An unususal first communion feast

The traditional Missionary Day for Children, which is usually celebrated on January 6th, the day of the Epiphany, this year it has changed place in the calendar of the Diocese of Rossano Cariati. The afternoon of May 24th was chosen, a suitable time for many First Communion celebrations. The slogan planned for this year, which punctually characterizes it, has remained unchanged: “Go and invite everyone to the feast!”. A slogan that doesn’t want to stop at mere words, but encourages the little ones to go “to the crossroads” to invite those who have been excluded from the celebration of life, to proclaim the Gospel of joy to all.

The meaning of this particular day of prayer and solidarity for children all over the world, we know, has its motto: “Children helping children”, means that young people celebrate this event by thinking of their peers from other continents. The goal is always to encourage them both to pray for their companions around the world and to help those among them who are most in need. The slogan for 2025 takes up the invitation that Jesus makes to everyone, including the little ones: a calling to make the world a more joyful, more just, more loving place. Why not involve the children who are preparing for their First Communion or who have just celebrated it? Who more than them lives in friendship with Jesus and knows how to recognize his message?

This was precisely the idea behind the first gathering of First Communion children from the Diocese of Rossano Cariati, where we have been present as Missionaries of the Immaculate for more than five years. And so to the rhythm of the song “The Lord’s love is wonderful” nearly two hundred children gathered on the steps of Piazza San Bartolomeo in the historic center of Rossano, greeting their companions from various parishes in the diocese. In the stands, the young and old participants demonstrated their passion and interest in the messages conveyed by the now consolidated experience of the world of Missionary Childhood.

The afternoon together gave everyone a journey across the five continents to discover little stories, dances, and traditions that became true workshops for meeting and discovering different worlds… all united by the desire to become bearers of hope for others. Yes, because hope cannot stand alone! It needs other friendly words to support itself, and the children who are preparing for their First Communion, or who have recently celebrated it, know this well: hope requires patience, friendship, enthusiasm, solidarity…. Finding a new word to associate with it can become a competition for them, just as they can compete to make the most beautiful ball, imitating the children of Papua New Guinea who, using a few banana leaves or rags, make lots of them for their games and entertainment. From Papua to Brazil to taste a mysterious drink prepared by the Indians (Indios) and shared with all the guests of this cheerful afternoon, who were asked to guess at least four of the ten ingredients it was made of. A truly unrepeatable taste!

On this journey across five continenets, the children, their catechists, and, in many cases, their parents, were accompanied by the novices, who were guests of our community in Rossano at the time: Bernadette from India and Francesca from Papua. They were also joined by sr. Dency, who in her traditional churidar took part in the welcoming dance.

The journey across the world could not fail to turn into a march given the jubilee year we are celebrating, a march to sing the joy of belonging to the Lord and of being friends with all and at peace with all. And the songs of friendship and peace the joyful and festive procession of the little ones reached the Church of San Bernardino where once again they had the opportunity to participate in the reflection proposed by Sr. Antonia who, taking inspiration from road signs, helped us find them in parallel with some expressions of Jesus in the Gospel. The young, newly licensed drivers felt like active participants in the “signposting to heaven,” embracing the Gospel message as a mandatory guide to the paradise we build since our pilgrimage on earth.

Thus, to the tune of San Filippo Neri “I prefer Paradise”, archbishop Monsignor Maurizio Aloise also introduced himself. After having spent a good part of the afternoon with them, he reawakened in each of them the desire to make their own the reasons and ideals for which the work of Missionary Childhood was born, namely, to pray for all the children in the world and practice saving a coin a month for those who have little or nothing. Concluding the day, Monsignor Aloise thanked the Missiionary Office and Missionary Sisters for this unusual initiative which could become an annual event for the little ones preparing for their first encounter with Jesus, and sent the catechists to collect the messages of hope from this cheerful and supportive missionary afternoon, to translate them into concrete gestures of solidarity with each of their little missionaries and their families. Just like those big loaves broken with everyone at the end of this “World” afternoon!!