1st Reconciliation and 1st Eucharist
Thanks to all the parents who came out to the meeting!
Preparing Your Child For the Sacraments
Full initiation into the Catholic Church involves the reception of 3 sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. For children, receiving the Eucharist is the second sacrament of initiation. When your child is in grade 7, he or she will be Confirmed and will be considered a full member of the Catholic Church, and will participate fully at the table of the Lord.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. In the Mass we commune with Christ, who willingly gave all of himself for us, in a very tangible way - through our sight, our touch, our taste. We are fed, body and soul, and emboldened and empowered to go out to spread the Word, and to build the Kingdom of God.
To help prepare your child for the Eucharist, we invite you to participate in the following at church:
This link will take you to the "Families" page for information. Click your Back button to return, or choose 1st Reconciliation and 1st Eucharist" from the Sacraments menu again.
This link will take you to the schedule for the gift bearers at Sunday Mass. You can find your child's name and the date you signed up for. If you have not yet signed up, choose a date that is free and email me to sign up.
Church Tours
If you have not signed up, let me know if you want to come to the tour after the 9:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 19 or Sunday, November 26. Bette will make your child a name tag so that Fr. Rafal can call your child by name.
Preparation at Home:
You are the first - and best - educators of your child in the ways of faith. They watch you all the time. As parents, we know only too well how they pick up our mannerisms and expressions. God forbid we should swear in front of them! They pick that up faster than anything it seems! So you can lead them in the faith, not by having all the answers, but by praying together and by bringing them to Mass.
They may ask, why do we go to Mass, when we can pray at home? Worship comes from the same Latin root as work; worship is the work of the people. In January, the children will spend much time reflecting on the parable of the True Vine. They will come to an understanding that what happens to one branch of the vine affects all the branches. We are not each of us alone on this planet. Together we work, and together we pray.
The little yellow book you received will help you guide your child through the parts of the Mass.