Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad called on children receiving their First Holy Communion to remain close to Christ and make the Eucharist the foundation of their faith journey during a celebration on July 8 at Urooj-e-Mariam Parish in Chichawatni, a town in Sahiwal District of Pakistan’s Punjab province.
A total of 130 children, 70 girls and 60 boys, received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion during the Mass, marking the largest group of first communicants in the history of the parish. The celebration was held after a four-year interval since the parish last organized the sacrament for a large group of children.
“Receiving Holy Communion is not merely a single-day celebration but the foundation of your lifelong spiritual journey,” Bishop Rehmat said in his homily.
“From this day forward, you are called to walk closely with Christ, to listen to His word daily, and to become witnesses of His peace and love in your homes, schools, and neighborhoods,” he added.
The bishop also encouraged the children to participate regularly in the Eucharist and remain active in parish life. He reminded parents and the wider community of their responsibility to support children through prayer and Christian example.
The children had completed six months of faith formation classes organized by the parish catechists. The sessions focused on Church teachings, prayers, and the meaning of the Eucharist.
To reach children from surrounding villages, the parish conducted classes through several sub-stations around Chichawatni, with catechists traveling regularly to provide instruction, including for children from farming families.
Fr. Peter Shangara, parish priest of Urooj-e-Mariam Parish, thanked Bishop Rehmat for presiding over the celebration and acknowledged the efforts of catechists, parents, and the pastoral team in preparing the children.
He said the large number of participants reflected the growing commitment of families to the faith formation of their children.
The First Communion celebration brought together families, guardians, and parishioners from across the community. At the conclusion of the Mass, the children received certificates marking their reception of the sacrament of holy communion.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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