Nine Pinecrest students and an older sibling received their First Holy Communion

The Easter season is a grace-filled time in the Catholic Church, when many enter into full communion with the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil, or continue their journey in faith by receiving the Sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation. Last week, the sacramental graces were flowing at Pinecrest Academy, as well.
 
On Wednesday, May 9 ^th nine Pinecrest students and an older sibling received their First Holy Communion at Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel. Fr. Matthew Van Smoorenburg, LC, Pastor of St. Brendan’s, officiated this special Mass, accompanied by Pinecrest chaplains Fr. Matthew Kaderabek, LC, and Fr. William Brock, LC.  Present at the Mass were middle school students, lower school students and Pinecrest family members.
 
From the Middle School there were three students, who were baptized Catholics as infants but never received Sacramental formation until this year, received First Communion. Br. Anthony Queiros, LC, Middle School Campus Minister, met with these three students throughout the year to prepare them for this important step in their faith journey. 
 
Fr. Matthew Kaderabek, LC, the Lower School Chaplain, had the privilege of baptizing and welcoming into the Catholic Church seven Pinecrest students this school year (and an eighth who will join Pinecrest this fall).

The last four of these students received First Holy Communion on May 9 ^th.  At that same Mass, two students and an older sibling were welcomed into the Catholic Church, and received First Holy Communion.

The four 5 ^th grade boys who received First Communion at this Mass had remarkably given up their recess almost every Tuesday throughout the school year to attend optional faith formation classes with Br. Anthony, LC, and Fr. Matthew Kaderabek, LC.  Four of the six 5 ^th grade students were not sure if they were going to become Catholic; they just hungered to better understand the Catholic faith.  All six boys were faithful to the classes, not missing a single lesson.  Two of the boys only received permission to be baptized into the Faith, together with their younger sister, two weeks before the May 9 ^th Mass.  One of the 5 ^th grade boys decided he wanted to wait a year to become Catholic, so he could join the Church alongside his widowed mother next year. 
 
Other students in the lower school have made big steps in their faith journey at local parishes, as well. This past weekend two children joined the Church and received First Holy Communion at St Brendan’s…while two 4th graders caught up on their Sacraments by receiving First Holy Communion this past weekend at St Brendan’s

Please join in praying for these students who have joined the Church and entered into a new kind of intimacy in their relationship with Christ, as they receive His love, mercy and countless graces veiled in the mystery of His Real Presence in the Eucharist!