Special-needs communion

By Shanna Fortier
| 5:00 a.m. November 17, 2011

The Rev. Alberto Esposito blesses the Holy Communion. PHOTOS BY SHANNA FORTIER

Palm Coast Observer
News

Five special-needs students participated in the sacrament of Holy Communion Sunday, Nov. 13, at Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church, in Flagler Beach.

This is the first special needs class in the Diocese of St. Augustine to have a program for the developmentally disabled and families of the Catholic faith.

“I feel most like a priest when I’m with you guys — when I celebrate a Mass with these first communicants,” said the Rev. Alberto Esposito at the Sunday night Mass. “A new church is emerging, a church where the little ones are truly glorified by us.”

Catholic education teacher Maribel Alvarado said that had it not been for Esposito, the special-needs program would never have happened.

Teachers Christina Pinto, Zoe Nieto and Ken Ledford joined Alvarado.

First communion students were Katie Worgul, Matthew Orozco, Michael Vazquez, Luis Rivera Jr. and Emily Orozco.