Parent Handbook First Reconciliation and First Communion 2015-2016 St. Luke the Evangelist Church 7575 Holliday Drive E. Indianapolis IN 46260 Tel. 317-259-4373
2 Table of Contents The Symbolism of the Pelican...3 Grade 2 Jesus our Life with calendar...4-6 Notes and Questions for Parents...7-9 A Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for Adults..10-13 Basic Prayers for Children..14-15
3 THE SYMBOLISM OF THE PELICAN The mother pelican feeding her baby pelicans depicted on the front cover of this handbook is rooted in an ancient legend that existed before Christianity. The legend says that in times of famine, the mother pelican struck her breast repeatedly with her own beak until she bled. She would then feed her young with her own blood to prevent them from starving. In another version of the legend, the mother pelican fed her dying baby pelicans with her own blood to keep them alive, but she would lose her own life in the process. With this rich symbolism, it is no wonder that the early Christians adapted it to represent or symbolize Jesus Christ, our Lord. The pelican symbolizes that Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, gave His life to save us from sin and death. The new life we possess comes through His death on the cross and the pouring out of His Precious Blood. As you prepare your child for First Penance and First Communion, you may want to teach your child about the legend of the pelican. It should serve as a reminder that Jesus suffered and died for us so that we may gain eternal life. In a totally selfless act of love, our Lord accepted an agonizing death for each and every one of us. The Eucharist, of course, is connected to Christ s sacrifice on the cross. It is not merely an image of Christ s sacrifice on the cross; it truly is Christ s sacrifice! The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the same Christ Who offered Himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner on the altar in the Mass (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1367). Jesus speaks in the silence of the mystery of the Eucharist and reminds us each time that following him means going out of ourselves and making our lives not something we possess, but a gift to him and to others. From Pope Francis Homily on the Feast of Corpus Christi 2013
4 CATECHETICAL PROGRAM FOR GRADE TWO Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist THEME: Preparation for the first reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion, with the law of God and salvation history as background. The lessons emphasize God's mercy and love. Covers Creation, the Covenant with Moses, the Ten Commandments, Redemption, Forgiveness of Sins, and the Mass. SEQUENCE: Ch. 1-16: God teaches us through His law; we obey through love. Ch. 17-23: We find forgiveness of sins through Jesus' sacrifice. Ch. 24-34: We prepare for life in Heaven by reception of Jesus in the Eucharist and our life in the Church. SMRE children will not cover all the lessons in the grade 2 textbook. AIM: To prepare second- grade students for the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, and to help them appreciate God's love for them shown in these two sacraments. Students will learn how to receive the Sacrament of Confession, the order of the Mass, and the basics of prayer. The Law of God and Salvation History The chapters listed below prepare the children for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. The catechists in the parish religion program and teachers at St. Luke School will teach the material in these chapters and provide additional information as needed in the classrooms. First Reconciliation... First Eucharist Ch. 3 God the Creator... Ch. 22 The Last Supper Ch. 4 God Made Us... Ch. 25 The Holy Mass Ch. 5 God is Offended... Ch. 26 What We Do At Mass Ch. 6 Becoming a Child of God... Ch. 27 Jesus Comes to Us Ch. 8 God Gives Us His Laws... Ch. 28 Jesus, My Lord and God Ch. 9 I Choose to Love God... Ch. 33 Jesus is Always Present Ch. 17 Asking Forgiveness Ch. 19 The Sacrament of Penance Ch. 20 Making Up for Our Offenses
2015-2016 Sacrament Calendar for First Reconciliation/Eucharist 5 Meeting for St. Luke School Parents and SMRE Parents LOCATION TIME OTHER Date Sunday, October 11 Parish Hall Meeting Room 10:45 11:20 Copies of baptism certificates and information sheets from St. Luke School parents and SMRE parents due! First Penance Guidelines for Parents Thursday, November 12 Parents only Parish Hall Meeting Room 7:00 8:15 p.m. Theology of Reconciliation Parents only First Confessions Saturday, January 9 Church 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 10 Parish Hall Meeting Room 10:45 11:20 FHC Guidelines for Parents Parents only Thursday, February 11 Parish Hall Meeting Room 7:00 8:15 p.m. 1st Call for Photography Forms and Mass Selection Theology of the Eucharist Parents only First Holy Communion Retreat Saturday, March 5 Children and parent meet in church to begin the retreat together 9:00 11:30 a.m. All forms due!
