Loralei Dickens receives her First Holy Communion on May 3, 2026 at Precious Blood Parish in Owensboro from her godfather, Fr. Julio Barrera. COURTESY OF APRIL DICKENS
Young parishioner celebrates First Communion with priest-godfather
BY WKC STAFF
On Sunday, May 3, 2026, a young member of Precious Blood Parish in Owensboro, Loralei Dickens, received her First Holy Communion from her godfather, Fr. Julio Barrera.
Loralei’s mother, April Dickens, serves as the bookkeeper for Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro. She told The Western Kentucky Catholic that she was pregnant with Loralei while Fr. Barerra was the associate pastor at Sts. Joseph and Paul, and their family became good friends with the young priest, whom they invited to be the little one’s godfather.
Fr. Barrera now serves as the pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Beaver Dam and Holy Trinity Parish in Morgantown. He visited Precious Blood on the day of Loralei’s First Communion so that he could give her the Eucharist for the first time. Fr. Barerra concelebrated the First Communion Mass with Precious Blood’s pastor, Fr. Carl McCarthy, who incidentally was the pastor of Sts. Joseph and Paul when Loralei was born.
Loralei Dickens is seen with her godfather, Fr. Julio Barrera, on the day of her First Holy Communion, May 3, 2026, at Precious Blood Parish in Owensboro. COURTESY OF APRIL DICKENS
