November 16, 2022

Dear Parents,

Here are the highlights from our Parent Meeting and some additional information.

Reconciliation will take place during class time. When you are talking about Reconciliation, PLEASE DON’T USE WORDS LIKE NERVOUS or SCARED – TALK ABOUT HOW LUCKY THEY ARE AND HOW EXCITING IT IS. We tell the children that we all make bad choices, but God gives us a do-over every day.

In preparation of this Sacrament, please practice saying the Our Father and Hail Mary to ensure that they are saying them correctly. Recite the prayers as often as possible so that your child commits them to memory.

Sometimes it is hard to remember that it is not about the dress and party – it’s about the special gift we get when we receive Jesus. To reinforce this with the children, we will celebrate the Eucharist, the most important meal, at dinner time during the week.

People often ask us how to get their child ready. Just like you prepare for the big game, your child needs to prepare for their big day. The best way to do this is by attending Mass. The more familiar they are with Mass, the more comfortable they will be on their First Communion Day. We have found that removing the anxiety of the day allows your child to participate more fully in their special day.

Remember that our children learn by example. If you are making them come to Religious Education, but you never take them to Church, you are actually putting no value in Mass and the Eucharist, and therefore they won’t either. As we are aware, children learn by imitation. If you make Church and prayer a priority, your children will, too.

There will be a Communion Prep Day where we ask one adult to attend class with your child to complete a special activity. This will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 3 or Tuesday, April 4. If you cannot attend during class time, please come Monday evening April 10 at 7 p.m. If you plan to attend on April 10, please don’t send your child to class on April 3 or 4. 

Another First Communion special event is sharing the Christmas Poem with the parish. Please check the calendar for dates. This Poem is not written down, so the children have to pay attention to the words and actions. This teaches them the importance of working together and that the best gifts are those that come from the heart.

Finally, the syllabus can be found on the website. We hope you enjoy working your way through the book and videos with Hemingway as your guide. Thank you for sharing your children with us for this most special year.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gill and Mrs. Dowling