First Communion Ceremony General Guidelines.
Simply follow the Roman Missal and check with your pastor as to what he would like or what his preferences are and the pastoral or cultural needs of those receiving for the first time.
Below are some general guidelines that you may find helpful:
First Holy Communion is ideally celebrated in the context of the Sunday liturgy. Liturgical actions are not private actions but celebrations of the Church itself, which is the “sacrament of unity.” Liturgical actions pertain to the whole body of the Church, both manifesting and affecting it. Liturgical actions, by their proper nature, involve a common celebration with the full and active participation of the Christian community (Canon 837).
First Communion should always be administered by a priest and never outside the celebration of Mass (RS 87). First communicants are to receive the Body of Christ from a priest (RS 87) and the Blood of Christ from a deacon (GIRM 94), when Communion is offered under both species.
Liturgical Elements of the Celebration:
Processions The children’s entering in procession with the priest can serve to help them to experience a sense of communion that is thus being created (DMC 34).
Introductory Rites Act of Penitence This should never be replaced by the Renewal of Baptismal Promises.
Mass Texts and Readings On Sundays, solemnities, and feasts, the proper mass and readings of the day are to be used.
Creed In lieu of the Creed the Renewal of Baptismal Promises may take place. If the creed is to be used, the Apostle’s Creed may be used. (DMC 49).
General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful) If the Prayer of the Faithful is recited, the deacon, reader, or one other person may read the petitions (GIRM 69-71 and CB 144)
Presentation of the Gifts Vessels of bread and wine are to be brought forward by an appropriate number of persons. It is desirable that some candidates bring forward the gifts. Water is not to be brought forth in the procession and should be at the credence table (CB 145, 470).
Reception of the Body and Blood of Christ It is most desirable that all present receive communion under both kinds (RCIA 369). First communicants are to receive the Body of Christ from a priest (RS 87) and the Blood of Christ from a deacon (GIRM 94), if communion is offered under both species. *[Depending on COVID-19 restriction in parish there may not be the Precious Blood]
Multicultural Celebrations Care must be taken in preparing liturgies that involve children of different languages and cultures. Please refer to Guidelines for Multilingual Masses, Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions.
Environment Decoration of the church should be in keeping with good taste, liturgical principles, and the liturgical season. If banners are to be used, they are essentially an art form of color and texture, and not of words. Banners, even if made by the children, should not adorn the altar or the ambo (GIRM 350-351).
Photography & Videography Pictures -Check with your pastor. General norms for photographs are encouraged following the celebration, but not during the liturgy. In order to preserve the dignity of the celebration, an announcement can be made beforehand and an insert placed in the worship aid/program stating there is to be no flash photography in church. Further, it should be pointed out that members of the assembly are not to leave their seats during the administration of the sacrament for the purpose of picture taking. A parish might consider the hiring of a single videographer to preserve the dignity of the celebration and to provide copies of the video to the families of the first communicants.
Worship Aid/Program Music that is reproduced in a worship aid must have the permission of the publisher and the proper copyright notice given. Reproduced music that does not have the permission of the publisher is illegal.
Music for the Liturgy The liturgy is a solemn occasion, and the parts of the liturgy that may be sung should be sung. The music chosen for this celebration should reflect the communal nature of worship, and the liturgical day and season. Music that is individualistic is inappropriate for Christian worship (GIRM 39-41, MCW 23-24).
1. A gathering song should be sung (GIRM 47-48, CB 128 and MCW 61).
2. Act of Penitence (This should never be replaced by the Renewal of Baptismal Promises.)
3. The Gloria is sung on Sundays outside of Advent and Lent and on solemnities and feasts (not memorials). It is not used on weekdays (MCW 66, CB 135, GIRM 53).
4. The Responsorial Psalm is sung (GIRM 61, MCW 63).
5. The Gospel Acclamation is omitted if it is not sung (GIRM 62, MCW 55).
6. The petitions and response of the General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful) may be sung (GIRM 69-71, MCW 74).
7. A hymn, anthem or instrumental music may accompany the Preparation of the Gifts (GIRM 74, CB 145, MCW 71).
8. The Eucharistic acclamations (Holy, Memorial Acclamation, Great Amen) must be sung if there is any music at the liturgy (GIRM 79, CB 154-155, 158, MCW 53-54, 56-58). i. If the Eucharistic Prayers for Children are used, the acclamations should be sung. The candidates and assembly should know the acclamations and be prepared to respond (DMC 30-31). With this in mind, if the Sunday assembly is not familiar with the acclamations in the Eucharistic Prayer for Children, another Eucharistic Prayer should be chosen.
9. The Lord’s Prayer may be sung (GIRM 81, MCW 59).
10. The Lamb of God is sung (GIRM 83, MCW 68, CB 162).
11. A Communion processional song which expresses the communal nature of the Eucharistic meal should be sung. A meditation song may be sung after the Communion processional song (GIRM 87-88, CB 163, 166, MCW 62, 72).
12. A sending forth song may be sung (MCW 73). IV.
Liturgical Ministries
A. Pastor/Associate Pastor The pastor and associate pastor(s) properly preside at this celebration. Other priests who may be relatives and friends of those who are receiving the sacrament may also concelebrate the liturgy (GIRM 93).
B. Deacon The presider may be assisted by a deacon who properly exercises the fullness of his role in the Eucharistic assembly (GIRM 94).
C. Readers Those who exercise the ministry of reader might be chosen from those who regularly exercise this ministry at Mass. If there is no deacon present, the reader carries The Book of Gospels in the entrance procession (GIRM 101).
D. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Ministers of Holy Communion are to be assigned as necessary to distribute both the Body and Blood of Christ (hosts/cups) since communion may be given under both kinds. There should be sufficient minsters so that there are two persons ministering the Blood of Christ for each person ministering the Body of Christ (GIRM 100, NORMS 28).
E. Altar Servers The ministry of the altar server will enhance the dignity and solemnity of the celebration. The number of servers is dependent upon the amount of tasks which need to be exercised (GIRM 100).
F. Ministers of Hospitality Ushers/greeters are needed for the liturgical celebration (GIRM 105)
Reference Abbreviations
CB Ceremonial of Bishops
DMC Directory for Masses with Children
GIRM General Instruction of the Roman Missal
MCW Music in Catholic Worship
NORMS Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Diocese of the United States of America
RCIA Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
RS Redemptionis Sacramentum
