Mom receives First Communion with two kids

Archbishop Jose Palma and Rev. Fr. Carmelo Diola pose with the street kids who received the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. (CDN PHOTO/ CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

He second Sunday of the Advent was special to 57 street kids and a mother – they received their first communion.

But to a 30-year-old mother, receiving her first communion was extra special, she had it at the same time with her two children Mary Jane and John Roger.

Merlyn, jobless, a mother of seven said: “Lipay kaayo ko kay nakadawat na gyod ko sa communion.” (I am so happy to finally receive the communion.)

According to her, the importance of the sacrament of communion feeling the Lord’s presence and accepting his teachings.

Mary Jane was thankful to the people who sponsored their communion. “Nalipay ko nga bisan pobre mi, naay mga maayo nga tawo nga nitabang namo,” the 14-year-old said. (I am happy, despite our poverty, there are still good people who help us.)

Battered wife

Last week, Merlyn was baptized, also at the Cathedral. She fells receiving the Catholic sacraments as a reprieve from her hard life.

Years ago she worked in Manila to support her family in Leyte. She decided to go home in Leyte after two of her seven children died. John Christian, 2, died of dengue and Jonnalyn, one year and seven months died of diarhea.

She hoped life would be better for her, but her husband allegedly abused her. So in 2010, she took her children to Cebu to start anew. Failing to find a job, they begged on the streets.

In 2011, one of her child who suffered a kidney ailment, Mary Joy, now 16, was taken in by nuns of the Legion of Mary. The nuns also sent her to school.

She plans to find decent work, like doing laundry.

Message to children

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said he was happy that the street kids have now received their first communion.

“It’s meant especially for street kids and we know for many of the street kids they may think that they may have left out, apparently have so many care for them. To think that this is their very first communion, it should also be something very significant knowing that our first reception of the Lord in the Eucharist should be a moment of joy and something very significant in our life; the Eucharist being the center of our life,” said Palma.