WITH LOVE,

WE YOUR CHILDREN

INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE WITH US

AS WE RECEIVE THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

FIRST COMMUNION APRIL 29, 2017 at 11:30 AM

VERY REVEREND PHILLIP C. PFLEGER E.V.Pastor

FATHER AWTE WELDU O. CIST.FATHER MUSIE TESFAYOHANNES, O. CIST.

FATHER GABRIEL ZEIS, T.O.R.FATHER MAURIZIO NICOLETTI, O. CIST

ST. JOHN NEUMANN PARISH

MT. LAUREL, NEW JERSEY

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Today we come together as members of God's family to celebrate the greatest thing that could happen. Jesus has given us His own body and blood. Help us to realize during this celebration how wonderful this gift really is. May the Eucharist we receive today help us to go forth and make our Family, school, neighborhood and world a better place.

ENTRANCE HYMN GOD IS HERE!Enter, enter, come in! Rejoice!Let us come into the presence of God. Enter, enter, come in! Rejoice!Let us come into the presence of God.REFRAINGod is here! Come, let us celebrate!God is here! Let us rejoice!God is here! Come, let us celebrate!God is here! Let us rejoice!Enter, enter, come giving thanks!Let us come in giving thanks to our God. Enter, enter, come giving thanks!Let us come in giving thanks to our God. REFRAINEnter, enter, joyfully sing!Let us come in singing praise to our God. Enter, enter, joyfully sing!Let us come in singing praise to our God.REFRAIN

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GREETING

Celebrant: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

PENITENTIAL RITE

Celebrant: Dear boys and girls, during the past months, you have spent much time learning about Jesus, the Bread of Life. You have talked to Him in prayer. He has become your friend. Today, for the first time, you will share Hislife in Holy Communion. May the peace of Jesus fill your heart. Jesus says, "Before coming to the altar, make

peace with one another." In order to join in the meal of love and unity, let us ask our

Lord, our Family and friends for forgiveness.Deacon: For the times we have not acted as children

of God's Family, Lord have mercy.All: Lord, have mercy.Deacon: For the times we have not been at peace with

God, our Families and friends, Christ have mercy.

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All: Christ, have mercy.

Deacon: For the times we have forgotten to give thanks

for our many gifts, Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Celebrant: May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgiveus our sins and bring us to everlasting life.

All: Amen.

GLORY TO GODAll: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth

peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

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COLLECTCelebrant: Let us pray, O God, who have accomplished

the work of human redemption through the Paschal Mystery of your Only Begotten Son, graciously grant that we, who confidently proclaim, under sacramental signs, the Death and resurrection of Christ, may experience continued increase of your saving grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen. (Please sit)

FIRST READINGA reading from the book of Genesis.Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words:"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who delivered your foes into your hand.”The Word of the Lord.All: Thanks be to God.

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Reader: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reader: I will always praise the Lord. With all my heart, I will praise the Lord. Let all who are helpless

listen and be glad.

All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reader: Honor the Lord with me! Celebrate his great name.

I asked the Lord for help, and he saved me fromall my fears.

All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.Reader: Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the

sun and never blush with shame. I was a nobody,

but I prayed, and the Lord saved me from all my troubles.

All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reader: Honor the Lord! You are his special people. No one who honors the Lord will ever be in need. Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the Lord, you will never miss out on anything good.

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All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

SECOND READING

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.Brothers and sisters: I have already told you what Jesus did on the night he was betrayed. And it came from the Lord himself.He took some bread in his hands. Then after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Eat this and remember me."After the meal, Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands and said, "This is my blood, and with it God makes his new agreement with you. Drink this and remember me.”

The Lord meant that when you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you tell about his death until he comes. The Word of the Lord.All: Thanks be to God. Sing: AlleluiaAll: Alleluia

I am the living bread from heaven, says the Lord; if anyone eats this bread he will live forever.

All: Alleluia(Please stand)

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GOSPELDeacon: The Lord be with you.All: And with your spirit.Deacon: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to

Mark. All: Glory to you, Lord. People were bringing their little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples were scolding them for this. Jesus became indignant when He noticed it and said to them:"Let the children come to me and do not hinder them. It is to just such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs. I assure you that whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a little child shall not enter into it."Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. The Gospel of the Lord.All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.(Please sit)

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GENERAL INTERCESSIONS(Please stand)Celebrant: God our Father, we come before you believing

you will hear our prayers. We place our needs

in your care. Reader: Please Respond: Lord, hear our prayer.

For the leaders of our church, that they will continue to spread the Good News of Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader: For the leaders of the world that they will work together for justice and peace, let us pray to

the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer.Reader: For Parents and Families that God will bless

them with many good gifts, let us pray to the

Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer.Reader: For all children who are receiving the

Eucharist for the first time, that they will be filled with the life of Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.9

Reader: That God will give strength and health to all who are sick, let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

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Reader: That we may always see the Eucharist as a sign of God's love, let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.Celebrant: Father, we thank you for your goodness to us. We pray, you will continue to answer our

prayer. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Your Son and our Brother.

