First Communion in Jaffa

On Saturday morning, June 6, 2015, the mass celebrating Corpus Christi overflowed with joy in a special way this year in the English speaking African community at Saint Anthony’s Church in Jaffa when eight children of the community received first communion. Children of migrant workers from English speaking African countries: Ghana, Nigeria,…, all the children are born in Israel and integrated in Hebrew speaking, Jewish Israeli society. Preparation for the sacrament of communion was in Hebrew and their teacher was Sister Anna. Father Marcello celebrated the mass in English and alongside him was Father Apolinary, responsible for the Hebrew speaking Catholic community in Jaffa and for religious classes in Hebrew in Jaffa.

In the evening of that same day, in the same joyful and family atmosphere, the mass for Corpus Christi was celebrated in Saint Peter’s Church in Jaffa. This time three children from the Hebrew speaking Catholic community received first communion. They had also been prepared for this important occasion by Sister Anna. Father Apolinary celebrated the mass and in the homily spoke about the importance of preparing to receive the sacrament and the importance of preparing the place in which we encounter the Lord who comes to us in his Body and Blood.

On Sunday, June 7, 2015, in the same church, this time in the Polish speaking community, three children also received first communion. At the end of the mass, in order to express faith in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament, a procession was held in the church.

These two days in Jaffa went by in great celebration and gave the feeling that we are indeed all one body in Christ.