December 19 and 20, 2018 4:30 p.m. Holy Rosary Church Tuesday April 30, 2019 6:30 p.m. Holy Rosary Church Saturday May 11, 2019 10:30 a.m. Mass
Religious Education Ministry Holy Rosary Parish 180 Bradhurst Avenue Hawthorn, New York 10532 914-769-0030 Ext. 123 hrreligioused@live.com Dear Parents and Guardians, The Parish is looking forward to your child(ren) joining us on the Communion line at the Sunday Masses. This packet is meant to help your child prepare for this sacred event. Enclosed is information regarding the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Please review and discuss the enclosed with your child(ren) and please assist him/her in learning their prayers. Instructional Mass: Tuesday April 30 th, 2019-6:30 PM in Church Parents and students are required to attend the Instructional Mass Attached in this packet is a form, Testimonial and Application for the Reception of the First Holy Communion (page 6). Please complete and return to your child(ren) s Catechist, or, the Religious Education Office, on or before December 13 th, 2018. Some families have already completed and returned, Thank You. Also, please send in a wallet size photo of your child(ren) on or before December 13 th. Photos of our Communicants will be displayed in the window box outside of the Church. All students are expected to attend Mass weekly and on Holy Days with their family. At Mass we hear the Word of God in Scripture and share Jesus in the Eucharist, the nucleus and source of our Christian life. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2180-2181: The precept of the Church specified the law of the Lord more precisely: On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass. The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or the evening of the preceding day. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation (unless excused for a serious reason, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own Pastor, commits a grave sin. We leave Mass with a message that should be discussed at home, and in class on how we are to live and grow and put into practice our Christian values. It is important that we all work together to hand over the gift of faith to our children. This is accomplished by your participation at Sunday Mass, and holy days of obligation, your participation in catechetical instruction (Religious Education) by family discussions at home, and from readings at Sunday Mass. Prayer is a vital necessity and an important part of our Christian life. Please pray daily (i.e. morning and evening, before and after meals) with your child/children. Make God a part of your daily family life. Please refer to the attached prayer sheet for the prayers to be learned. At First Reconciliation, December 19 th and 20 th, 2018, we welcome Parents/Guardians to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation after the children have received theirs. Together your family will grow in love. We become living witnesses; children watch what we do, or, do not do. Thank you for your cooperation by ensuring your child sees that God s love is alive in our Holy Rosary Parish family. God Bless, Aura Zelaya Coordinator Religious Education -1-
FIRST RECONCILIATION SCHEDULE First Reconciliation Practices - During Class Time Wednesday December 5 Thursday December 6 Parents, please bring your child directly to the Holy Rosary School for 4:30pm start time. Dismissal will be usual time, 5:45pm. Wednesday - December 19 th Thursday - December 20 th Please bring your child directly to Church. Once your child is ready to give his/her first confession, please accompany your child to the Confessional, where you will introduce yourself and your child to the Priest. Parents are also invited to go to Confession. After the children have received the Sacrament and said their Penance, the children may leave. Please be sure to see your child s Catechist before leaving Church. Prayers your child should know Attached is a prayer sheet (last page), indicating by grade those prayers that are to be learned. Please review and pray with your child(ren). -2-
PLEASE REVIEW WITH YOUR CHILD: The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. We praise and thank God for giving us Jesus who showed us how to live as one family in Christ. Students are told at Mass we are expected to participate by listening, singing and praying. Students are instructed why we do what we do at Mass, such as genuflection, standing, sitting, kneeling, bowing, and the reason we make the sign of the cross and responses said during Mass. 1. What should a child know and understand about the Eucharist? Your child should be able to distinguish the Sacred Host from ordinary bread. It is important that your child understand the relationship between the Last Supper and the Mass. At the Last Supper, Jesus said to His friends Do this in memory of me. We are the friends of Jesus. We remember the Last Supper with a special meal, the Mass, which is the meal of God s Family. The Mass is the nucleus and source of our Christian life and spiritual nourishment. We are spiritually nourished by God s Word and by the Eucharist. 2. How is the Mass like a family meal? We all come together and share the same food and God s Word which impacts our daily family lives, and those lives we come in contact with during the week. 3. How is the Mass different from a family meal? The food we share is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The message we receive help us live as a family in the manner Jesus taught us modeled after the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph). The Mass gives meaning to our lives. 