After each station is contemplated, the child blows out one candle. Hence the need to nurture our children’s prayer lives. If receiving Jesus in holy Communion is wonderful and special, then we would want to at least receive the Eucharist every Sunday. It would be normal and natural for any child to focus on these happy things. He came not just for humanity in general. How do we prepare young people to effectively receive the Eucharist? Also, kids think it is fun to practice! Your children will make their First Communion the same way all the children in the RC school do - out of school and in church. Customer Service I love this book (!) Each Lent, we make a baked crown of thorns. This beautiful First Communion journal is full of fun ways for Catholic kids to prepare for, remember, and live out their First Holy Communion. But He lived, suffered, and died specifically for you and your children. Our First Communion Faith Milestone is designed to prepare children in Kindergarten – 4th grade to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion in a developmentally appropriate and meaningful way. Explain the Eucharist in terms that are easy for a child to understand. In a similar way, we want to make our souls pure and free from the stain of sin. Access my current Take Out digital edition, Jesus’ “presence is not momentary nor simply signified, but wholly and permanently real under each of the consecrated species of bread and wine.”. One family I know lights fourteen candles at the beginning of the Stations of the Cross. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The First Holy Communion normally occurs when children are 7 or 8 years old and is an initiation rite that introduces them as full members of the Catholic Church. Your child’s First communion party is a wonderful excuse to bring family and friends together. ","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/?s={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/five-ways-for-parents-to-prepare-children-for-first-holy-communion/#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/shutterstock_420811105.jpg","width":1000,"height":667,"caption":"Shutterstock.com"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/five-ways-for-parents-to-prepare-children-for-first-holy-communion/#webpage","url":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/five-ways-for-parents-to-prepare-children-for-first-holy-communion/","name":"Five ways for parents to prepare children for First Holy Communion - Teaching Catholic Kids","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/five-ways-for-parents-to-prepare-children-for-first-holy-communion/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2018-04-16T18:37:43+00:00","dateModified":"2020-08-28T12:56:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/#/schema/person/4c3398e46cf41ab389dfa4461b08b42a"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://teachingcatholickids.com/five-ways-for-parents-to-prepare-children-for-first-holy-communion/"]}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/#/schema/person/4c3398e46cf41ab389dfa4461b08b42a","name":"Lindsey Riesen","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://teachingcatholickids.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0e63109accbd445606d876597ae9a8ed?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Lindsey Riesen"},"sameAs":["https://www.teachingcatholickids.com"]}]} In order for our children to have even the slightest sense of Who they are receiving in Holy Communion, they need to know the Gospel stories. Her son was standing nearby trying to wait patiently. We do not need to act on every good idea that comes our way. Children are capable of contemplating Christ’s Passion as long as we respect their attention span and use a little creativity. Our Lord Himself used parables to teach. -1  John 14:19. When it is his or her turn, he or she should make a slight bow of the head — this is our sign of reverence. Bring your children on short visits to the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration and ask the Holy Spirit to fill their souls with love for the Holy Eucharist. 3-4 Poems for Copy work and Memorization, 12 Classic Novels Girls Should Read Before Turning 12, 23+ Easy Chapter Books for Wholesome Girls, Reading Comprehension for Young Catholics 3, The New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism, Strength and Courage for the Homeschooling Mom, Advent and Christmas Activities for Preschoolers with (and without) Down Syndrome, Even the Saints Could be Difficult Children, Beginning a New Homeschool Year: The Two Best Things You Can Do for Your Homeschool, Talking About St. Martha on Relevant Radio, Painting Kitchen Cabinets, Conscience, and Confession in the Rain, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferschwalm/464456778/in/album-72157604985927906, Story of Civilization Vol. Bringing our children to confession shortly before their First Communion is one of the best ways to prepare their souls to welcome Our Lord. Bring your children on short visits to the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration and ask the Holy Spirit to fill their souls with love for the Holy Eucharist. Don't rely solely on what they may learn from their CCD or Faith Formation classes. First Communion Chapters and References Introduction – Preparing your child to think about Holy Communion: Before beginning to read pages 7-9, talk with your child about what he/she