First Reconciliation and Communion
September 2018
Dear Parents and Guardians of our Grade Two students:
Greetings! We pray that the school year has started well for you and your family. For those children in Grade Two, this year also brings with it the wonderful excitement of their Sacramental journey.
Since the Second Vatican Council, there have been many changes made by our Church regarding the reception of the Sacraments. Great emphasis is now placed on the parents role in the preparation of the child and in the accompanying the child to celebrate the Sacraments. The primary responsibility of helping children grow in faith belongs to the parents.
For your child our programs are designed as a cooperative effort between home and parish. It emphasizes the role of the parents as primary educators of their children, and recognizing the stake the entire faith community has in this preparation.
As you may well be aware First Reconciliation and First Communion can both be celebrated when your child is in Grade Two. Therefore, this year’s program will be presented through preparing your child for the Sacraments of Reconciliation in the fall and the Eucharist in the spring.
The deadline to return this form to Holy Trinity Parish is Wednesday October 10th, 2018. Please fill out one form for each child. This form will register them for both Sacraments.
Please mark these important dates on your calendars:
Reconciliation Parent Meeting (Parents Only): Wednesday October 17th @ 7:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish.
Reconciliation/First Communion Rite of Enrollment: Saturday October 20th, and Sunday October 21st at any of the regular Masses at Holy Trinity Parish, 1420 Devonshire Ave.
Regular Mass times are Saturday @ 5:00 p.m. and Sunday @ 8:30a.m., & 12:00 noon. Sign up will take place at the parent meeting.
Reconciliation Preparation: Further details will be given at the parent meeting
Sacrament of First Reconciliation: First Reconciliation for children attending Catholic Schools will be celebrated as a class during regular school hours at the end of November. Further details will be given at the parent meeting. Public\Homeschool\Other School children will celebrate the Sacrament on Saturday, December 1st at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish.
First Communion Parent Meeting (Parents Only): Thursday February 21st, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish.
The Sacrament of First Communion: You will choose a date to celebrate your child’s First Communion. First Communions will begin the weekend after Easter, April 27th & 28th, 2019 consecutively for four weekends until May 18th & 19th, 2019 inclusive. First Communion will be celebrated at any of our three weekend Mass times: Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon. There will be a maximum of 12 children per Mass.
First Communion Preparation: An important part of First Communion Preparation is weekly Mass attendance. Therefore, as part of the preparation, children and parents are expected to be at Mass. Each week there will be materials to pick up at the church as part of the preparation for this Sacrament. More details will be given at the Parent Meeting in February
Baptismal Certificate: It is necessary that every child, no matter where they were baptized, provide a copy of their Baptismal Certificate with the registration form.
May God’s continued blessings be with you and your family during this time of preparation.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dariusz Jagodszinski Rita Butler
Pastor Sacramental Coordinator