FIRST COMMUNION RESOURCE BOOK - St Joan Of Arc€¦ · FIRST COMMUNION . RESOURCE BOOK . Religious...

FIRST COMMUNION RESOURCE BOOK

Religious Formation Contacts:

Dolly Pointner – [email protected] Director of Religious Formation – 630.353.4550

Lauren Nelson – [email protected] Administrative Assistant – 630.353.4528

820 Division Street, Lisle, IL 60532

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2019

Wednesday, January 9, 2019 6:45 pm – 7:45 pm in church Mandatory First Communion Parent Meeting (parent only) Friday, February 15, 2019 During school day on campus (see invite) Mandatory First Communion Retreat (child only) – all students wear nice jeans and a modest t-shirt or sweatshirt Wednesday, March 13, 2019 During class time Individual First Communion Preparedness Discussions (child only) Saturday, April 27, 2019 9:00 am in school gym Mandatory First Communion Practice - casual dress (parent and child) Sunday, April 28, 2019 2:00 pm – arrive no later than 1:30 pm First Communion-child needs to be in gym (fully dressed and ready) by 1:30 pm

“I am the living bread that came down from Heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51

First Communion Details

The retreat on February 15, 2019 is mandatory for the student. If your child is unable to attend, please make arrangements with Dolly Pointner, Director of Religious Formation, prior to February 15, 2019. Please return the PINK retreat RSVP form as soon as possible. First Communion practice is on Saturday, April 27 at 9:00 a.m. and is mandatory for the student and one parent or other responsible adult that will be attending Mass the following day with the student. The Mass begins at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28 and the students need to be in the gym no later than 1:30 p.m. to line-up. The students do not sit with parents. First Communicants process and sit together, separate from their parents. Seating for family and friends is on a first-come basis. Once the line-up for students is determined, it is difficult to change for a number of reasons. Please contact Dolly if you, your child, or family members have special seating needs. If you would like siblings to sit or process together, if you will be participating in a liturgical ministry, or if your child has medical or special needs, please contact Dolly as soon as possible. Please note, we will not always be able to honor these requests, but given ample notice we will attempt to accommodate them.

First Communion Dress Code

Girls Boys Traditional white dress or Sunday best Dress shirt, tie, pants Shoulders MUST to be covered Dress shoes If wearing a sleeveless dress you Suit or Sport coat MUST wear a jacket or sweater (optional) Veil (optional), bow, flowers, etc. No Jeans or Tennis Shoes Dress shoes that are easy to walk in No prayer books No rosaries, prayer books, candles, etc. No candles No gloves/purses for girls No rosaries

Please contact Dolly Pointner or Lauren Nelson at 630.353.4528 if the dress code presents a hardship or you need assistance. A suit and several dresses have been donated.

Be Sure to Tell Family and Friends –

NO Photography or Video-Recording During Mass

PHOTOGRAPHY: We ask you to refrain from videotaping and picture taking during Mass in order to preserve sacredness and dignity. We do not want anything to be a distraction for the child who is about to receive Jesus for the first time. There is enough time after Mass to take pictures in Church. We so appreciate your cooperation. A professional photographer will take a picture of each child as he/she receives the Eucharist. These pictures will be for sale directly following Mass. The photos come in an acrylic frame and are available for $15 each or 2 for $25. Please pay the photography company directly for these pictures as you pick them up directly following the First Communion Mass.

VIDEO-RECORDING: A professional company will videotape the entire First Communion celebration. Each family has the option to purchase this video. A BLUE order form is included in this pack. We will also email it out and have them available at First Communion practice. We will collect the forms and payments until the end of the First Communion PRACTICE. After that, you are responsible for ordering directly with the company. The payment includes shipping and the videos are shipped directly to you. The cost is $30 per DVD.