6 First Communion Practices Thursday, April 21 (No more than 45 children per Mass) Church 6:15 p.m. or 7:15 p.m. 6:15 p.m. practice is for children receiving at 10:00 a.m. 7:15 p.m. practice is for children receiving at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 23 *Blessing of all First Communion items will take place at all the Masses on Sunday, April 24. Children go to classrooms with teachers 30 minutes before the Mass 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. N.B. The First Holy Communion Mass does not satisfy the Sunday obligation. Families should plan their schedule to include Sunday Mass on April 24. *Parents and First Communicants sit in assigned pews. All other relatives and friends sit behind First Communicants and their parents. Group photo for SMRE First Communicants following the 9:30 a.m. Mass on 4/24 Church Sunday, April 24 after the 9:30 a.m. Mass Group Photo for St. Luke First Communicants 4/26 Church Tuesday, April 26 after the 8:15 a.m. Mass
7 Notes and Questions Concerning Sacramental Preparation The First Penance and First Eucharist text and activity books that are used in the sacrament program is Jesus Our Life, Book Two in the Faith and Life Series. Faith and Life is published by Ignatius Press. The USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) has listed Faith and Life among the catechetical books and series that are in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Role of the Parents Parents are the most important adult Catholics in the life of their child. At baptism you promised God that you would raise your son or daughter in the Catholic faith. Concretely, this means that you will provide the necessary religious education for your child in the faith. It also means that you will show your child that faith in God is something real and practical and part of everyday life. The expectation is that you will bring your son or daughter to Mass every Sunday and holy day of obligation. Through this special sacramental program, we are emphasizing your role as teachers of the faith. At the same time, the parish catechists and staff St. Luke the Evangelist School will assist you in your role as the primary educator of your child. Prayers The children preparing for First Penance and First Eucharist should memorize the following prayers: Sign of the Cross Glory Be Our Father Act of Contrition Hail Mary *It is recommended that you pray night with your children before they go to bed. A good practice to begin with your child is to pray The Act of Contrition together. All the basic prayers may be found on page 8 in the booklet. Additional prayers are included if you wish to introduce them to your child. Baptismal Certificates We are required by the Church to obtain the Baptismal information before a child is allowed to receive the sacraments of Penance and Communion. Please obtain a copy of your child s baptism certificate from the church in which he or she was baptized. If your child was baptized at St. Luke the Evangelist Parish, you need only provide us with the date of Baptism. All copies of Baptism certificates are due October 11.
Copies of Baptism certificates should be enclosed in an envelope with your child s name on front. Indicate that your child is in the First Penance and Communion Program. You may drop off the envelope at the parish office. Program Fee 8 The tuition fee for the program to prepare children for the sacraments in the SMRE program is $85. This fee covers the cost of the student textbook, workbook and other materials needed in the program. Please check the religious education website for online donations. St. Luke School covers the cost of materials used for sacramental preparation. No additional fees are required for St. Luke School parents. However, registration form needs to be submitted with the baptismal information. Common Questions Related to the Sacraments Why do young children need to be prepared for First Penance before First Eucharist? It is the practice or the norm throughout the Church that children, before they receive their First Eucharist, first receive the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation. The Church teaches that children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1457); and, It is primarily the duty of parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that the children who have reached the use of reason are prepared properly and, after they have a sacramental confession, are refreshed with this divine food (Canon 914). What is the age of reason and how is this related to the sacraments? Children are prepared for Penance and Communion when they have reached the age of reason. Infants and small children lack sufficient maturity to distinguish between right and wrong and therefore are not considered responsible for their actions. With the completion of the seventh year, a minor is presumed to have the use of reason (Canon 97.2). Of course, this age is not exact. Some may arrive at this age earlier, others later or not at all, depending on intelligence and other critical factors. Children who have reached the age of reason are able to think abstractly and apply general principles to specific life situations. Children who have reached the age of reason know the difference between good and evil. What is required in order to register a child for First Penance and Communion? Children in public schools or non- Catholic private schools need to register their children for religious education classes in first grade. These classes are offered during the Sunday Morning Religious Education (SMRE) classes. When the child enters second grade, he or she may be register for sacramental preparation. This means that First Penance and
