First Communion & First Confession Sacramental Prep
Coordinators: Mrs. Nicole DesOrmeaux 

**FIRST COMMUNION MASS: Divine Mercy Sunday; April 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM (Mass details will be discussed at parent meetings). 

• Cupcake/Punch Reception to immediately follow the First Communion Mass.
• Reminders for First Communion 
• Pew Chart for First Communion 

Dress Code Guidelines for Confession and First Communion. 

NOTES to help parents on FORMED.org: 

• As long as our church parish continues to pay for the parish subscription to FORMED.org, access to most of its Catholic resources will be free to our parishioners. (Some associated titles are for rent/purchase.) Parents and/or children may find other videos, talks, eBooks, documentaries, and/or movies about the saints that interest them! 
• Visit www.formed.org and use our zip code to find the name and address of our church parish.  After entering your name and email address to create a simple profile, you may have to check your email for a link to finish the “sign in” process for the first couple of viewings, but at some point, clicking on the “sign in” button should immediately display a “Start Watching” button

VIDEOS for PARENTS & STUDENTS

• Video on Eucharistic Miracles  - This is a short video on Eucharistic Miracles to help the children understand that the Blessed Sacrament (the Body of Christ) truly is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. 
• Video on the the Miracle at Every Mass - Every Sunday, we get to witness a miracle. Sometimes it can be difficult to wrap our minds and hearts around this fact. This video gives us a special, close-up look at the Eucharistic miracle at every Mass. 
• Video on making a good confession It can feel scary to go to Confession, but really, we go to the Sacrament of Confession because God loves us so much that he wants us to remove all the sins that keep us from Him. When we go to Confession, we say "I love you, Jesus, will you forgive me of my sins?" In this session, kids will learn how to make a good Confession, and that God always forgives us and gives us grace to be better in this sacrament.

We use the Blessed series from Dynamic Catholic. To access the videos please click the image below.

NOTE 1:  It is not unusual for an older child to enroll in the Sacramental preparation program for First Holy Confession and First Holy Communion. However, candidates who desire to receive the Sacraments must also attend age-appropriate Religious Education classes or complete home study packets under the guidance of parents. Please call the Church Parish Office (937-6888) if you have any questions regarding our Sacramental programs and/or Religious Education programs.

NOTE 2:  In all situations below, some home study will be required in order to memorize traditional prayers and Sacred Teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.  A link to suggestions which help in this process is found in NOTE 3 below.  

NOTE 3:  Regardless of a candidate's age, he/she should abide by the dress code for the administration of the Sacraments of Confession and Communion set forth by our pastor.  

An Overview of our First Communion Program

• The first component of our SPARK Elementary Program consists of religious education classes and activities for Grades 1-5.  
• The second component of our SPARK Elementary Program deals with Sacramental Prep classes for First Confession and First Communion.
  • Children in Grade 2 attend Sacramental Prep classes on Wednesday evenings to prepare to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and the Sacrament of Eucharist (Communion).  A thorough description of those evening classes and the make-up packets (for Candidates when they are absent from the evening Sacramental Prep classes) are available at the bottom of this webpage.
  • Knowing that families are sometimes distracted by a different path in life (serious illness/injury, death, unemployment, relocation/transfers, etc.), we always welcome older Sacramental Prep Candidates in Grades 3-12.  We refer to our Sacramental Prep classes for older Candidates as:
    • SPARK "On Ramp" for Candidates in Grades 3-5,
    • EDGE "On Ramp" for Candidates in Grades 6-8, and
    • IGNITE "On Ramp" for Candidates in Grades 9-12.
    • These "On Ramp" classes are similar to an interstate "on ramp" which merges "new" traffic into the midst of traffic which is already traveling in the same direction on that particular interstate.  That visual image expresses our desire to welcome and help older candidates (who may have been away from the practice of their faith for a while) maneuver through the school year and, when possible, using age-appropriate RCIC instruction, help them gain knowledge and provide some of the experiences which have been missed during their time away.
  • SPARK On-Ramp (Grades 3-5) Candidates are usually grouped together in a class and follow the same Wednesday evening schedule as Grade 2.
  • EDGE On-Ramp and IGNITE On-Ramp Candidates typically meet with a coordinator for weekly, age-appropriate RCIC classes immediately after the local public schools dismiss.  On days when public schools are closed for holidays, parent-teacher conferences, or public school teacher inservice meetings, our On-Ramp classes typically do not meet.  (If inclement weather forces us to cancel a couple of classes, we may request that a class be made up in a timely manner so we won't have to delay reception of the Sacraments.)
    • The DRE typically contacts the parents of On-Ramp First Communion Candidates in September to schedule those weekly classes, however, parents are welcome to call at any point of the school year to gather information.  If the candidate registers later in the school year, they may begin attending classes, but the reception of the sacraments may be delayed one year. 
• Two Parent Meetings:  Regardless of a candidate's age or grade level, a parent must attend two Sacramental Prep parent meetings during the year to review the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and the Sacrament of Eucharist (Communion).  Those meeting dates as well as class dates for the elementary candidates may be viewed on the Schedule of Classes.
• Regarding absences:  When a candidate must be absent from a Wednesday night Sacramental Prep class, parents should help their children discuss/review the topics that were introduced/reviewed.  Links to Sacramental Prep (Wednesday night) make-up packets are provided at the bottom of this webpage.  

Reminder:  Candidates who desire to receive the Sacraments must also enroll in age-appropriate Religious Education classes. 

Home Study and/or Make-Up Packets 
(for Wednesday night Sacramental Prep class Absences)

Current First Communion candidates who are in our Sacramental Prep home study program or candidates who were absent for an on-site class may view and print make-up packets by clicking on the links below.

NOTES:
(1) The last page of each packet must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to Mrs. Nicole DesOrmeaux as soon as possible.
(2) Candidates in Grade 2 (or older candidates in Grades 3-5) must also attend Elementary Sunday Sessions and the Elementary Summer Religion Program (and make up any absences using the make-up packets which are linked to the Elementary Religious Education page of this website).
(3) Older Sacramental prep candidates in Grades 6-12 must attend their religious education classes.