GRADES 1 & 2 (COMMUNION AND RECONCILIATION) (COMUNIÓN Y RECONCILIACIÓN)

 Classes meet between 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM Masses.

Generally, desiring & prepared baptized children receive First Holy Communion in grade 2.

Program Entry Requirements:

  1. Child must be baptized in the Catholic Church 
  2. A recent copy of their Baptismal form must be on file with the Religious Education Office
  3. Your child must be at least 7 years old, as per the Diocesan policy. 
  4. Completed St. Dominic Catholic Church Religious Education Registration                                                                                                              

Sacrament of HOLY EUCHARIST            

This is a 2-year Sacramental program:

  • 1st grade introduces students to basic concepts of our Catholic Faith
  • 2nd grade prepares students for reception of both Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist; both include a required Saturday morning family retreat prior to reception of sacrament.
  • Must pass sacramental assessment exams.

First Penance for Religious Education students is usually scheduled for December.

The following information may be helpful in preparing for time in the confessional:

First Holy Communion Masses are usually held in May.

Formation in our Catholic Faith is a lifelong process.  After receiving First Penance and First Holy Communion, the next Sacrament students will receive is Confirmation.  Please make sure your child continues to attend RE classes so that they do not fall behind prior to their prep for Confirmation.  A remedial test or some other form of evaluation may be necessary if they miss multiple years of RE prior to starting their Confirmation prep.  This could prevent them from receiving their Confirmation with their peers. 

CONFESSION:

As a result of Original Sin, human nature is weakened. Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, takes away Original Sin, and turns us back toward God. The consequences of this weakness and the inclination to evil persist, and we often commit personal or actual sin.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of Catholicism. Jesus Christ, in His abundant love and mercy, established the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so that we as sinners can obtain forgiveness for our sins and reconcile with God and the Church. The sacrament “washes us clean,” and renews us in Christ.

COMMUNION: 

In Holy Communion, prepare to meet the Lord Jesus in this special sacrament. The Rite of Holy Communion celebrates the second step toward full initiation into the Church. First Holy Communion is most often celebrated around the age of seven or eight, when the children are of the age of reason and are capable of participating in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church. For First Holy Communion, you must go to the sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving Holy Communion. The Eucharist is a gift that takes a whole lifetime to understand; it is a gift that requires a response from us, that is why we must take care that our children are well prepared.

At your child’s Baptism you, the parents, were told that you “would be the first and best teachers of your children in the way of faith”. Parental involvement in the preparation of your child for First Holy Communion is paramount. The parish ‘helps’ but does not replace your part in the process of leading your children in the development of their faith, through the development and example of your own life. The best preparation for the Eucharist is taking your child to Mass regularly and helping your child understand what it is all about.