All: Amen.(Please sit)

OFFERTORY SONG WE COME TO YOUR TABLE

Gentle Jesus, risen Lord,We come to Your table;With our hearts so full of joy,We come to Your table.REFRAINWe come, we come, we come to Your table.We come, we come, we come to Your table.Bringing gifts of all we are,We come to Your table;Gifts of life and love and joy,We come to Your table.

REFRAINJesus Savior, living bread;We come to Your table.Bread of heaven, Bread of hope,We come to Your table.

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REFRAIN

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LITURGY OF THE EUCHARISTPREPARATION OF THE ALTAR AND GIFTS

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

Celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, forthrough your goodness we have received thebread we offer you: fruit of the earth and

workof human hands, it will become for us thebread of life.

All: Blessed be God for ever.

Celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, forthrough your goodness we have received thewine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work

ofhuman hands, it will become our our spiritualdrink.

All: Blessed be God for ever.(Please stand)

Celebrant: Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your

hands for the praise and glory of His name, for our good, and the good of all His holy Church.

Amen.

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Celebrant: Celebrating the memorial of our salvation, we

humbly beseech your mercy, O Lord, that this Sacrament of your loving kindness may be for us the sign of unity and the bond of charity. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.Celebrant: The Lord be with you. All: And with your spirit.Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.All: We lift them up to the Lord.Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All: It is right and just.

PREFACE

Celebrant:It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.For he is the true and eternal Priest, who instituted the pattern of an everlasting sacrifice and was the first to offer himself as the saving Victim, commanding us to

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make this offering as his memorial. As we eat his flesh that was sacrificed for us, we are made strong, and, as we drink his blood that was poured out for us, we are washed clean. And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim:

All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he, blessed is he who comes in thename of the Lord, the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

(Please kneel)

Celebrant:You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and + Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:

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TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

The mystery of faith.All: When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we

proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.

Celebrant:Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Francis, our Pope, David our Bishop, and all of the clergy.Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, Saint John Neumann, Saint Isaac Jogues and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages,

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we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.Through him and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever.All: Amen.(Please stand)

Celebrant: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine

teaching we dare to say: All: Our Father, who art in heaven.....

Celebrant: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always

free from sin and safe from all distress, as we

await the blessed hope and the coming of our

Savior,Jesus Christ.

All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory areyours, now and forever.

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SIGN OF PEACE

Celebrant: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not

on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign forever and ever.

All: Amen.Celebrant: The peace of the Lord, be with you always.All: And with your spirit.Deacon: Let us offer each other a sign of peace.All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins

of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins

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of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

(Please kneel)

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(Please kneel)

Celebrant: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him whotakes away the sins of the world. Blessed arethose who are called to the supper of theLamb.

All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enterunder my roof, but only say the word and mysoul shall be healed.

COMMUNION

The children will now come forward to receive their First Communion. (no pictures please.)

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PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Children: MY FIRST COMMUNION SONGJesus You come to me...As Bread to feed me, Friend to heal me, Light to lead me. Welcome, Jesus, Welcome.My Jesus, stay with me!I want to know You, I want to love You,I want to serve YouThis day and always. Jesus, I pray to YouFor those who love me,Those who teach me, Those who care for me Keep them in your heart.(Please stand)

Celebrant: Let us pray:

May sharing at the heavenly table sanctify us,

Lord, we pray, so that through the Body andBlood of Christ the whole family of believersmay be bound together.Through Christ our Lord

All: Amen.

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FINAL BLESSING

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Celebrant: May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Deacon: Go forth, the Mass is ended.

All: Thanks be to God.

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RECESSIONAL HYMN THEY’LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE We are one in the Spirit,We are one in the Lord, We are one in the Spirit, We are one in the Lord, and we pray that all unity may one day be restored. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. We will walk with each other, We will walk hand in hand, We will walk with each other, We will walk hand in hand, and together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

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We will work with each other, We will work side by side, We will work with each other, We will work side by side, and we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

The First Communicants will now come forward to have their picture taken with Fr. Phillip Pfleger along with the other priests and deacons.

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CONGRATULATIONS FROM YOUR PARISH

PRIESTS AND DEACONS

Very Rev. Phillip C. Pfleger, E. V. – PastorFather Musie Tesfayohannes, O. Cist.Father Awte Weldu, O. Cist.Father Gabriel Zeis, T.O.R.Father Maurizio Nicoletti, O. CistDeacon Joe BarbaraDeacon Tom Knowles

DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Helen Ann Graziano

CATECHISTSMelissa DiBraccio Olivia MorrowCarol Adams Vidya OlivarezBridget Christy Maria RicciutiMarie Edelson Cyndi StroikJennifer Krause Karen TordyDanielle Meosky

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CONGRATULATIONS ON RECEIVING YOURFIRST HOLY COMMUNION

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