Holy Family Sacramental Preparation Programs
First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation
Sacramental preparation is a wonderful opportunity to renew or deepen your family’s participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Parents are blessed with the gift of helping their children prepare to receive the sacraments. Many parents are hesitant to join in the process of sacramental preparation with their children. This is often because they have been away from the sacraments themselves or fear they will misguide their children. Sacramental preparation is the chance for parents to learn with new eyes while participating in the faith journey of their children.
In order for sacramental reception to be understood and fruitful, we encourage children who enter our sacramental programs to attend Mass each week with the church community. Now is the time to renew this within your family, if needed.
//First Reconciliation and First Eucharist//
The following information applies to your child if he/she is in Grade 2 (or older) and has completed Grade 1 (or last year) of religious education, but has notcelebrated the sacrament of First Reconciliation or First Eucharist. If a child is in a Catholic school, sacrament preparation is done at the home parish.
First Reconciliation is the sacrament that has also been called First Confession or First Penance. Normally, a child prepares for and celebrates this at Holy Family in the fall/early winter before preparing for First Communion.
What is Reconciliation?:
First Eucharistis also called First Communion. Normally a child prepares for this between February-May at Holy Family after having gone through the First Reconciliation program in the fall. Both Reconciliation and Eucharist programs require the involvement of parent/s in addition to the child’s religious education classes.
What is the Eucharist?:
If your child was in RE last year and if you wish to prepare your child/ren for the above sacraments this year, please put his/her name on the line next to“First Reconciliation and First Eucharist” on the registration form. You will then be put on the mailing list to receive the formal registration into the sacrament programs in the fall. There is a separate sacrament program fee for these programs.
Children who are in Grade 7 or older who need to be prepared for First Reconciliation and/or First Communion will be assigned a sacramental catechist for their preparation and special sessions will be worked out with parents rather than follow younger children’s schedule. Please make note of that on the Grade 7 and up registration form.
//Confirmation//
This information applies to your child if he/she has been enrolled in Catholic School or Religious Education programs for the past two years and is entering grades 9-11.
Confirmation is the final sacrament of initiation, when a young person becomes an adult in the Church and is sealed with the Holy Spirit.At Holy Family, teens in 9th grade (or above) begin preparing for confirmation in January and are confirmed by the Bishop the following Fall (in 10th grade at earliest).
All students eligible for Confirmation will receive a letter of invitation in the beginning of December inviting a young person to attend an Open House in January. The Open House will provide dates of meetings, a brief overview of the program and requirements to consider before making the first step towards the Confirmation process.
Each student will have the opportunity to evaluate him/herself and his/her relationship with God to determine the true meaning of the Sacrament. Confirmation preparation kicks off with a retreat in February and continues in monthly meetings through May.
Over the summer, candidates engage in service work and community outreach through various opportunities. A closing retreat is held in the fall. This is followed up by a Pastor Meeting and Reconciliation service. With the completion of these requirements and the desire to receive the sacrament, the candidate will be presented for confirmation.
What is Confirmation?: