"At the Last Supper, on the night when he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood.  He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and in this way to entrust to his beloved Bride, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is eaten, the heart is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy).

This mystery is the very center and culmination of Catholic life.  It is the source and the summit of all preaching of the Gospel and the center of the assembly of the faithful.

In every Mass, Christ is really and truly present under the form of bread and wine as well as present in each of us.  In every Mass, his death becomes a present reality, offered as our sacrifice to God in an unbloody and sacramental manner.  At Mass we offer Christ, our passover sacrifice, to God, and we offer ourselves along with him.  We then receive the risen Lord, our bread of life, in Holy Communion. In doing so, we enter into the very core of the paschal mystery of our salvation, the death and resurrection of Christ.

Eating the supper of the Lord, we span all time and "proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26).  Sharing this banquet of love, we become totally one body in him.  At that moment our future with God becomes a present reality.  The oneness for which we are destined is both symbolized and made real in the meal we share.  In the Mass, both past and future become really present in the mystery.

The sacrament of the Eucharist was entrusted by Christ to his bride, the Church, as spiritual nourishment and as a pledge of eternal life.  The Church continues to receive this gift with faith and love.

Have you or your child/children received First Holy Communion?

• If your baptized child is under the age of 18: contact the Director of Religious Education at (308) 532-0942
• If you are an adult over the age of 18: If you were baptized in the Catholic Church but have not yet received Holy Communion, or if you are not Catholic and are drawn to the Eucharist, come join our Becoming Catholic group!

How do I prepare to celebrate Holy Eucharist every Sunday?

On our own, no one is truly worthy to commune with God. However, we must remember the words of Jesus: "I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners" (Luke 5:32). The Holy Eucharist is for us sinners. It is meant for us to be healed and given strength to live our Christian life with zeal. But, just like preparing for a race or a competition, we prepare our hearts to meet God in the Holy Eucharist. It is a good practice for all Catholics to be in a good relationship with God and the Church prior to receiving Holy Eucharist. The best way we can do that is to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. We also are encouraged to arrive early before Mass begins and spend some quiet time in prayer and to review the Scripture readings beforehand.