General Intercessions

Priest: Our Lord Jesus Christ loves children very much. He felt very
much
displeased when the disciples reject the children who
wished to come
close to Him. So He said, Let the children come to me, and
do not
hinder them, for of such is the kingdom of God. Brothers
and sisters,
let us pray through Him to God the Father, who cares
always for all the
children.
Lector: For all who have dedicated themselves to God, that He will
help them
to be faithful to their promise, we pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer
Lector: For peace among nations, that God may rid the world of
violence, and
let us serve Him in freedom, we pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Lector: For the aged who suffer from loneliness and infirmity, that
we will
sustain them by our love, we pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Lector: For these children who have the honor to receive Holy
Communion for
the first time today, that in their life they may always
receive it with
the same fervor, innocence and purity of heart as they
approach Your
holy altar today. We pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Lector: For their parents, brothers and sisters, and also their
teachers who
have done their best to prepare them well to receive our
Lord Jesus
Christ, that they may keep on helping them through
their prayers and
example of life. We pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Lector: For all the children in the world, who, for one reason or
another have
not been able to receive Holy Communion, that You may
awaken in
them the holy desire to be united to Jesus through the
Holy Sacrament
of the Eucharist, and that they may be able to realize
soon their desire.
We pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Lector: For all of us present, that through the example of these
children, may
we always receive our Lord worthily and with devotion,
moved by a
living faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Holy
Eucharist. We pray
to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Lector: For all of us who are gathered around Your Holy table, that
we may
always be conscious of being your children in all
circumstances of our
daily life, so that we may know how to always have
complete

confidence in You. Lord, hear our prayer.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Almighty God, You are our beloved Father, who knows best
what we
need. You are always pleased to grant the petitions of
Your children.
Listen to our prayers today, so that all of us may learn
better each day
to live more and more for you. We ask You all these in
the name of our
Lord, Jesus Christ, so that with Him and in union with the
Holy Spirit,
You will be glorified forever and ever.
All: Amen.

First Communicants Prayer

I thank you sweetest Jesus/
for the gifts from heaven above.//
But most of all I thank you,/
for you yourself my love.//
I thank you for your coming so sweetly/ to my heart.//
I beg you never let me/ my Lord from you depart.//
And like a little angel/ within your heart I rest.//

With eyes of love adoring/ my gentlest dearest guest.//

Amen.

Parents Prayer
Dear Lord, we offer to You this prayer as Parents of the First
Communicants.
We thank you Lord for allowing our sons, on this day, to receive
You for the first time.
Let them realize the greatness of the sacrament that they have
received this day, open their young minds to appreciate and
understand the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Let them treasure
each chance that they get to receive You again in the Holy
Communion. Let them never forget these lessons and may You

mold them to become bright imitators of you, active and devout

Christian boys.
For this day onwards, whether at work or at play, in school or at
home, guide our sons to seek you in prayer, to worship You in
great and little things of day to day, and to love You always by
loving others.
We pray for all the teachers, friends, and relatives who in one way
or another helped us make this day possible.
We pray for our chaplain, Fr. Emmanuel Esguerra. May God give
him an abundance of wisdom and patience in leading our sons
closer to God.
We also pray for ourselves, the Parents of these boys, to guide our
sons by good example, teach them with words inspired by You, to
love them as You have loved us. We pray that we will always have
the time, the strength and the courage to be by their side.
As a final prayer, dear Lord, engrave in the hearts and minds of
our sons the important lessons and loving memories of this
special day, so that when they face lifes challenges, they can
always look back to this day and seek comfort in the fact that
they have parents who love them very much and a God who loves
them even more. Amen.

Parents Prayer 2

Most loving Father, the example of parenthood. You have entrusted our
children to us to bring them up for You and prepare them for everlasting life. Assist
us with your grace, that we may fulfill this sacred duty with competence and love.
Teach us what to give and what to withhold. Show us when to reprove, when to
praise and when to be silent. Make us gentle and considerate, yet firm and
watchful. Keep us free from the weakness of indulgence and excess of severity.
Give us the courage to be disliked sometimes by our children, when we must do
necessary things which are displeasing to their eyes. Give us the imagination to
enter their world in order to understand and guide them. Grant us all the virtues we
need to lead them by word and example in the ways of wisdom and piety. One day
with them, may we enter the joys of our true and lasting home with you heaven.
Amen.