2013 Final Edition - St. Helen's Elementary School

The Searcher Page 7
Celebrating the Sacraments
By Phoebe Cheung
April 21 st , 2013 was this year’s Grade 7s
turning point in their Catholic faith – becoming
an adult in the eyes of the Church through
Confirmation. While preparing for this special
sacrament, we learnt a lot about our Catholic
faith, including the Apostles’ Creed.
On the Thursday before the special day,
we had a dinner with our sponsors. It was a good
time to sit down and to know more about each
other. After the dinner, we had our rehearsal.
We were told how we would line up and where
we would sit. It was pretty confusing at first but
we figured it out afterwards. Finally, it was the
big day on Sunday. We all lined up under the
Church and proceeded to the pews. During the
homily, Archbishop asked us a few questions
about the Apostles’ Creed. Then, we were
Confirmed. When the Archbishop came up to me
and ‘sealed me with the Holy Spirit’, I felt, and I
knew, that my bond with God had strengthened
a lot.
Being Confirmed in the Catholic Church
also brings responsibility into play. When we
become adults in our lives, we are responsible for
our family and our job. When we become adults
in the Catholic Church, we have responsibilities
as well. Some responsibilities include going to
Church every Sunday, preaching the Catholic
faith through words and actions, and following
the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
After being Confirmed in the Catholic
Church, we can be even greater role models to
the younger kids who will be Confirmed when
they are in Grade 7s. Congratulations to all the
Grade 7 students who got Confirmed this year!
By Amanda Silveri
This year, the grade 2s received the
Eucharist for the first time. Celebrating their First
Holy Communion is the highlight of their year
because they are fully active in the Church because
they can receive Jesus every Sunday. “Before my
First Communion, I was very nervous because I was
not sure what the Eucharist would taste like… but I
was very excited because I was going to receive
Jesus in another way.” “I felt very happy and
relieved after my communion. I remember lying in
bed that night telling my mom ‘I am so happy that I
received Jesus, I can’t wait to take the Eucharist
every Sunday.’” At the special mass, there were 70
children that were given this sacred gift. “I will
spread my love to others by being like Jesus, praying
for others… and by donating money to those who
don’t have as much as we do.” Now that they have
received Jesus, they can fully participate at mass. “I
will follow and live out Jesus’ example by loving
everyone as Jesus has loved us, treating people the
way I want to be treated, and by telling everybody
about Jesus and how they could act like Jesus. I
will pray for everybody, especially for those in need,
and I will be kind and forgiving.”
Holy Communion is one of the three
sacraments of initiation. In Holy Communion, we
receive the body of Christ which helps us grow closer
to him. For us Catholics, there is nothing greater
than to receive Jesus when he is truly present in the
Eucharist at Mass. When we receive the Eucharist,
we are to remember when Jesus sacrificed himself
when he died on the cross for us. Through Holy
Communion we spiritually connect with our saviour
Jesus Christ, and we confess our love for him. In
the sacrament of communion, we say that we truly
believe and trust Jesus.