Communion preparation requires two years of religious education. 9 Are there exceptions to the above rule? Yes. Exceptions may be made if the child demonstrates adequate knowledge of the faith for a child his or her age Tell Me About Confession Why do I have to confess my sins to man or priest? The most common objection to confession, especially on the part of Protestants although sometimes by Catholics, is: I don t need to confess my sins to a priest or any other human being! I can confess my sins directly to God. The reality is that Jesus commissioned his Apostles to forgive sins. Jesus asked believers to approach God for forgiveness through the apostles Who He commissioned and empowered. Jesus said to Peter, Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Mt 16:19). Following the Resurrection, Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained. (Jn 20:22,23). Priests only carry out this apostolic role (Canon 965; Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1461 & 1462). How is confession in the Catholic Church consistent with our Jewish heritage? In the Jewish faith, when it came to atonement for sins, God instructed Moses to have the people bring a holocaust to the Temple. The lamb that was presented was male and unblemished. Laying their hands on the head of the lamb or another sacrificial animal, sinners symbolically transferred their sins to it. The sacrificial animal was then ritually slaughtered and died in place of the sinners. The sinners gave the animal to the priest who offered it on the altar (Lev 1:1-5). The Jewish priest served as a mediator between God and the sinful people. Do Catholic sacraments mediate in a similar fashion? The answer is absolutely! The sacraments of Penance and Eucharist are mediated to us. In other words, the priest is the mediator, the link between God and His people. It is the priest who represents the merciful Lord in the confessional. When the penitent confesses his or her sins to the priest, the penitent speaks to Christ, but it is Christ Who responds through the priest. When the priest says, I absolve you from your sins, it is Christ Who absolves the person from sin (Mk 2:10). With regard to the Eucharist, it is the priest who acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. At the Mass, when the priest says the words of consecration, the resurrected Christ descends to the altar and becomes hidden under the appearance of bread and wine. His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are made present. The faithful are then fed on this divine food come down from heaven
10 A Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for Adults The Theology on the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be covered at the adult session on Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Luke Parish. Below is a typical examination of conscience for adults that may be used before going to confession. Preparation Make an Examination of Conscience It is important to prepare for reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The penitent should spend adequate time (10-20 minutes) making an examination of conscience. Some like to use a piece of paper to write down the sins that come to mind during the examination. However, it is not necessary. Make sure to include the number of times for all mortal (serious) sin. It is a good idea after confession to either throw away or burn the piece of paper as a sign that both God and ourselves have now forgotten those sins. Prayer Before Confession O most merciful God! Prostrate at Your feet, I implore Your forgiveness. I sincerely desire to leave all my evil ways and to confess my sins with all sincerity to You and to Your priests. I am a sinner, have mercy on me, O Lord. Give me a lively faith and a firm hope in the Passion of my Redeemer. Give me for Your mercy s sake a sorrow for having offended so good a God. Mary, my mother, refuge of sinners, pray for me that I may make a good confession. Examination of Conscience Based on the Ten Commandments 1. I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me. Have I performed my duties towards God reluctantly or grudgingly? Have I been rebellious towards God and His commands? Have I murmured against God, at personal misfortune or at the prosperity of others? Have I believed or practiced any form of superstition, that is, anything that is of the occult: ouija boards, fortune tellers, séances, channeling or astrology? 2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Did I make use of God s name mockingly, jokingly, angrily or in any other irreverent manner? Did I make use of the Blessed Virgin Mary s name or the saints names mockingly, jokingly, angrily or in any other irreverent manner? Did I tell a lie under oath? Did I break private or public vows? Have I angered others so far as to make them swear, or
