Tampa: Mary Help Celebrates First Communions and Confirmations

By Ms. Chioma Okoye, Director of Communications, Mary Help of Christians Center, Tampa, FL

(Tampa, FL – May 22) – On Sunday, April 28, 10 young people received their First Holy Communion at Mary Help of Christians Parish. On Sunday, May 12, which was also Mother’s Day, 13 young people received the sacrament of Confirmation. Both days were beautiful occasions for the entire community. Family, friends, and parishioners packed into the Mary Help of Christians Church to witness their loved ones receive the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Salesian confreres of the Mary Help community were also in attendance to support these young people’s spiritual milestones.

While there is just one campus and mission at Mary Help, there are many ministries through which the Lord continually works. Although those involved in the various ministries here might appear to be ordinary, they mirror the multitude of people engaged in the many ministries in which the Salesian Family is engaged in throughout the world Those who received these sacraments recently were formed and prepared by different groups of our Salesian Family. Five of them are students at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School and were prepared by Fr. Eddie Chincha, SDB. Two others entered the Church through RCIA, which is led by a Salesian Cooperator and aided by faithful parishioners. Two more young people were formed by the Salesian Sisters at Villa Madonna School (about 15 minutes from Mary Help of Christians Tampa), and the remainder of those confirmed were prepared as part of the parish’s faith formation program. Also, most of the teachers who volunteer are either Salesian Cooperators or aspirants.

By the grace of God, along with hard work, the fruits of the Salesian Family are clearly seen here. Priests, sisters, Cooperators, aspirants, and candidates all work together for the salvation of young people!