First Reconciliation & Holy Communion
First Reconciliation and Holy Communion
Preparing children for the Sacrament of Reconciliation allows us to show them that God is love and that in mercy, He is always ready to forgive, no matter what the wrong. It assures them that God already knows the secrets of our hearts, but sometimes, we need to name these aloud to prepare our hearts to renew the experience of God's love and forgiveness. It shows them that just as God is One, God dreams that we might all be one as well--one with each other and one with God. God's will is for all people to be reconciled with one another and with God. What an extraordinary gift!
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1324-1327). Other sacraments, good works, and ministries are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. The Eucharist contains the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself. In the Eucharist, we encounter Him in His entire Presence - fully divine, fully human.
After Baptism and First Reconciliation, a child's first Holy Communion is when they receive the body and blood of Jesus in the form of bread and wine for the first time. It is to deepen their relationship with Jesus and give a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Mass and the church as a community.
At baptism, a child is welcomed into the family of the Church. Holy Communion is the Sacrament which binds us together as the Body of Christ and God's family. It provides strength and spiritual nourishment for our journey in faith.
The preparation to receive the First Holy Communion journey runs for several months at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
We believe this is a journey where the parents and child will travel together. In this preparation, the parents and child will be asked to reflect on their faith and continue the faith commitment made in the child's name when he or she was baptised.
For a child to receive the Sacrament of the First Holy Communion, they need to have received the Sacrament of Baptism and First Reconciliation (confession).
In our Diocese of Palmerston North, the usual age for receiving this First Holy Communion for the first time is 8 (children in Year 4 or above).
If you are wishing for your child to start their First Holy Communion, please click this link to register:
https://kotahiano.infoodle.com/f/FirstReconciliationAndFirstHolyCommunion
For more details, please contact our pastoral coordinator: pastoral@pncathedral.org.nz