How to answer questions from friends and family about First Communion,

particularly if they are not Catholic? We are living in an age when many of our friends and family are no longer practicing Catholics. Every year we hear someone say, “I have a Christian friend or relative that is not Catholic and coming to First Communion and they do not understand why they can’t receive communion –what do I tell them?” Below is a link for a brief 8 minute video that can help you with these questions. Father Mike Schmitz from Ascension Presents does this video which not only helps us better understand why non-Catholics should not receive Communion but also helps us better understand what you and your child are saying “Amen, or Yes, I Believe” to when they receive Communion. Feel free to speak with Father or me if you have any concerns. The video can be found at….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jxwGIXfoOo

“Of all the sacraments, the adorable

Sacrament of the Altar is the most excellent.

The other sacraments contain gifts of God,

but the Holy Eucharist contains God himself.”

- St. Alphonsus Liguori



When was the last time you

participated in a Miracle? Was your answer never? Was your answer more than a week ago? Do you realize that being Catholic means that you have the opportunity to experience a miracle each and every day? Our First Communion retreat

will help your children better understand this by understanding the Miracle of the Mass. If you feel like you somehow missed the Miracle or don’t understand the Mass, we have a great online study for you. We have subscribed to an online service called FORMED. You can logon at https://formed.org where you will be guided to enter a code or setup an account. Our parish code is 46QMDB and will allow you to stream programs free of charge. The Eucharist series that should cover anything you might have missed over the years is: https://formed.org/study/552808acc4c83998107fe592 We would love to start small group sessions for parents to share and discuss this great series. Please contact Dolly if this interests you and we will facilitate the small group sessions. The following prayer was prayed at your child’s Baptism: “God is the giver of all life, human and divine. May He bless the fathers of these children. With their wives they will be the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith. May they also be the best teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is our honor and pleasure to assist you in fulfilling your primary obligation to pass on the faith to your children and to teach them to walk in the way of faith. This is accomplished when families place Jesus Christ and his teachings at the center of their lives through Sunday worship, family prayer, and a daily commitment to live as a Christian witness. Sunday Mass with your children is an essential part of their faith formation. We enjoy accompanying you to share and communicate values to your children that represent our Catholic Christian heritage. Please make sure your child continues to reflect in their Mass journal each week and has the journal signed by a Priest or Deacon.

https://formed.org/

https://formed.org/study/552808acc4c83998107fe592

Common Questions and Answers for Parents of Students Preparping for First Eucharist (First Communion)

By Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP Q. How do I know when my child is ready for First Eucharist? A. Readiness for first Eucharist is primarily an emotional and spiritual readiness;

only incidentally is it an intellectual preparation. Church law presumes that children are ready when they:

⊕ Have a desire to celebrate the sacrament. ⊕ Understand that when the bread and wine are brought to the altar and

blessed, they are no longer ordinary bread and wine, but have become Jesus' Body and Blood for us.

⊕ The child's readiness for first Eucharist comes from the experience of participating in the liturgy each week with his or her family rather than just attending a certain number of religion classes.

Q. I have heard that the Eucharist is about more than bread and wine being

changed. What does that mean? A. The early leaders of the Church were concerned with what happens to the

people who celebrate with bread and wine, how they live as a result of sharing the Body and Blood of Christ. Augustine advised Christians to “Be what you see, receive what you are.” Christians already are the Body of Christ. They become so in Baptism, but they must intensify their experience of the Body, living more and more the life of Christ. In the Eucharist, they receive the power to be “bread broken” and “wine poured out” for others. They love and live for others as Jesus did. Not only are the bread and wine changed, but we too can be changed.

Q. What shall I tell my child when he or she asks what the host tastes like and

how to receive it? A. In class, the children will get the opportunity to find out the answers to

these questions for themselves. They will taste unconsecrated hosts and they will practice receiving Holy Communion. So they will know exactly how the host tastes and how to receive it.

