I'm not really all that surprised at this quote. I made my First Holy Communion in '64, and just about that time the Nuns started railing against 'impure thoughts.'
When I was in 4th grade, 10 years old, me and three other boys were upstairs in the attic of the school house looking through trunks of old costumes that were used for plays and the like. We wandered up there during our play period following lunch. The Nun 'discovered' us, and accused us of being immoral. Her comments on my report card that quarter were, 'Your daughter is immoral.'
My parents couldn't speak or read English that well at the time, but my Father understood right away what was going on and was quite upset by it.
That same Nun forced me to sit on the lap of a boy because I asked to borrow a pencil from him. She was looking to sexualize the situation, in my older and wiser opinion. And all of this probably relates directly back to that 'all sex is impure' nonsense, and the contorted psyches it produces.
Like those that practice birth-control? Do not attend Mass every Sunday? Do not go to confession yearly?
Just because someone attends Mass every Sunday does not mean they accept that the Eucharist is what the Church teaches it is. What I'm trying to say is that they may have an attachment to the Eucharist as part of the overall Ritualistic experience, but they really don't take the Eucharist seriously. And, I still maintain that the Church is more important culturally to a lot of Catholics than it is as a liviing, breathing, lit-from-within Faith. It's going through the motions for many people, IMO. Not all, to be sure.
You did not get one card for your first communion? Not one gift? I made mine 50+ years ago and I have the pictures taken at that party in my little brides dress. Last year a similar "celebration "was held for sisters I know.
I'm sure I received Cards and money, but that was so much the least important part of the whole thing, that I still have to disagree with your assessment of it.
When I was first saved I stayed for quite a time, little by little , as I studied the word of God and prayed I saw the connection between the passover remembrance and the Last supper, I saw that Christ had typologies in the OT and that he taught using metaphors and parables and that "proof texts " like John 6 had been cherry picked , out of that context.
What I'm trying to say is that they may have an attachment to the Eucharist as part of the overall Ritualistic experience, but they really don't take the Eucharist seriously
As a Calvinist I take it seriously, we are commanded to remember the crucifixion and death of our substitute, Christ, and to do that as God ordained in the OT with the passover. it is a solum remembrance where God is present to the elect.
. And, I still maintain that the Church is more important culturally to a lot of Catholics than it is as a liviing, breathing, lit-from-within Faith. It's going through the motions for many people, IMO. Not all, to be sure.
Indeed being Catholic is a part of the family and cultural identity of many people. One is for example an "Irish Catholic" in WNY . When I left the church the first thing my father said to me was "Why aren't you Catholic anymore, we are a Catholic family ?" He could not understand the spiritual significance of my conversion because he had never experienced it.
Here is a link that explains a bit how as a Calvinist I see the connection of the Manna to the statement "I am the bread of Life" Here
I'm sure I received Cards and money, but that was so much the least important part of the whole thing, that I still have to disagree with your assessment of it.
And what did you or I do to "earn" those gifts and cards? How were WE worthy ? There is an expectation of money and gifts connected with it, people talk of "still having their first communion money" . The fact that is a Catholic cultural norm says much to me.