Celebrating Sacrament of First Holy Communion: A Joyous Day for Our Second-Grade Students

Second grade is a special year for students in St. Francis Xavier’s religious education program, Xavier Kids. The students received First Holy Communion on April 30 and May 1, all dressed in their best with bright smiles on their faces! In turn, we celebrate this joyous occasion alongside these students.

A few of the students who received the sacrament are older than second grade. About half received the sacrament at 5 p.m. English Mass on April 30 and the other half at 1 p.m. on May 1 at Spanish Mass.

The students have spent the school year with excellent teachers leading them through preparations for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.

“The character of this group is that they were very excited to receive the sacrament,” says Jacob Farni, children’s minister. “That’s a sign of hope that there are 35 kids excited to receive Jesus.”

All kindergarten to fifth-grade students are welcome at Xavier Kids from 9:45 to 11 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Having been in this position for about two years, Jacob is excited to have had a First Communion celebration that returned to some normalcy. Last year, the students sat with their parents and went up to receive from Fr. Brian O’Brien one by one. This year, they sat as a community of students and received Holy Communion at the same time.

“The idea is we are forming a community of disciples,” Jacob says. “They went up as their group and received from Fr. O’Brien.”

If you have children, you know second-grade students are eager to share what they have learned. In that way, these students are now some of the best evangelizers.

“Jesus is infinitely wise, and think how he told us, ‘Be like a child,’” Jacob says. “This wasn’t a day where someone just told these children about Jesus. They know Who they received. It’s not just a host — it’s Jesus.”

Jacob was drawn to work in ministry because he went through a conversion in college. He wants to make sure children can experience Jesus.

“No one should have to wait until college or later in life to find God,” he says.

In addition, Jacob has spent time in the seminary and worked as a director of religious education in his hometown of Elk City, Okla. “I was so attracted to this parish because of Fr. O’Brien’s mission,” Jacob says. “He is outward-focused. He wants to grow the parish, not just keep the lights on.”

We offer our heartfelt congratulations to the 35 students who received their First Communion this spring!

First Communion, Spanish Mass

First Communion, English Mass