Q. It is all right to chew the host? A. Yes, it is. Jesus said, “Take and eat.”

Q. What about the cup? Can my child receive from it? Does he or she have to? Is it important to receive from the cup? Isn't having everyone drink from the same cup dangerous?

A. Your child can drink from the cup. Jesus said, “Take and drink” as well as “Take and eat.” The child does not have to drink, however. You have a choice. If your son or daughter has never tasted wine, you might want to let him or her taste it at home. In class, the children will get the opportunity to taste the unconsecrated wine to ensure they do not make funny faces, gag, or have an inclination to spit it out.

It is important to receive from the cup. Jesus invited us to remember Him

through a meal, and that meal includes eating and drinking. Also, Jesus shared the cup at the Last Supper as “the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you” (Lk. 22:20). The wine is rich in symbolism. It is a sign of the blood that He shed on the cross for us. It is a sign of God’s covenant with us, a pledge of His love sealed in the blood of his only Son. This covenant or pledge affirms God’s love for us and His promise to save us from our sins.

Wine should be pleasing to the taste, a delight, and thus a real experience of the words “taste and see how good the Lord is.” Wine is not something we drink alone. Shared, it becomes a bond of fellowship, a celebration, shared joy. The American Medical Association has responded to questions about possible health hazards when everyone drinks from the same cup of wine. The society has issued this statement: “It is the position of the AMA that, as far as we know, there have been no cases of transmission of germs to communicants using a common cup. The alcoholic content of the wine plus the hygienic practice of wiping the cup and turning it to a new position for each communicant seems to remove any danger of disease.”

Q. What about fasting? How long does my child have to fast before receiving

the Eucharist? A. Children follow the same rules as adults. Church law currently states that

the fast from food and beverage (water and medicine are allowed anytime) is one hour prior to Communion time (not Mass time).

Q. How do we keep our child from getting the idea that picture taking, pretty

clothes, and parties are what First Eucharist is all about? A. The answer to this depends a lot upon you. If parents focus their attention

on these things, so will the children. The best way to overcome this problem is to spend more time on family prayer, Sunday worship, and faith-sharing

than you do on shopping for clothes and party preparations. Share your

own faith stories so that children will see that First Eucharist is only a beginning. Tell them what the Eucharist means to your life. Don’t stress First Eucharist as a goal, or an end. The thing that makes First Eucharist special is that it is the first of many Eucharists for the rest of their lives.

Q. What about gifts for the First Eucharist child? A. A gift is one way of celebrating this special day. Here are some ideas for

appropriate First Eucharist gifts. ⊕ Children’s Bibles and/or Books of children’s prayers and/or religious DVDs ⊕ Classic children’s books that share Christian values, e.g. Charlotte’s Web, The

Giving Tree, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf ⊕ Books that develop the children’s self-esteem ⊕ Homemade books about the child’s own life to date, with photos of

important events and other memorabilia that they can keep and enjoy ⊕ A book about the child’s patron saint and/or the patron saint’s medal ⊕ A subscription to a children’s magazine that is wholesome, creative, and

challenging games that can be played by the family (a few companies today publish games of cooperation rather than games of competition)

⊕ Gifts that start a family tradition, a tradition that the child can share as an adult with his or her own family, e.g. a “You Are Special” plate, a blessing cup to be shared at family celebration times, a tablecloth which all visitors sign

⊕ Items for a prayer area in the child’s room: Bible, table covering, candle, plant

⊕ A personal letter to the child on the occasion of his or her First Eucharist (Write it on special paper. Or write a letter to Jesus about your child and give him/her a copy.)

What Do I Need to Do to Prepare my Child?