thinks Holy Communion is, as well as what questions he/she hopes to have answered while studying this topic. Together, contemplate the Way of the Cross to help him begin to realize how much Our Lord suffered for him. Not only is it a visual reminder of how Our Lord suffered for love of us, but it also provides our children with a very strong motivation to make sacrifices for Him. First holy communion is an exciting time. p.s. The most important thing to do for your child's First Communion day is to make sure they are well catechized and understand exactly why this Sacrament is so special. I am happy to share our catechetical ministry with you, Cara and Anita…..and thanks to Mike for his service to the Church. Leaflets giving information and hints to parents on how to prepare their children are also available at these Masses. Then, teach your children to pray a Spiritual Communion each day to help them grow in their love for the Eucharist and their longing to receive Our Lord. Call them beforehand to make sure that they can attend and know where and what time the party will take place. Well, here’s my response—five things I’d advise any parent to do to help their child prepare to receive the Eucharist for the first time. Both my DC attended a Catholic primary which, because the school was oversubscribed, was almost 100% Catholic. I hope that for all of you too, the First Communion you have received in this Year of the Eucharist will be the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Jesus, the beginning of a journey together, because in walking with Jesus we do well and life becomes good. Read the book, First Communion, by Mother Mary Loyola, with your child. Pay Your Bill More importantly, prayer is listening for the voice of God, being attentive to inspirations from the Holy Spirit, and asking God’s grace to act on them. I will be helping young people prepare for their First Communion and First Reconciliation. If you are short on time, The New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism is a straightforward catechism that is both solid and age-appropriate. How Blessed are we at St. Jude to have this faithful woman teaching our children. she says. We celebrate First Holy Communion at my parish at a specific regular Sunday Mass or at the more typical large Saturday Mass. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. No Communion preparation was done in school, it was all through an evening and weekend programme via the parish. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","ac286dfac8f6cadba87027499835001b");document.getElementById("f3ae91aeb9").setAttribute("id","comment"); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There is no need to make the sign of the cross after receiving. Renew Your Subscription You should do the same, repeatedly. In his name, my God, have mercy. This beautiful First Communion journal is full of fun ways for Catholic kids to prepare for, remember, and live out their First Holy Communion. Check out this post and free booklet on preparing your child for Confession. var googletag=googletag||{};googletag.cmd=googletag.cmd||[]; They need to know that once the host is consecrated, it is no longer a piece of bread or a symbol, but truly the body and blood of Christ. Talk with your child and make sure they understand the real presence. Each story is about 2-3 pages and written in a way that is easy for young children to understand. In both parishes, second grade is when the children celebrate first reconciliation and first holy Communion. Since the paintings are usually works by the great masters, each picture has a lot to look at. It will consist of prayers, hymns, readings, bidding prayers and the actual Communion. Drawing on the wisdom of Scripture, the Catechism, the Popes, the Saints, and Church History, and packed full of Mary's own personal experience and story, "Evangelizing Our Children with Joy" is a wonderful combination of the lofty and the practical, and is a treasure trove for meditating on God's wonderful plan for motherhood and bringing our children to the Lord. Once your child has recieved his/her first Confession, bring your child to confession at least once a month. We genuflect and bow to show our reverence to God. [CDATA[ So I thought I’d share with you some ideas and resources that help prepare our children’s minds, hearts, and souls for the most  blessed event of their childhood: their first Holy Communion. My oldest is making his First Communion on Sunday, April 27th (Divine Mercy Sunday, the canonization of JPII, and my B-day). I teach the children how beautiful, important and special it is to receive Jesus’ body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. Newsletter Signup //]]> As a general rule, I try to avoid crafty projects that are too time consuming and are just “fluff”. As we read the Gospel stories with our children, we should make them personal. His body exists under the species of bread and his blood under the species of wine, according to the import of his words.”. *Heading photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferschwalm/464456778/in/album-72157604985927906. Advertising Describe the First Holy Communion ceremony to children so that they know what to expect. Focus on the fruits of Holy Communion. Lesson Plans, Gr. In this way, we combine reading, writing, and most importantly, learning about the life of Christ and His love for us. 1-6 Primary Math, Standards Ed. ( Log Out /  Beliefnet. //