with you.
All:

And with your Spirit

P:

May Almighty God bless you, your parents

and teachers who have cooperated with you to bring you up to
what you are now, children most pleasing in Gods sight.
I bless you in the name of the Father,
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

P:

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All: THANKS BE TO GOD.

FINAL SONG: THANK YOU MY JESUS

14