Your teacher will keep you posted with what is expected at home. The entire First Communion curriculum that we use can be found online at:

https://dynamiccatholic.com/blessed/first-communion/program-view/session-1 I suggest watching one of the brief videos each day from now until the retreat with your child but some people like to watch each of the six sessions in one setting over the weekend with their child. Review and make sure you understand all the questions on the following page and then help to make sure your child understands them as well. Let us know if you have any questions. We are here to accompany you!

https://dynamiccatholic.com/blessed/first-communion/program-view/session-1

Discussion Topics to Cover with Your Child

What helps you grow in your relationship with Jesus? (Prayer) How is Jesus present to you in Mass? (4 ways) The Priest who leads us in worship and prayer (Page 84 – Blessed) The Liturgy of the Word -The Word of God from the Bible proclaimed (0 – Blessed) The Liturgy of the Eucharist - The Body and Blood of Christ (Page 114, 118, 119 – Blessed) The Community, we gather in Jesus name and carry Him closer to us after receiving His Body and Blood (Page 132 – Blessed)

What is the ultimate prayer? Is this the most important prayer of the Catholic Church? (Mass – Yes - Page 54-55 in Blessed) Does God speak to us? Where will we most likely hear Him? (Yes – Mass – Page 60-61 in Blessed – and through the Bible – Page 100 in Blessed) What is another name for Communion? (The Eucharist) Pretend I am the Priest and you are coming up to receive your First Communion. Show me how you will do it. (Make sure they bow – make sure they say AMEN – make sure they hold their hands right) Now let’s pretend you are the Priest about to give me Communion – what do you say when you offer me the bread? What do you say when you offer me the wine? (Body of Christ – Blood of Christ) Will it taste like Bread and Wine? (Yes) Is it really Bread and Wine? (No) Why isn’t it bread and wine when it tastes that way? When does it change from being bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ?

(It is a Miracle-learned at the retreat. At the Consecration - Page 120-122-other appropriate answers are during the Liturgy of the Eucharist-or when the Priest says the same words Jesus did at the last supper or when the bells rings – if they use this answer just make sure they understand that not all churches use bells)

What did you learn about at your First Communion retreat? (Miracle Stories in the Bible) Can you tell me about the skit you were in? Can you tell me about any of the other skits?

(Water into Wine; Large Catch of Fish; Blind Man Bartimaeus; Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law; The Paralytic; The Ten Lepers; Multiplation of the Loaves and Fish)

What did all the skits have in common? (They were all miracle stories) What do the skits have in common with your First Communion? (Both are miracles) Is Jesus God? (Yes – he is 2nd person in the Trinity - God the Son – page 81 Blessed) Who gave the Apostles their first Communion? (Jesus) How often can we receive Communion? How often should we receive Communion? Why?

(Daily if we want but we should receive Communion at least every Sunday and if we really believe it is Jesus, we should want to be with Him as often as possible)

What should you always do before you sit down in Church? Why? Show me how you do it?

(Genuflect – because Jesus is present in the tabernacle-check their sign of the Cross – hint the Holy Spirit hugs us)

PRAYERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Below are some of the traditional prayers that your child/ren, as Catholics, will be praying for their entire life. Please incorporate them into your routines at home, in the car, and at gatherings of friends and family. Please help your children learn these prayers by heart! Remember, the Mass is the most important way we pray and is where we encounter Jesus, who is truly present to us through the Word, the Eucharist, each other, and the priest who acts in the person of Christ. Sign of the Cross: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. (With actions.)

Glory Be (Doxology): 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

Guardian Angel Prayer: Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day (night), be at my side, to light and to guard, to rule and to guide. Amen

Lord’s Prayer (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 you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen

Act of Contrition (Prayer of Sorrow): 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

The Apostles’ Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I 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. Amen.

The Ten Commandments: 1. I am the Lord your God: You shall not have 6. You shall not commit adultery. strange gods before me. 7. You shall not steal. 2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your 8. You shall not bear false witness against God in vain. your neighbor. 3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. 9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. 4. Honor your father and mother. 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s 5. You shall not kill. goods. The Rosary, along with all of the mysteries. See http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/rosaries/index.cfm

http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/rosaries/index.cfm

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