First Reconciliation Parent Meeting
Spanish Books - Bi-lingual books are available if you need one. Please see Mercedes Torres.
Your child's name is on the book, please leave name on the book. This book is for you to work on with your child at home. Do not just have your child work on it alone. As Fr. Joel said, "Parents are the first teachers". Be sure you spend time with your child to complete the book.
This is your child’s book-(s)he should write in it. Your child should write in, color in, do the worksheets; whenever there is a question in the chapter, it is to be answered.
Act of Contrition: is on page 27. The Act of Contrition is of utmost importance this fall. Your child needs to know the Act of Contrition before the Reconciliation Ceremony at the end of November. There are several versions of this prayer. You may teach your child another version, if you like. The priests accept any version. This prayer is one of the 7 prayers the 2nd graders will be tested on at the interview next spring. If you need another prayer sheet, please ask your child’s teacher. These prayers need to be learned at home. The teachers will be quizzing the
students in class.
The Act of Contrition on page 27 is broken down into 3 separate parts to make it easier for your child to learn. It is one of the longest prayer we ask the child to learn, so please help your child to learn it.
Chapter Worksheets: begin on Page 57. Your child is to read the chapter, then answer the questions on these worksheets. If your child is having trouble remembering what they learned, turn back to that chapter and review
the chapter to answer the questions.
After the worksheets is the Arts & Crafts section of the book with some punch-outs. Your child can pop those out, make the items, and keep them at home.
Please leave the rest of the book in tact, DO NOT tear out the worksheets.
Books due: The book should be turned in the week of November 5, 2007 during your child's class time. Please have your child give it to the teacher. We will collect them, look at them, put a sticker on the book, write comments, correct the answers, and return the book back to the child the week of November 12. If the book is not complete, it will be returned to the student to be finished and turned back in to be reviewed again.
Also, the week of November 12 during class time we will talk to the children about the Reconciliation Ceremony. The children will be shown a video about Reconciliation.
The Ceremony: will be Monday, November 26 or Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at 7:00 pm, as stated on the blue letter that you received. For those that come to class on Mondays we asked that you come to the celebration on Monday; for those children that come on Wednesday or Thursday, we ask that you come to the Wednesday night ceremony. We know there may be a scheduling conflict, so if you need to change nights, it is OK. However, realize that the certificates will be made a week or so in advance so Fr. Joel can sign them. If you plan not to come on your designated night and if we have enough notice, we will try to change the date on the certificate. We will try for the correct date but it really does not matter what the exact date is as long as the month and year is correct (November 2007). Please look at your calendar and try to plan ahead.
Your child will bring home an invitation two weeks (as we do not meet Thanksgiving week) before to invite the family and others to the ceremony. This is a family celebration. We realize that their may be a sibling that attends the another class on the night of the ceremony, if your other child(ren) would like they may skip class that week to attend the service as family. If not, please be aware of the time, as at 7:30 you will need to pick up your child from the regular classes and then return to the ceremony if your child has not finished.
The ceremony begins at 7:00 pm in the church. Please have your child in the narthex to meet their teachers at 6:45 pm as they will sit together in the church as a class. The children come into the church and will sit in the front rows. We will have a gospel reading, song and some words from Fr. Joel. He will then introduce the visiting priests. We will hopefully have 5, 6, or 7 priests to help with reconciliation. We only have 2 reconciliation rooms so we will have other private areas for the children. No one will be able to hear the children. They will be able to do face to face or behind a type of screen. The priest will give each child a cross and a candle when they finish their confession and receive absolution. They will come up to the altar to place their candle and say their penance.
They will be given their certificate and then will be free to go. There is no formal closing, as we do not ask everyone to stay until the last child has received the sacrament. Depending on the children and number of priests we have, we usually finish by 8:30 pm.
You may take pictures, especially the candle part or kneeling by the altar, but remember your child is not the only one celebrating that evening. Please be considerate of the other children and parents.
Classes the week of November 26, 2007: There will be no 2nd grade classes that week. Other classes – K, 1, 3, 4, & 5 will be held as usual