Children attend a 2-year program to prepare to receive their First Holy Communion. This program begins in First Grade.
Please be sure to register prior to the beginning of your child’s First Grade year.
Please contact Bridget Marnell (bmarnell@stclarecc.org) in the Faith Formation Office with any questions.
First Communion classes for first and second graders will be on Sunday or Thursday evenings starting in the fall of 2023.
Please don’t forget to register for Family Catechesis as well.
First Communion Retreat Registration Form
First Reconciliation (Confession)
First Reconciliation is our very first confession. This sacrament is usually completed in 2nd grade before First Holy Communion or during RCIA for older children and adults.
What is confession?
Confession is the telling of our sins to an authorized priest for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness.
He that hideth his sins shall not prosper; but he that shall confess and forsake them shall obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
Why must we confess our sins?
We must confess our sins because Jesus Christ obliges us to do so in these words, spoken to the apostles and to their successors in the priesthood: “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”
Receive the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. (John 20:22-23)
After First Reconciliation, how often should we confess our sins?
We should confess our sins as often as possible. It is also a good idea to confess our sins during Advent and Lent and most certainly after committing a mortal sin.
What are the chief qualities of a good confession?
The chief qualities of a good confession are three: it must be humble, sincere, and entire. Meaning we accuse ourselves of our sins, we tell our sins honestly, and to the very best of our ability, tell everything about the sin(s) we have committed.
My First Reconciliation was a long time ago and the idea of going to confession make me nervous, what do I do when I’m in confession?
Start by saying, “Bless me father for I have sinned.” Then state how long it’s been since your last confession. The priest will guide you through, listen to his counsel and after the priest gives absolution, say the act of contrition (don’t worry if you forget it), he will assist you. The priest will then give a penance.
Why does the priest give us a penance after confession?
The priest gives us a penance after confession that we may make some atonement to God for our sins, receive help to avoid them in the future, and make some satisfaction for the temporal punishment due to them.
First Eucharist
First Holy Communion is generally completed in the 2nd grade or during RCIA for older children and adults.
What is First Holy Communion?
First Holy Communion is the receiving of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist for the very first time.
The Holy Eucharist refers to Christ’s body and blood present in the consecrated host on the altar, and as Catholics we believe that the consecrated host and wine are actually the body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ. The presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist isn’t just symbolic, it’s real.
He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. (John 6:57)
What is necessary to receive Holy Communion?
In order to receive Holy Communion, one must be free from mortal sin, to have a right intention, and to obey the Church’s laws on the fast required before Holy Communion out of reverence for the body and blood of Our Divine Lord. However, there are some cases in which Holy Communion may be received without fasting, please see Father Tim if you have questions or concerns about fasting before communion. In addition to this, for one’s First Holy Communion, the sacrament of First Reconciliation must be received and one must have an understanding that they are not consuming bread and wine, but the actual body and blood of Christ.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)
What are appropriate ways to receive the body of Christ?
The most common way to receive the Holy Eucharist is to cup your hands with one on top of the other making a cradle for the Holy Eucharist to be placed. One may also receive the Holy Eucharist on their tongue. The most important thing to remember is to take your time and place the Holy Eucharist in your mouth before walking away.
What should we do after Holy Communion?
After Holy Communion we should spend some time adoring Our Lord, thanking Him, renewing our promises of love and of obedience to Him, and asking Him for blessings for ourselves and others.