Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation
First Sacraments & Confirmation
The universal Church along with our local ordinary has requested that all sacramental preparations be completed within the parish community. With this directive in mind and in an attempt to keep the integrity and character of each sacrament intact, we ask families for some concrete ways in which the community can tangibly see our hearts, our homes, and our children being sufficiently disposed to begin sacramental preparations at St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish. There are a few things that must be in place before a child can enter sacramental preparations at St. John’s:
- Regular participation in the Sacramental life of the Church (ie., Sunday Liturgy and Holy Days of Obligation and Reconciliation).
- Ongoing formation and catechesis sort (ie., enrollment in a Catholic School, enrollment in a Faith Formation program, or home-schooled curriculum).
- For anyone who has not had an opportunity for ongoing formation of any sort, an individual formation plan will be created.
The above is considered remote preparation for sacraments and during the year or years leading up to the reception of a sacrament, there are more immediate preparations that we ask children and families to be involved in through their home parish(es).
- First, register your child for the sacramental preparation program at your home parish.
- Second, at St. John’s there will be an application process. This process will be explained at parent meetings in the fall of each school year.
- Third, there will be required prayer opportunities, retreats, gift of self-service opportunities, and educational experiences and materials to help each child prepare their hearts for reception of the sacrament being prepared for. These sessions will be specific to each sacrament and handed out in preparation packets at the parent meeting in the fall of each year.
First Reconciliation & First Communion
Children usually receive First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in second grade. It is a home based catechetical program, where parents and children learn together. To prepare the children to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation & First Communion, we use Family Formation Home Lessons, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (or their Catholic school), and two retreat days. We want to equip you in every way we can to be the primary educators of your children in the faith. The Family Formation lessons do just that. In Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, children will learn and talk about our response to God’s Covenant with us. And finally, the retreats are aimed at giving each child the time and the space to go deeper in their relationship with the Good Shepherd.
Confirmation
Confirmation preparation usually begins in the fall of 7th grade and continues through the 8th grade with the reception of the sacrament in the spring of candidate’s 8th grade year. Confirmation preparation is weekly on Wednesday evenings. Candidates meet in a small group to go through the Ascension Press Chosen program. This program engages the hearts of our youth to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, and advocates for His Church. For more information on Chosen, click HERE. Along with Chosen, candidates are prepared through Gift of Self Hours (service), Hours of Encounter (prayer), a retreat, meetings with their sponsors, and follow up conversations with their parents.
For more information, please contact our faith formation director, Sara Magnus at smagnus@stjohns-excelsior.org or call 952-474-8868 ext. 207