The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. When we faithfully receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, we grow deeper in communion with God and fellowship with one another. For a brief introduction about The Eucharist, watch the video below.
Reception of Holy Communion
If you are a person who would like some guidance on the Catholic tradition for the Reception of Holy Communion, we encourage you to read over the following article from the United Conference of Catholic Bishops for more information.
Please note: there are different guidelines for people at various points in their faith journey. If you aren't sure where you fall, please Contact Us for more clarification.
The Sacrament of Eucharist (The Catechism of the Catholic Church)
The Catholic Church follows a set of rubrics that have been handed down as the guiding documents of the Catholic faith. These guidelines are the basis of everything that we do as followers of Christ. To gain a better understanding of the Rubrics, we encourage you to read through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
The Eucharist is a complex Sacrament, and knowing everything about it can be difficult. If you have more questions about what The Eucharist is, please read through the following article on Catholic Come Home. This Question/Answer guide will better inform you on The Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Receiving Your First Eucharist
The Eucharist is one of the Sacraments of Initiation in the Catholic Church. This means, that all Catholics must complete this Sacrament before being fully accepted into the Catholic Faith. People find themselves at different points in the Catholic journey--for more information about making your First Eucharist, please continue reading below.
First Eucharist for Children
Our Sacramental Preparation program is designed as a faith journey for children and their parents to take together. For your child to receive First Communion, they should be enrolled in faith formation or school classes and Sacramental Preparation programs. First Communion preparation typically begins in second grade. For more information about enrolling your child in the proper educational programs, please Contact Us for more information.
For Portage, contact the Parish Office at 608-742-6998.
If you are an adult seeking to receive your First Communion or thinking about becoming Catholic, you can read more on our Becoming Catholic - RCIA page.
Adoration of the Eucharist
Adoration is held the first Friday of each month from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm., at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception church in Portage. If you would like to learn more about Eucharistic Adoration, you can visit our Adoration page.
Volunteer Opportunities and the Eucharist
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Eucharistic Ministers assist the Presider in the distribution of the Eucharistic bread and wine at liturgy. We are always looking for additional Ministers of Holy Communion. If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please view our Liturgical Ministries page.
Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound
As Catholics, we welcome all who are able to receive the Holy Eucharist. In some cases, our brothers and sisters are unable to join us for traditional weekend Mass. To help make The Sacrament of the Eucharist accessible to them, we coordinate visits to people who are homebound or are in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or RCAC.
If you, or someone you know, would like to receive a pastoral visit or would like communion brought to them, please contact Nancy Davis, Pastoral Ministry at [email protected], or call the Parish Office at 608-742-6998 ext. 217 in Portage. In Briggsville reach out to Sister Anita at 608-981-2282 or by email [email protected].
If you would like to volunteer to be a Eucharistic Minister to the Homebound, please view our Pastoral Ministries page.
Eucharistic adoration is the adoration of Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. The most common form of Eucharistic Adoration is when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a special vessel called a Monstrance and placed on the altar so that the faithful can quietly pray in the presence of the Lord. Adoration begins with a liturgical service called Exposition and ends with a liturgical service called Benediction.
Adoration is held at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Portage on the first Friday of each month from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm.
You can also stop in to Church anytime to and pray before the Eucharist in the Tabernacle. Whenever you see the white Sanctuary candle lit, you know that Jesus is present in the Tabernacle.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offer an brief description about the importance of Eucharistic Adoration. You can read more about their response by clicking the button to the left.
Are you new to Eucharistic Adoration? While this article is geared toward teenagers, it has some helpful guides for beginners of all ages. You can read more by clicking the button to the left.