1st Eucharist
Sacramental preparation. Children must have completed at least one year of Faith formation (grade 1 or above) and be enrolled in their 2nd year of faith formation (grade 2 or above) to enroll in preparation for 1st Reconciliation and 1st Eucharist.
1st Eucharist Program details:
Preparation for the Sacrament of 1st Eucharist is done outside the Faith Formation classroom through a partnership between parents and Catechists.
Through a series of workshops here at St. Mary’s and sessions completed at home by parents and children, the children are actively engaged in preparing for the Sacrament. Preparation usually takes place between February and May with the children receiving the Sacrament in late May.
See Preparation calendar for this year HERE
The steps of preparation are as follows:
Parent meeting – This meeting with the parents is held during regular faith formation class time. The focus is on prayer, sharing of faith and empowering the parents to work with the children at home on the Sacramental prep. Parents will receive the materials to work with their children at home on the 8 sessions in the 1st Eucharist book along with parent materials and lesson plans. Attendance is required.
8 1st Eucharist book sessions taught at home by parents. The children will turn in completed sessions and activity sheets. An alternate class in the preparation will be offered at St. Mary’s, if parents prefer to send their children to a class instead of home preparation. Completion of the 8 sessions is required to receive the Sacrament.
Workshop 1 for parents and children. The first workshop starts with prayer and ritual. The children and parents will spend the workshop touring the church and learning about the Mass and the objects used during Mass. Attendance is required.
Workshop 2 for parents and children. The second workshop is an interactive workshop for parents and children. The focus is on the immediate preparation for the Sacrament. Attendance is required.
Rehearsals. The week of the 1st Eucharist celebration is a mandatory rehearsal for children and parents.
Preparation for the Sacrament of 1st Eucharist is done outside the Faith Formation classroom through a partnership between parents and Catechists.
Through a series of workshops here at St. Mary’s and sessions completed at home by parents and children, the children are actively engaged in preparing for the Sacrament. Preparation usually takes place between February and May with the children receiving the Sacrament in late May.
See Preparation calendar for this year HERE
The steps of preparation are as follows:
Parent meeting – This meeting with the parents is held during regular faith formation class time. The focus is on prayer, sharing of faith and empowering the parents to work with the children at home on the Sacramental prep. Parents will receive the materials to work with their children at home on the 8 sessions in the 1st Eucharist book along with parent materials and lesson plans. Attendance is required.
8 1st Eucharist book sessions taught at home by parents. The children will turn in completed sessions and activity sheets. An alternate class in the preparation will be offered at St. Mary’s, if parents prefer to send their children to a class instead of home preparation. Completion of the 8 sessions is required to receive the Sacrament.
Workshop 1 for parents and children. The first workshop starts with prayer and ritual. The children and parents will spend the workshop touring the church and learning about the Mass and the objects used during Mass. Attendance is required.
Workshop 2 for parents and children. The second workshop is an interactive workshop for parents and children. The focus is on the immediate preparation for the Sacrament. Attendance is required.
Rehearsals. The week of the 1st Eucharist celebration is a mandatory rehearsal for children and parents.
1st Eucharist Materials

Catholic Parent Know How - As the primary catechists of our children, parents present their children for baptism and guide them toward Christ as they are initiated in the Church community. Passing on your faith to the next generation can feel like an awesome responsibility. CPKH is an eight page guide for parents to refresh your knowledge of the Sacrament and gives you practical tools to help teach your child about the Sacrament of Eucharist. Parents will receive this at the initial Eucharist Parent meeting and review it before they start at home preparations with their children.

Eucharist Together - Family Guide - "This is not your usual workbook, written just for a parent or just for a child. Instead, this is a family guide to be used TOGETHER - hence the name!
You'll find informational and inspirational stories at the beginning of each session for the grownup taking part in the preparation, whoever they might be.
Then the grownups and the children begin together. You read aloud. You ask questions of each other. You imagine and discuss. You learn together. You pray together.
Story time is a precious rite of childhood. It's a time of closeness, discovery, and sharing. This sacramental-preparation process mirrors that familiar activity, just as the sacraments themselves mirror the experiences of our family relationships and daily lives.
So curl up and get comfortable. Spread this book across your laps, read aloud, and learn together about how your faith is alive at home."
Parents will receive this at the initial parent meeting and will use it in conjunction with the Eucharist student book to complete the 8 at home sessions with the children.
You'll find informational and inspirational stories at the beginning of each session for the grownup taking part in the preparation, whoever they might be.
Then the grownups and the children begin together. You read aloud. You ask questions of each other. You imagine and discuss. You learn together. You pray together.
Story time is a precious rite of childhood. It's a time of closeness, discovery, and sharing. This sacramental-preparation process mirrors that familiar activity, just as the sacraments themselves mirror the experiences of our family relationships and daily lives.
So curl up and get comfortable. Spread this book across your laps, read aloud, and learn together about how your faith is alive at home."
Parents will receive this at the initial parent meeting and will use it in conjunction with the Eucharist student book to complete the 8 at home sessions with the children.

Eucharist Student Book - The student book is a beautifully written and illustrated guide to learning about the Sacrament of Eucharist. It is broken into 8 sessions each starts with questions about the child's life, drawing a relation between their life today and what is being taught in the session. It continues with a scripture story that presents the main theme of the session. The story uses engaging illustrations and stickers to help the children focus and understand the story. The session then continues with a teaching about preparing for the Eucharist and celebrating Mass. Each session ends with a short prayer reflection for the family. At the end of the book is a section titled "Living My Faith" which explains the Mass and the rituals of the Eucharist and our Catholic faith. There is also a section on prayer.

My Own Mass Booklet - The Mass booklet is an interactive missal for the children to use when the attend Mass. In story form, it contains all the prayers of the Mass, explaining what is happening in each part of the Mass. It has places for the children to color, draw, write and reflect on what is going on at the Sunday Liturgy. Parents will receive this book at the Parent meeting and are asked to have their child bring it each time they go to Mass. Having the book with help the children focus on the Mass and learn what is going on during the Mass.
Quick Educational Videos on Eucharist (for parents)
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Quick Videos on the Mass (for parents)
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