First Eucharist Parent and Child Retreat by Cristina Alba

First Eucharist Parent and Child Retreat by Cristina Alba 9:30 9:40 Gathering and Hospitality Christian background Music Parents sign in The Families get refreshments Assign various children for the Altar Table/Home Table ritual 9:40 Introduction ( The Quiet by John Michael Talbot playing in the background) Good morning, today you will be on retreat with your child. A retreat is a time you give yourselves to be with Jesus away from home, away from the noisiness of life. There s no TV, no school, no work, no obligations, no cell phones. Speaking of cell phones, let us all take a moment to make sure that all cell phones are turned to Silent! The only thing that is asked of you on a retreat is to just BE to free your mind and heart from distractions so that the Lord Jesus can enter. Jesus gave us the model for being on retreat he journeyed into the desert alone for 40 days and 40 nights to prepare for his ministry. So too must we retreat from everyday life and prepare for receiving Jesus in the blessed Sacrament of Holy Eucharist. Today is a day of prayer, reflection, and sharing. So let us close our eyes for a moment, relax your body, place both feet on the ground, hands on your lap, palms facing up. Relax. Slowly breathe in and out. Take a deep breath in slowly hold it and breathe out. Take a deep breath in slowly hold it and breathe out. With your palms facing up, take everything that is troubling you in your mind and place them in your hands. All worries, all distractions, all anxieties, troubles from yesterday, troubles from this morning, and troubles you will face place them all into your hands. Breathe in breathe out. Now, let your hands fall open to your side feel all your worries and anxieties just fall from your hand let them go, do not grab or hold onto them. Breathe in breathe out. When at last, you have let go, return your hands to your lap with your palms facing up. Now you have empty hands waiting to be filled with God s love. Jesus is near you he places his hands in yours you can feel his touch. I love you, he says. You accept his love, into your hands and into your heart, as your respond back, I love you, Lord. Spend a few moments talking with Jesus. 1

Opening Prayer God our loving Father, you loved us so much that you gave us your only Son Jesus. Your care for us is so great that you nourish us with His Body and Blood. Look with kindness on these your children gathered with gratitude in their hearts, to be joined to your Church family by taking part in the Eucharist for the first time. May the union between them and Jesus always remain strong and deep. With their family and friends to help them, may they follow Him as their Shepherd and friend all the days of their lives. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. Please open your eyes. 10:00 Called By Name Ritual (Make sure that you have all the names of the First Communicants prior to beginning this ritual) A Reading from the book of Isaiah Listen to me, O Coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother s womb God named me. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God Discussion of what this reading means make it personal. Have everyone repeat the reading and say it with enthusiasm. Provide instruction for the Called By Name ritual. Every child should already have a candle at the table to be brought forward for lighting. Due to copyright, the following words have been taken out. You can find them in the book "Jump Starts For Catechists: Rights and Rituals" by 23rd Publications or you can write your own prayer. Light the Candle and say: After each name say: Child says with arms outstretched in a loud voice: The children will bring their candle and light it from the prayer table. Children gather in the front to the left and to the right of the podium. Begin to dim lights. 2

After the last child Parents do you also accept the call of Jesus to follow Him? Parents respond, I do!! The Lord has called each of us by name. He has called us to follow Him, to love Him, and to share His love with others. Children, when the music begins, with the Light of Christ in your hands go and share the light of Christ with your parents. As you light your parent s candle, say Receive the light of Christ. Children return to their seats and light the candles of their parents as the song is played. Play Song: Here I Am, Lord by Dan Schutte is a possibility. Closing Prayer After the closing prayer, retreatants blow out their candles. 10:25 Water Ritual (A large empty bowl should be placed on the prayer table and each person should have a small cup of holy water already poured for them before the retreat begins.) Each of you have been given a cup of water. Take the cup in your hands. Look at it, touch it. How does it feel? Parents, take a moment to talk with your child about the importance of water come up with different ways that we use water. I will give you a couple of minutes to discuss. After a couple of minutes, invite a few of the children to share their responses to the larger group. Now this cup of water that you have been given is Holy Water. This is the water that baptized you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Parents, at this time, share with your child about the day of his/her Baptism. Pause for sharing time. It was with this water, children, that at your baptism, your parents made special promises to raise you as followers of Jesus. Your parents promised to help you reject sin and turn to our God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In order to receive Jesus in Holy Communion, you must first renew the promises that your parents made for you. You are now old enough to make those promises for yourself and say I Do to Jesus. Let us all stand and renew our Baptismal promises together. 3

Renew Baptismal Promises Dear brothers and sisters, through the Paschal Mystery we have been buried with Christ in Baptism, so that we may walk with him in newness of life. And so, let us renew the promises of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced Satan and his works, and promised to serve God in the holy Catholic Church. Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God? Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over you? Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin? Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins, keep us by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord, for eternal life. Amen. Now bless each other with the Holy Water. You will be able to do this again on the day of your First Communion. 4

