SACRAMENT PROGRAM: First Reconciliation and First Eucharist:

The Sacrament Policies of the Archdiocese of Newark and OLMC:

• Your family should be registered in the parish in which your child receives the sacraments.
• The immediate preparation period of catechesis for sacraments should be parish-based; for both the Catholic School and the Public School Students.
• Your child should aslo be enrolled in the parish Religious Education Program or the Catholic School, while they are completing the Immediate Sacrament Preparation
• The Preparation for First Reconciliation & First Eucharist is a 2 year process.  The children should complete Grade One in the Parish Religious Education Program or the Catholic School, and then be currently enrolled in grade 2, while also completing the immeduiate preparation for the 2 Sacrments
• If your child is older than the 2nd grade year and has not received any of the following sacraments (Baptism, First Penance, First Communion) please contact our office at 201-444-0211.  Each year we offer a preparation course that the child/parent will participate in along with their regular religious education classes.

 Sacrament of First Reconciliation: The Preparation:

• Option 1:  You and your child attend the 2 virtual or in person sessions with the Parish Catechetical Leader.  This person will lead the presentation, show the Blessed videos and lead you and your child in processing and discussing the information.
• Option 2:  You can take the lesson plan and teach your child, at your convenience using the videos, the book and the lesson plan
• Option 3:  You can use the book and read the 6 chapters with your child, completing the activities in the book.   The book is broken up into 6 chapters. 

The Celebration of First Reconciliation will take place on 2 different Saturdays in Jaanuary/February

Sacrament of First First Eucharist:The preparation consists of the following:

• Completing the immediate preparation by learning the material in the textbook. 
• Completing the Readiness for the Sacrament Assessment
• Attending the First Eucharist Retreat with a Parent
• Attending the practice for the Sacrament

Teaching your Child about the Sacrament using the student workbook:

There are 4 ways of preparing your child using the student workbook: God’s Gift Eucharist:

1)  You can prepare your child by reading the chapters in the book and completing all of the activities.

2) You can attend the two Virtual  preparation sessions presented by the Parish Catechetical Leader, through Zoom.  One parent must attend with the child.  You will have a short at-home assignment to do with your child before each session and after the sessions

3) You can watch the 2 recorded lessons with your child using the book and the video clips

4) You can take Cathy’s lesson plan and teach the material using the 7 videos

 The Assignment that lets us know the child is prepared to receive the Sacrament of First Communion:

• Every child, receiving the Sacrament of First Communion, needs to  answer 12 questions using google forms, and must submit it electronically to the Religious Education Office, to show that the child is prepared to receive the Sacrament of First Communion.