St. Benedict youngsters receive First Communion

A group of 22 students from the religious education program of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Shawnee recently received their First Communion at the 10 a.m. Mass April 26. First Communion is important to Catholic children because the Eucharist helps preserve, augment and renew the life of grace they received in baptism. 
First Communion can only be received by those who have attained the age of discretion. The children have to be able to discern the dignity and excellence of the Eucharist and are required to also participate in the sacrament of reconciliation, also known as confession. The occasion also marked a vital step in the faith formation process for these youngsters because the Eucharist is the pre-eminent sacrament upon which all other sacraments and ecclesiastical ministries derive meanings.