First Communion - Parent Handbook - Our Lady of Grace ...
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First Communion Parent Handbook
Dear Parents,
Thank you for the privilege of assisting you in the preparation of your child for First
Communion. The catechists and myself are looking forward to helping you and your child get
ready for this important step. Pope John Paul II stressed the importance of family involvement
in faith formation in 1994 when he said, “Parents are the first and most important educators of
their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area: they are
educators because they are parents.”(taken from John Paul II, “Letter to Families”) With this in
mind we will present as many opportunities as possible for you to fully participate in the
preparation of your child for this sacrament. I also cannot stress enough the importance of
attending Mass as a family on a regular basis. The Sacrament of Eucharist can lose its meaning
for all of us if it is not celebrated often. If you are not attending Mass regularly please
prayerfully reconsider.
Yours in Christ,
Christine Flack
Coordinator of Religious Education
Getting involved in The Preparation for Your Child’s First Communion
Bring your children to church
5 Simple ways for families to get more out of Mass
1. Come early and stay late.
Having a few minutes to settle everyone down, get to the right page of the
missalette, and take a deep breath can make all the difference. Feel free to hang
around a bit afterwards to look at the statues or stained glass or even talk to the
priest a bit. (They really do like to get to know you!)
2. Read along and read ahead.
Seeing the words in the prayers and readings as you listen can help it stick in
your mind better and pick up on things you might have missed otherwise. Reading
the days readings before Mass is another good way to make it more meaningful.
3. Pick one word, phrase or idea from the homily to carry with you that week.
4. Receive Communion with awareness and gratitude.
5. Every once in a while outside of Mass time stop in the church just to pay a visit and pray
in front of the Blessed Sacrament .
Read the Bible as a Family
A good children’s bible can help you with this.
Children should be familiar with the stories of Jesus birth, life, death, resurrection.
Children should also be familiar with the major old testament stories that lead up to our
salvation. These include the Creation Story and Fall, The Stories of Abraham and the Sons of
Jacob, the story of Joseph and Moses and the prophets.Use your child’s First Communion textbook. The stories can be read together- with your child taking one part and you another. Take time each week to review the previous week’s story and chapter with your child. Share meals together Try teaching your children some special recipes from your family and share the family traditions behind them. If you don’t have any recipes like that come up with one and start a new tradition that your child can pass on. Pray before meals, thanking God for each other and the food. Let the children lead the prayer some times as well. Make a point of making some meals special for no particular reason. Pulling out the good dishes, getting dressed up, serving the meal in courses, lighting candles etc… You might be surprised how the attitude and conversation change over that kind of dinner. Participate in Community Service as a family This can be as simple as making a card for someone who is sick, or running an errand for a neighbor. Just make a point of telling your child that we do these things out of love for others because God loves us. Attitudes to encourage in your child A sense of gratitude to God for all that we have, a desire to contribute to a happy family life, a concern for others within and outside the family, a love and reverence for the Blessed Sacrament and a desire to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.
ARRIVAL: Families should report to their assigned pew 15
minutes before the starting time of their First
Eucharist Liturgy.
PICTURE TAKING: In keeping with the sacramentality of the event, we ask that
pictures be taken only from your pew during the celebration
of Mass.
DRESS CODE: BOYS
Suit or sports jacket and dress pants
Tie
Dress shoes
Please no: sneakers, jeans, t-shirts, earrings
GIRLS
White dress
White stockings or knee socks
White flat shoes
White veil or babies breath - keep it simple
Please no: shoes with heels, gloves
** Neither the girls or the boys should wear gloves or carry
flowers. Their hands should be free and carrying nothing.
**A decision regarding the wearing of masks will be made
closer to the date of First Communion. We will not be providing
First Communion masks this year. However they are sold on
line and in Catholic stores if you would like to purchase one.
PROCESSING FEE: There will be a $25.00 fee to help curtail the cost of supplies
for the retreat, paperwork, and extra textbooks.♦ Important Dates First Eucharist 2022♦
♦
Registration Form Due:
Tuesday March 1, 2022
Please also provide a wallet size photo to be placed on a banner
displayed in Church
Retreat:
Saturday April 2, 2022 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM in church.
Practice:
Tuesday April 5, 2022 5:00PM – 6:30 PREP 1st Communion Rehearsal
(PREP only, takes the place of 3rd Level Tuesday class, other PREP
classes are still in session) Children should report directly to church.
Tuesday April 19, 2022 6:30PM - 7:45 PM, Church
(PREP and School required to attend)
School will have other practices during school hours at the discretion
of the teacher
Sacrament of First Holy Communion OLG PREP and School:
Group Option Saturday, April 23, 2022 10:30AM Mass
Family Option Sunday, April 24, 2022 10AM MassFIRST EUCHARIST APPLICATION
CANDIDATE’S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE
STREET ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP
CELL PHONE NUMBER AGE (at the time of 1st Communion)
___________________________________________________________________________________
EMAIL
____________________________________________________________________________________
DATE OF BIRTH CITY AND STATE OF BIRTH
FATHER’S NAME MOTHER’S FIRST AND MAIDEN NAME
IMPORTANT: We must verify your child’s Baptism. If he/she was not Baptized at Our
Lady of Grace, a copy of your child’s Baptismal certificate must be provided.
DATE OF BAPTISM (Month – Day - Year)
CHURCH OF BAPTISM CITY STATE
Please indicate which option you prefer:
____Group Option Saturday, April 23, 2022 10:30AM Mass
____Family Option Sunday, April 24, 2022 10AM Mass
$25.00 Fee: Date _____________ Cash or Check# (payable to OLG)_________
PLEASE RETURN FORM, FEE, ABD WALLET SIZE PHOTO ON OR BEFORE
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