They staged a mock Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Spartanburg where the children played all the key roles — priest, deacon, altar servers, gift bearers, lectors, ushers and extraordinary ministers. Miller said she even made vestments for all her students.

“They never tried on the vestments until the Mass,” Miller said. “One was a little tight, but, overall, they fit pretty well.”

And they looked the part during their practice Mass, which was staged in the old church. Its cornerstone was laid on Oct. 14, 1883, and features an oak altar crucifix that would inspire Michelangelo.

“We practiced here (in the classroom), and none of them had ever gone over to the altar before,” said Jeannie Dietz, one of the teachers.

The first time they climbed the marble steps at the altar, they understood the assignment and showed incredible reverence for the Mass.

“I just think that the Holy Spirit filled them,” Dietz said. “They get it. I think they know that the Eucharist is the Real Presence.”

And that was the whole purpose of the exercise.

Miller and Dietz, along with Michael and Megan Roche, had been preparing these second graders to receive first Communion.

“The best part,” according to Michael Tanner, who played the priest, “was Communion. You bring everybody Communion.”

His gestures were smooth, but he admitted to feeling a lot of butterflies.

“I felt the pressure. Everyone was looking at me,” he said.

It didn’t show during his homily on the Transfiguration, though. “How can this be?” he asked. “How can Jesus be talking to Moses and Elijah?”

His classmate Leah Miller had the answer: “Because he’s God.”

Leah was in the pews along with many proud parents, and she was paying attention. So was Ayvalee Williams.

“She did great. She followed all the readings very well,” Miller said.

It was easy to follow along because Emma Rogers and Blake Skweres were clear in delivering the first and second readings, while “Father Tanner”  presented the Gospel.

“They were not afraid,” Miller said.

“They were just a little nervous, but they wanted to do it,” Dietz added.

That included Abdiel Hernandez-Campos, who took on the responsibilities of a deacon.

“He volunteered right away. He did not prepare. He just winged it,” Miller said. “He did great,” as did Billy McClintock, who, as an altar server, was tasked with carrying the cross.

“It was a pretty heavy cross,” Miller said, but Billy took it in stride. He had one brief stumble but recovered gracefully and held the cross high. He said it was fun.

Billy shared altar server duties with Cameron Hilburn and Beau Jeffers, while Myles Figueroa and Katelyn Shigaki brought up the gifts.

All 18 first Communion students played some part. If they weren’t at the altar, they were in the pews, following the Mass with their parents.

Meanwhile, teacher Michael Roche stood by in the background, assisting his priest and deacons just in case they needed a hand. St. Paul parishioner Harrison Miller did the same for the altar servers.

However, these young souls took the lead. 

After the final blessing by “Father Tanner,” all the little ones proudly processed down the aisle in their vestments to parishioners’ applause.

Somehow, everybody thought Jesus was smiling and applauding, too. And, a few weeks later, Christ invited these second graders to his altar again for their first Communion.

They were ready. The practice Mass showed how children can embrace the Real Presence of Jesus. First Communion was a blessed, sacred moment for them. 

It was even better to experience the truth of what they had learned in the classroom — the Eucharist, consecrated by the priest, is indeed the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.