blaspheme God? 11 3. Remember to keep holy the Lord s day. Have I missed Mass on Sundays or on Holy Days of obligation? Have I done or commanded servile work not of necessity on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation? Have I done anything to make the Lord s day unholy? 4. Honor your father and your mother. Have I respected my parents and superiors as I should? If applicable, have I disobeyed them? Have I been arrogant and stubborn with them? 5. You shall not kill. Have I caused, desired, or hastened the death of anyone? Have I approved or assisted in an abortion? Have I been guilty of drug or alcohol abuse? Have I gotten angry or nurtured any resentments against others? Have I refused to forgive others? Was I an occasion for others to sin with my conversations, off- color jokes, way of dressing, invitation to attend certain shows, lending harmful books or magazines, etc? Did I try to repair the scandal done? Did I cause anyone harm with my words or actions? When someone offends me, do I desire revenge or harbor enmity, hatred or ill- feelings? 6 & 9. You shall not commit adultery or covet your neighbor s wife. Have I willfully entertained indecent thoughts? Have I engaged in impure conversations? Have I looked for forms of entertainment which put me in the proximate occasions for sin (immoral movies, plays, readings, music, etc.)? Have I led others to sins of impurity or immodesty? Have I masturbated? Have I had sexual intercourse outside of marriage? For Married Couples Have I used artificial contraception? Have I suggested the use of artificial contraception to others? Have I betrayed married fidelity in desire or in deed? 7 & 10. You shall not steal and You shall not covet your neighbor s goods. Have I stole any object or money that did not belong to me? Have I ran into debt beyond my ability to pay it back or neglected to pay others back? Have I willfully damaged others property? Did I harm anyone by deception, fraud, or coercion in business contracts or transactions? Have I gotten envious or jealous of others goods? Do I get angry with God for giving more to others than myself? Do I give alms according to my capacity? Am I diligent in my work and studies or do I give in to laziness or love of comfort? Do you have an excessively materialistic view of life? Have I cheated to make life easier?
Social Sins 12 Have I tithed ten percent of my income, five percent to the parish and five percent to another charity? Do I help others in need when I have extra money or time? Have I volunteered my time for either the parish or the poor? Do I stand up for the rights of the weak of society (e.g. the unborn, elderly, etc.)? Am I ashamed of my faith and hide it from others? Do I fight against anti- Catholic propaganda (e.g. movies, pornography, etc.)? 8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Have I told any lies? Did I engage in gossip or back- biting? Have I made fun of others? Did I judge others in my thoughts or in conversations? Have I unjustly accused others? Have I sinned by detraction, that is, telling the faults of others without necessity? Have I lied about others? Did I reveal secrets without due cause? In the Confessional 1. Entering - In most parishes, the penitent has two choices for going to confession. He either goes face- to- face with the priest or behind a screen and the priest does not see him. 2. Beginning - The priest will guide the penitent through the confession if he is unfamiliar with the sacrament. After the person is situated, the priest usually begins with a prayer or reading from Scripture asking for God s assistance. 3. After the opening prayer The penitent says: "Bless me, father, for I have sinned. It has been (however long) since my last confession." 4. Confession of sins The penitent then begins to confess his sins. It is important to confess all serious sin since that time and even other mortal sin you forgot to confess in your previous confession. Make sure to include the number of times. This is where the piece of paper from the examination of conscience comes in handy. 5. Directions from the Priest After the penitent confesses his sins, the priest may give him some advice for avoiding sins. Then the priest will give the penitent a penance. For example, say three Our Fathers, pray the joyful mysteries of the rosary, visit a nursing home for half- hour, spend time with family, etc. Then the priest will ask him to make an act of contrition.
13 6. Act of Contrition The penitent then makes an act of contrition. Use the one that you learned as a child. The confessionals at St. Luke have hard copies of the Act of Contrition for you convenience. My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing not to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy. Amen. 7. Absolution The priest will then grant the penitent absolution. There is a special prayer, which the priest will then say. It has longer and shorter versions. What is necessary is that the priest says, "I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 8. Exiting the Confessional After leaving the confessional make sure to give thanks to God for the Sacrament of Reconciliation just received. Then promptly and devoutly perform the penance. This may not be possible immediately if the penance is of a social nature, that is, visiting a nursing home, helping the poor, etc. Sources for this Guide: Weinandy, Thomas, O.F.M. Cap., Be Reconciled to God, A Family Guide to Confession, The Word Among Us, Gaithersburg, MD, 1988. The Vatican II Weekday Missal, Daughters of St. Paul, 1975. The Holy Father s Advice to Priest about Their Duty of Hearing Confessions.
14 BASIC PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN Sign of the Cross In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Our Father Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory Be Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
15 Prayer to My Guardian Angel Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Act of Contrition My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In His Name, my God, have mercy. Amen. N O T E S