k-8 Sacramental Prep
First Reconciliation and First Communion Preparation meets on Wednesdays, 6:15PM - 7:30PM, in St. michael’s academy.
Confirmation Preparation meets on Thursdays,
6:00PM - 7:30PM, in St. michael’s Parish hall.
First Reconciliation and
First holy communion
At St. Michael’s Catholic Church, we are honored to walk with children and families as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. These beautiful milestones are an important part of a child’s journey of faith and a sacred opportunity for the whole family to grow closer to Christ and His Church.
Through sacramental preparation, children are invited to encounter God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to receive Jesus truly present in the Eucharist for the first time. In the Eucharist, heaven touches earth: Jesus comes to us truly present, inviting us into deeper communion with Him and His Church.
First Reconciliation
Before receiving First Holy Communion, children prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this sacrament, children encounter the loving mercy of God, learn the beauty of forgiveness, and come to understand that Jesus always welcomes us back to Himself.
Preparation for First Reconciliation focuses on:
Understanding God’s love and mercy
Learning the difference between right and wrong
Recognizing sin and the need for forgiveness
Learning how to make a good confession
Growing in trust in Jesus and His grace
A Guide to Parents First Penance Preparation
First Holy Communion
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. In First Holy Communion, children receive Jesus Christ — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — in the Blessed Sacrament for the first time.
Preparation for First Holy Communion helps children grow in:
Love for Jesus in the Eucharist
Understanding of the Mass
Reverence for the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer and participation in parish life
A deeper relationship with Christ and the Church
A Guide to Parents First Holy Communion Preparation
Director of Religious Education:
Lisa Sala
lsala@stmichaelscatholic.com
Confirmation
At St. Michael’s Catholic Church, we are honored to accompany young people and their families as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is a powerful moment in the life of faith, where the grace of Baptism is strengthened and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are sealed within us.
Through this sacrament, young people are called to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, a fuller participation in the life of the Church, and a renewed courage to live as His disciples in the world.
Confirmation is a Sacrament of Initiation. “The sacraments of Christian initiation constitute a unity because ‘they establish the foundations of the Christian life. The faithful born anew by Baptism, are strengthened by Confirmation and nourished by the Eucharist.” (Directory for Catechesis 70)
Preparation for Confirmation focuses on:
Understanding the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives
Recognizing the grace first received at Baptism
Learning about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit
Growing in prayer and personal relationship with Jesus
Living as a faithful witness of Christ in daily life.
A Guide to Parents Confirmation Preparation
Director of Religious Education:
Lisa Sala
lsala@stmichaelscatholic.com
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION
FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN
The full policy is below. Here are some highlights based on questions that are coming into the office with the beginning of the academic year:
There are two types of preparation that go on simultaneously when children and youth are discerning or being prepared for sacraments: Remote and Immediate
Remote preparation is simply the curriculum for their current grade level. This is taught whether they are in a Catholic School, a parish Faith Formation Program or if they are being homeschooled. Here is the link to that current Pre 3 - 8 Curriculum
A Guide for Parents to the Curriculum
Immediate Preparation is that preparation that is specific to the reception of that particular sacrament. This preparation is done at the parish with all three of the groups listed above being formed together for the particular sacrament.
The National Directory for Catechesis outlines what needs to be covered for each of the 3 sacraments:
Immediate preparation outlines These outlines assume that the parish is using a textbook from the USCCB Conformity list. A Confirmation retreat is mandated for those preparing for Confirmation. A certain number of hours, as a minimum, are also listed in the policy for each sacrament.
Children over the age of reason (7-8) who are lacking sacraments are placed in the parish's OCIA process where their parents accompany them.