Before you were born, God called you by name. At your Baptism you received the light of Christ by lighting your Baptismal candle. With these Holy waters you were claimed for Jesus Christ and became part of the Catholic Christian Church. Let us pour out our Baptismal waters, slowly and prayerfully, into the font on the prayer table (a catechist holds up the font) as a sign that we are one community, brothers and sisters in Christ. Play Send us your Spirit by David Haas Let us Pray: God our loving Creator, you give us new life day after day, and the signs of your presence are all around us. From the beginning your Spirit breathed on the waters, and through the ages water has been a sign of your saving love and care. We were baptized with water as a sign of cleansing and new life. Today, may we once again remember that you call us to be holy and may your gift of water be our sign of this. Amen. 10:50 The Holy Eucharist Priest or Catechist A reading from the Gospel according to John. (Jn 6:51-58) Read from the Children s Lectionary page 518. NOTE: The choice of Gospel Reading should be the same one proclaimed at the First Communion Liturgy. Invite a priest to come in and explain the Gospel to the children. Dressing of the Altar Ritual as compared to the Home Table Each pre-assigned child will come forward when called to place items on the tables. An explanation of each item should follow. This will prepare the children for the Dressing of the Altar on the day of First Communion. There will be no narration during the Liturgy, so it is important that the children understand the significance of the ritual. Practice Receiving First Communion The children have been practicing receiving Communion in class, but this will be the first time practicing with their parent. It is important for the parent to know what the expectations are for receiving Communion. Unconsecrated breads or some form of bread and a cup of grape juice is available at each table. 11:10 Faith Walk Parent/Child Sharing Time Let us spend some time in reflection on Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. You will have an opportunity to go on a faith walk with each other. This is not a time to be socializing with other parents or children. This is a time to spend quietly and prayerfully with each other: parent and child. You will be given questions to ask each other on your way out the door. There is no rush your signal to return is when the bell rings. (See below for examples of questions). 5

11:30 Ring Bell 11:35 Signing of the Senses Ritual (Each parent should have a necklace with a cross for the child) We have accepted God s call to follow Him, we have renewed our Baptismal promises, and we believe in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Children, as disciples of Jesus, there will be hardships along the way. Times when we are tempted, times when we sin, times when things don t go the way we want them to, and times when we lose a loved one. By turning to Jesus and carrying these burdens, these crosses in our lives, just as Jesus did on the way to be crucified, we will be made stronger, more loving, and more like Jesus himself. Parents, you will now bless your child for the journey by marking the sign of the cross on each of their senses. Please stand and face each other. Make sure that you are away from the table. The cross is a central sign of being a Christian. Today, children, you will be marked with the cross to remind you of how much Jesus loves you and that he is always with you. A Reading from the Gospel according to Matthew. (Matthew 19:13-15) Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs. And he blessed them and went on his way. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. Ritual (Adapted from RCIA Rite of Acceptance): Receive the sign of the cross on your forehead. It is Christ himself who now strengthens you with this sign of his love. Learn to know and follow him. Receive the sign of the cross on your ears, that you may hear the words of Christ. Receive the sign of the cross on your eyes, that you may see the glory of God. 6

Receive the sign of the cross on your lips, that you may speak as Christ would speak. Receive the sign of the cross over your heart, that you may make your heart the home of Christ. Receive the sign of the cross on your shoulders, that you may have the strength to do the work of Christ. Receive the sign of the cross on your hands, that you may touch others with the gentleness of Christ. Receive the sign of the cross on your feet, that you may walk in the way of Christ. Parents, place your hands upon your child's head. Christ Jesus, our Savior and Brother, we have received your blessing on each of our senses. May we use them well to give you praise and to serve others. Amen. (Have the parents place the necklace around the neck of their child) 11:40 Closing Prayer/Meditation song (seated) We close this morning of prayer with a meditation song. I ask you to remain facing each other, but you may sit down. Please turn your chairs towards each other. As you sit face to face, hold each other s hand and look at each other in the eyes during this meditation song. Play St. Teresa s Prayer by John Michael Talbot 7

Materials: Sign-In Sheets Pens Crosses For Prayer Table: White table cloth Trinity Candle Bible w/ stand Glass bowl/baptismal Font Statue of Jesus with children Chalice, paten, unconsecrated hosts Plants Lighter CD Player/Wireless speaker Copies of Parent-Child Faith Walk For Centerpiece/Table: Doilies Clear Plates Disposable Purificators Unconsecrated wafers or breads Grapes Dinner Rolls Cups of Holy Water Taper Candles Communion Holy Cards Hospitality: Napkins Cups cold & hot Orange Juice Water Coffee Decaf & Regular Tea Hot Water Stirrers Sugar Creamer Pitchers for water Platters Finger Foods Resources: The Quiet Album by John Michael Talbot Send Us Your Spirit Song by David Haas St. Teresa s Prayer Song by John Michael Talbot Castillo, Dennis. Jump Starts For Catechists: Rites and Rituals. Twenty-Third Publications, 2005. The Roman Missal, 2011. 8

Parent-Child Faith Walk Parents, ask your child the following questions: What makes you excited about receiving First Communion? How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? Share with me something that you have learned about Jesus. After you receive your First Communion, how will you continue to serve others as Jesus did? Children, ask your parents the following questions: Please share with me a time when you felt God s love. Can you share with me your First Communion experience? Were there any times when you asked Jesus to help you? What happened? How can we walk together with Jesus in our lives? 9