Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. (John 6:47-51)
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is the center of our Catholic faith. It is both the renewal of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and a holy meal in which God's people receive the body and blood of Jesus under the appearances of bread and wine.
As distinct from many other Christian Churches, the Catholic Church believes that in the Eucharist Jesus becomes both physically and spiritually present, whole and entire, under the appearances of both bread and wine.
Eucharistic Ministers of the Altar assist in distributing the consecrated Body and Blood of Christ at Mass.
Eucharistic Adoration is the act of worshiping God as He is present in the consecrated Host. Spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, in prayer and devotion, is exactly the same as spending time before the living God. Eucharistic Adoration is held in the church from Wednesday 9:00am to Thursday 8:00am.
Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick and Shut-ins bring Communion on a regular basis to those who are unable to attend Mass. The visits are arranged at a time convenient for both the person being served and the Eucharistic minister.
First Eucharist for Children
At St. Joseph Parish, baptized Catholic children who have attained the age of reason (generally age 7 or second grade) may begin immediate preparation for their First Eucharist. Immediate preparation presumes remote preparation was accomplished in the prior year(s). Immediate preparation for the sacraments begins in the Fall with the sacrament of Reconciliation and progresses toward Eucharist in the following months.
To sign your child up for Sacramental Preparation, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
