Growing Up Catholic

Catechist Guide for First Reconciliation

Session 1Thank you for leading this process. Please allow the parents to have this time with their children. By guiding their children using the Growing Up Catholic coaching resource, they will grow themselves. This process will change their lives and last forever! We hope you will also grow in your own faith.

OverviewThis session introduces Reconciliation as part of a lifelong process beginning with baptism.

• God Chooses ME: Baptism.

• Prayer Celebration: Baptism and personal call.

• Your Baptism Day: Learning what happened at their Baptism.

• Meeting Jesus in the Bible / Color This Picture: Jesus Meets and Loves the Children.

• Write a Letter to Jesus: Thanksgiving, friendship, and a promise to show love.

• Sacrament of Reconciliation: Reconciliation room and how the priest welcomes.

• At Home This Week: Family and prayer.

Checklist

Supplies

Bibles

Name slips

Prayer altar items (Bible, cross, candle, altar cloth, etc.)

Pencils / pens

Crayons / markers

Music player / music

Volunteers

Scripture reader: _____________________

Snacks: _____________________

Growing Up Catholic • First Reconciliation • Session 1Version 2 © 2014. The Pastoral Center. All rights reserved. GrowingUpCatholic.com Catechist

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Sacramental Formation That Lasts a Lifetime!c o a c h i n g p a r e n t s t o f o r m t h e i r o w n c h i l d r e n

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TimelineFill in target times for each section so you can stay on track.

Time Page Title Steps

1 God Chooses ME • Greeting & welcome• Questions & comments• Review focus page

2 Prayer Celebration • Gospel: Matthew 4:18-20 (The Call of the First Disciples)

• Writing and stating names• Homily

3 Your Baptism Day • Children learn about their baptism, filling in the boxes.

4 Meeting Jesus in the Bible • Mark 10:13-16 (Jesus Meets and Loves the Children)

• Find reading in the Bible.• Read the version on the handout.• Ask children to tell in their own words.• Discuss.

5 Color This Picture • Coloring (Jesus & Children)• Refreshments / bathroom break.• Parent/child bonding time.

6 Write a Letter to Jesus • Children write to Jesus to thank him, say how much they want to be his friend, and to promise to show love.

7 Sacrament of Reconciliation • Learn about the Reconciliation Room and how the priest will welcome them.

8 At Home This Week • Make commitments for the coming week.• Focus is on family and learning prayers.• Encourage parents to visit the Growing Up

Catholic website.• Answer any questions from the session.

Closing Prayer / Announcements





Catechist Lesson PlansCatechist Lesson Plans Child Page 1Child Page 1

Child Page 2Child Page 2

The purpose of this lesson is to help the youngsters and their parents see that growing in faith is a lifelong process, which begins at Baptism.

We re-visit baptism in order to connect First Eucharist to it down the line – Eucharist is the completion of the Christian initiation process. But first, there is the step of celebrating Reconciliation for the first time.

There may be some awkward moments in the room as parents get started in this process. Many have not talked with their childrenabout faith in the past. Be aware of anyparents who may be struggling.

The parents are advised here to help their child memorize the Apostles’ Creed, if they don’t already know it. You may want to havecopies on hand from the website.

It works well to have sacred or instrumental music playing softly in the background. When the buzz dies down from the sharing on the first page, turn off that music and prepare for the Prayer Celebration. Gather everyone around the altar, pulling chairs into a loose circle without moving the tables. See the homily notes on the next page.

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Prayer Celebration HomilyTo be presented by the prayer leader

Session 1: A Prayer to Re-Celebrate our Baptism

Matthew 4:18-20

After the reading, speak to the group using these or similar words.

Invite each child in the room to write his or her name, and that of his or her parents or guardians, on a specialpiece of paper. Then, working in small groups if your total is large, or in a single group if not, invite each child to tell his or her name and that of their parents orguardians.

Continue with a brief reflection.

Just like Jesus called Peter and Andrew to be his friends and follow him with their lives, now he is calling us to learn about forgiveness and how to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament is also called “confession” or “penance.” The important thing is that we know that to follow Jesus means we are willing to learn how to love Jesus more.

At baptism, we were given grace. Grace helps us love God and love our parents and friends, and all the people of the world. But sometimes we do things that aren’t very loving. Still, God wants us to be near him and calls us back through this sacrament.

He is calling you by your own name, each of you here. God has already forgiven you, but we all need to celebrate that in the Church – whichis why we have this sacrament.





If the parents aren’t sure about the details of their child’s baptism, they should estimate the date.

When this page is complete, demonstrate the Sign of the Cross and have everyone stand and follow you. Remind everyone we use the Sign of the Cross before and after prayers.

Parents are encouraged to have Holy Water at home in their coaching. You may wish to have small jars ready for them.

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Father

Spirit

Once the parents have introduced the Bible to their children, you may wish to read this passage aloud before turning it back over to the parents for their part of the lesson.

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Son




We really do want to make coloring time a break for the kids and their parents. You might want to provide some refreshments here. Keep these simple, however, as we don’t have a very long break. If someone needs the rest room, this would be a good time.

Have soft music playing in the background.

We have made some suggestions to parents in their coaching notes about what to say in this letter. It’s important to let the parents and children work through this. We want them to know they can have a personal conversation with Jesus, like you would with a friend.

Catechist Lesson PlansCatechist Lesson Plans

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When this is complete, you might ask the children to report how it felt to write to Jesus. You could do this in the large group setting. You may ask several children to read their letters aloud. Tell them that when we talk to Jesus, it's called prayer.

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Child Page 7Child Page 7Catechist Lesson PlansCatechist Lesson Plans

If at all possible, arrange to tour the parish reconciliation room during this period. It will greatly reduce the children's anxiety to see it ahead of time. If it isn't possible, encourage the families to do it on their own. Make sure they know where the room is located.

Another option for you, but a more complicated one, is to have photos of the Reconciliation Room and use a projector to show them to everyone.

Notice how we urge parents to assure their children that it’s OK to go into this room with the priest and that they will be waiting outside.

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22As catechist, you should to say something here about “the seal of the confessional.” This means that the Priest is bound by Canon Law to keep everything he hears absolutely in secret. (Avoid the question of what he would do if someone confessed an impending crime. That becomes a game.) Assure them that the children need not keep it a secret—they can tell a parent or trusted adult if they want to, but they don't have to.

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End with this closing prayer:

Dear Jesus, we know you are with us here. You are present in this room.

We love you and want to love you more.Help us be more loving this week.

Thank you for giving us faith.Increase our faith every day.

Now let us pray together: 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.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


Review the homework with everyone before the end of the session. This is an activity for the coming week. We want everyone to do this. We are trying to help the children understand what it means to “belong” to the parish. It means being part of a family.

Part of the homework is memorization. You might want to emphasize that when helping someone memorize, it helps to take it one line at a time.

Encourage parents to go to GrowingUpCatholic.com/reconciliation1to find much more to help them.


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We really want to encourage that these prayers are not the only ones the children learn, but also that they learn to speak with Jesus as a friend in their own words, as they did in the letter they wrote. Suggest that the parents remind their children of this. It is often a relief for kids (and parents!) to know that they can pray and talk to Jesus even if they don't have something memorized.

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