4. The Tabernacle is the sacred place where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved at all times. Catholics genuflect to Jesus in the tabernacle when entering or leaving your pew. How to Receive Jesus Walk toward the Altar with hands folded in a prayerful position. When approaching the Priest, Deacon or Eucharistic Minister, bow your head slightly (a sign of respect and reverence for Jesus in the Eucharist). When you hear the words, The Body of Christ, respond Amen. You may choose to receive the Body of Christ in your hand, or, on your tongue. By responding Amen, you assent to it, you believe in the presence of Christ (c.c.c.) If you choose to receive the Body of Christ in your hand, cup your left hand on top of your right (or opposite if you are left-handed). After the Body of Christ is placed in your hand, immediately place it in your mouth. If you choose to receive the Body of Christ on your tongue, hold your head up and gently put out your tongue. Bless yourself (Sign of the Cross), after receiving. -3-
Students of: FIRST HOLY COMMUNION SCHEDULE Mrs. Boccasini, Mrs. Lomurno, Mrs. Kavanagh, and Ms. Surace Saturday May 11 th, 2019 10:30 a.m. Mass Students will meet in the School Gym at 10:00 a.m. In case of rain, please go directly to Church. First Holy Eucharist Practice Wednesday Session- May 1 st and May 8 th, during class, at Church Thursday Session - May 2 nd and May 9 th, during class, at Church **NOTE** *Parents, please send your child with clean hands before coming to practice. We will be practicing using the unconsecrated host. **Gluten Free please advise your child(ren) s Catechist if your child has any gluten related allergies. For First Communion, and every Sunday thereafter, the Celebrant needs to know if your child is to receive a gluten-free host. Crowning of our Blessed Mother / Mother s Day Children s, Family Mass - Sunday May 12 th. 2019 9:30 a.m. Mass We invite our First Communicants to actively participate in this Mass. This is an opportunity for the wearing their First Holy Communion attire (we will provide more information in the future). -4-
Communion Attire: Boys Navy blue suit, white shirt, white tie, no arm bands, no sneakers. Boys may have a boutonniere. Girls - White dress, veil, ribbons or floral headpieces. Please - no gloves or floral bouquets during Mass. Girls may wear wrist corsage. Please secure headpieces. Communicant Photo: Please send in a wallet size photo of your child by December 13 th, 2018. Photos of all our Communicants will be displayed in the window box located outside of the Church. Please be sure the photo is an extra copy as it will not be returned. Children s Room: Please keep in mind, there is a room for young children located off the vestibule of the Church. The room is designed so you can hear and see the celebration. Seating / Tickets: Eight Tickets will be given to each family. The First Communicants will sit together. Seating will be on a first come basis, pews are not reserved, only for the children receivingthe Sacrament of First Eucharist. If all 8 tickets are not needed, kindly return any extra tickets to the Religious Education Office. Please be sure all guests are in the Church and seated at least15 minutes prior to the beginning of Mass. Please let your family and guests know the Church doors will be opened at 10:00 AM. When the procession begins the doors will be closed. **Your child must be in the School Gym 30 minutes before Mass begins** If it should rain on the day of First Eucharist, please bring your child directly to Church. NO FOOD, GUM OR BEVERAGES ARE TO BE BROUGHT INTO CHURCH. Please turn off all cell phones and pagers before entering the Church. No eating one hour before receiving Holy Eucharist. Picture taking at the Communion Mass is confined to your pew only, please. We ask that you kindly refrain from taking pictures around the Sanctuary area, or in the aisles and vestibule of the Church during the Mass. Communicants can become easily distracted - we would like them to remain focused on the Mass and the very special Sacrament they are about to receive. Your cooperation and understanding are greatly appreciated! Please complete and return the Testimonial and Application for the Reception of First Holy Eucharist by December 13 th, 2018, if you have not done so already. Sacramental Expense Fee Please remit the Sacrament fee of $50.00 by December 13 th, 2018, if this fee was not included with payment at time of registration. Thank you. NOTE: *Please, no standing in the back of the Church before Mass begins, kindly be seated in the pews. Please pray for our students receiving their First Communion. Silence in preparation for Mass is required reverencing the Blessed Sacrament. -5-
Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church 180 Bradhurst Avenue, Hawthorne, NY 10532 914-769-0030 hrreligioused@live.com TESTIMONIAL AND APPLICATION FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE FIRST HOLY COMMUNION Please print all information and return to classroom teacher. STUDENT S NAME: ADDRESS: First Middle Last Street Address Apartment/Unit # City State ZIP Code TELEPHONE: STUDENT S AGE: STUDENT S CHURCH OF BAPTISM: ADDRESS OF CHURCH OF BAPTISM: Street Address DATE OF STUDENT S BAPTISM: / / Month Day Year City State ZIP Code FATHER S NAME: MOTHER S NAME: First Middle Last First Middle Maiden Name STUDENT S CLASSROOM TEACHER: First Last I can attest that my child knows that the Eucharist is a necessary means of salvation and is able to distinguish the host from the ordinary break. Parent Signature: Date: Print Name: -6-