A Journey Toward the Eucharist

Andrea Vij shares the story of a mother and daughter whose special relationship reflects their deep devotion to the Eucharist. 

The organ plays softly, a line begins to form, and I kneel at my place trying not to stare. I probably shouldn’t use the word stare — really, I’m just glancing over to admire a mother and her adult daughter as they move forward to receive Communion.

I’ve never met this mother and daughter before, but I’ve noticed them at Mass. It looks as if the daughter might be blind, and her mom seems to be guiding her from behind. But is that normal? Doesn’t the sighted person usually go first? Still, they move together beautifully, almost like poetry. Maybe I’ll go over after Mass and say hello.

Hmm, that gives me an idea.

Maybe after we chat for a while, this beautiful mother and daughter who move together like poetry will agree to let me interview them for an article. With their help, I could write about the Eucharist and how we approach it with our sons and daughters. Their walk toward the altar seems like the perfect metaphor for the way we as parents are called to guide our children to Jesus.

“Lord,” I pray silently, “if you like this idea, please prepare the way.”

The Interview

Six weeks later, I find myself at a table in our Parish Center across from Rose Mary, a semi-retired hospitality professional, and her daughter Natalie, an English teacher for Homeschool Connections and Bridgeway Academy. The two have graciously agreed to talk with me about their love for the Eucharist and their special mother-daughter relationship.

Not surprisingly, the two go hand in hand.

“The first and best teacher of faith is the home,” says Natalie, “and there is no better example than my incredible mother.” Rose Mary argues that her daughter gives her too much credit, but Natalie insists.

She describes her childhood enthusiastically, giving credit to her mom for teaching her from the beginning to love God with all her heart. “From the time I can remember, we prayed together,” she says. “There are videos of tiny little me, and Mom is making the Sign of the Cross and teaching one-year-old me how to make the Sign of the Cross.”

Little Things and Big Things

Natalie speaks lovingly about the little things that made an unforgettable impression on her as a child, like overhearing her mom praying in another part of the house, or hearing her say, “Dear Jesus, I love You; I put my life at Your feet,” whenever she walked past the crucifix in their home. She remembers her mom taking her to Adoration after school and allowing her, even as a little girl, to go up front and “hang out” by the statue of Mary.

“I was just mesmerized,” Natalie says, “and I got to fall in love with Our Lady.”

She also remembers preparing for her First Communion, how the things she learned in school were built upon at home. “We did great things in class, but we talked at home about what a special thing (the Eucharist) was.” It was at home that Natalie learned to love and respect the Sacrament and to feel a sense of awe in the presence of Jesus.

She describes the amazement she felt when the magnitude of Our Lord’s gift finally hit her: “This is what we get?? Like, literal GOD??”

A Whole Different Universe

These days, despite the miles that separate them, Rose Mary and Natalie get together as often as they can, and their love for the Eucharist continues to keep them connected. One of their favorite activities is attending Mass together, whether in their respective home cities or on vacation in a new place. They often choose to sit near the back of the church, and when they exit their pew for Communion, Rose Mary walks behind Natalie with her hands resting gently on her daughter’s shoulders, guiding her forward to receive the Eucharist.

Natalie, who was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma as an infant, explains that although this method works beautifully for her and her mom, it should not be considered correct guiding technique. Normally she would take the arm of a sighted person and follow them from behind, a position that gives her more control. But with her mom, Natalie says, “It’s a whole different universe.”

She wouldn’t let anyone else guide her in this unconventional way, but when approaching the altar with her mother, she embraces the unconventional with complete trust. Together they glide forward with a smoothness that comes from years of practice, and Rose Mary says she can’t remember a time when her daughter ever walked behind her on their way to Communion.

“I’m bringing her to Jesus,” she explains, “and that’s why she’s in front of me. She’s my daughter, and I’m going to try to guide her straight to where she needs to be.”

The Most Natural Thing in the World

Each time they attend Mass together, whether at home or on the road, Rose Mary and Natalie set out on another graceful — and grace-filled — journey toward the Eucharist. Their “choreography” may break a few rules, but it works, and to them it feels like the most natural thing in the world: a mother guiding her child to Jesus, a daughter allowing herself to be guided, and a loving Savior waiting eagerly to greet them.

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2026 Andrea Vij
Images: (third from top) courtesy of Rose Mary Schira; all others Canva