First Eucharist Parent Meeting
First Eucharist Information:
Your child’s First Communion is a very important moment in their lives
You are your child’s first teacher
Think about your faith journey - what the Eucharist means to you
Think about how you will be able to help your child learn and celebrate First Eucharist
Call upon Our Father to help you walk this journey with your child
We want this to be a very meaningful part of their lives
Our Father, who art in heaven, …
Baptism Certificates:
We need a copy of your child’s Baptism certificate. Even if your child was baptized at St. William, you still need to you provide a copy. You must request a copy from the office; we can not request it. Only a parent may request a copy. If you cannot find or do not have your child’s Baptism certificate you must contact your child’s Baptism church and ask them to please send you a copy.
We must copy your child’s name from the Baptism certificate, because it is official church record and we will be notifying the Baptismal church when your child receives First Eucharist. We have to keep good records for the diocese so please help us out. If we do not have the certificate for the next meeting on February 19th or 23rd , we will put your child’s name on a list and bug you until you turn it in.
Please do not send the baptism certificate with your child to class. Bring it to the office yourself and a copy can be made for you for you at that time. We do not want it to get lost. Do not send any of the papers with your child to turn in. Please bring them to the office to be put into the Elem. R.E. box.
Sacristy Record (Blue Form):
If you have turned in your child’s baptism certificate, you may fill this out and give it to us and we will attach your child’s baptism certificate to it. If you have not turned in your child’s baptism certificate, keep the blue sheet as a reminder, fill it out and turn it in with the baptism certificate copy.
First Eucharist Book:
Format and expectations for this book are the same as the Reconciliation book your child did last fall. Your child’s name is on the front cover; please make sure it stays there as we will need to know whose book it is when they turn the books in.
There are six easy chapters with places in each chapter the child needs to fill out as the child goes through the book: fill in the blanks, color activity, etc. (i.e. page 28 has a coloring area). There are chapter review worksheets starting on page 59. After each chapter the child will need to do the worksheet at the back. Please leave the worksheets in the book; do not tear the worksheets out of the book. There are Arts and Crafts projects at the end of the book. These are for your child to do and leave at home. We do not need the Art and Crafts section back. Keep the rest of the book together because the chapter questions and chapter reviews will be checked Yvonne, Mercedes or Joan.
The books are due back the week of February 25, 2008 when your child comes to class. Write this date on the inside cover so you will remember to get the book done on time. Work on this book with your child; help your child to understand. This is not something to do in a hurry. Do not make your child work on it alone. Do not rush through it just to get the book done or wait until the night before it is due. Start to work on it now so your child will absorb the information. Also, if the book is not filled out completely, it will be handed back to the child at the time he/she hands it in, to be finished and turned in again the next week.
Important Dates (Salmon Sheet):
Parent/Child Retreat – February 19, 2008 at 7:00 pm or February 23, 2008 at 10:00am in the PAC
Set aside the date February 19, 2008 or February 23, 2008 to come to the next meeting. This meeting is for both child and parent(s) and will be in the PAC. There will be a Bread and Wine Ceremony, a renewal of Baptismal vows, Profession of Faith and a Vine & Branches talk by one of our deacons.
Interviews – March 31 or April 2, 2008
Elementary Religious Education will end class the first week of March, before Spring Break and Holy Week, but second graders will come back for interviews the week after Easter: Monday March 31 at 4:00 or 6:30 or Wednesday, April 2 at 4:00 or 6:30. Come to any one of those 4 different times, first come, first serve. The process starts in the Ave Maria room, the child will be given a number, and when his/her number comes up you and your child will go together to the interview room. You cannot help your child during the interview, but are there to observe your child.
At the interview the child will be quizzed on the 7 prayers from the prayer sheet that your child brought home from class at the beginning of the year. You should be working on these prayers at home. The teachers are quizzing the children but you need to work on them also at home. The prayers must be memorized; we know they are several versions of some of the prayers.
Also, there are 6 questions on Page 58, called ‘Summary: I will Remember’. Your child must understand and answer the 6 questions from this page at the interview. We don’t expect the child to tell us the answers word for word, but if they do it is OK. They can give us an answer in their own words so we know that they understand the question. These interviews are not cut and dry; if they miss one word they are not ‘out’. The interviewers will ask the questions in another way to try to see if the child understands the concept the question was asking. If your child really cannot answer the questions or say the prayers, he/she will be asked to study more and come back and try again. We do want to have the interview process done by time of the retreat/rehearsal on April 26, 2008.
Retreat/Rehearsal – April 26, 2008 at 11:00 am - Church
The retreat/rehearsal is on Saturday April 26, 2008 at 11:00 am in the church. It takes about 2 hours to do this rehearsal. This will be the rehearsal for the group celebration on May 3 at 11:30am. Put it on your calendar when you get home. The Large Group Mass is all about the kids, they will receive up on the altar one by one, and students will do the readings and take part in the Mass.
If you are not celebrating with the big group on May 3, 2008, please attend the first 45 minutes of this retreat as we have a reflection and video about the Eucharist to show the children.
We will need volunteers at the retreat/rehearsal, so if you can help us we will be asking for volunteers at the parent/child meeting in February.
Other Options:
Not every family can celebrate at the big group, so we have other options:
If you have an older child in sacrament preparation class, they will be celebrating May 17, 2008 at 11:30 am. If you would like the children to celebrate together, we request that you move your 2nd grader up to that celebration.
If you would like your child to celebrate in the large Spanish Group Mass, it will be May 10, 2008 at 11:30 am.
Please realize that there are 3 different large group Masses and each has a different rehearsal. If you choose the large Sacrament Preparation or Spanish Mass you will have to get together with that coordinator to find out when the rehearsal is.
If you prefer a regular Sunday Mass, you may celebrate the weekend of May 3 & 4, 2008. If you choose a regular Sunday Mass you will have to come early and let the ushers know and Debbie George know that you are here to celebrate 1st Communion. You will be able to sit in one of the front rows so that your child will receive first from the priest. Please be early so that you may be seated in the front. There is no special recognition; your child will be first in line to receive from the priest, but no other special acknowledgment. Debbie will have your certificate with that date on it to give you after the Mass.
We realize that some may have family coming for Confirmation, or Mother’s Day, etc. and you would like to celebrate at one of these Sunday Masses. Let us know so that we can let Debbie know and get the certificate ready. Again you will need to follow the instructions for Regular Sunday Mass.
Mass Selection Form (White Form):
If you know which Mass you would like to attend, fill the form out now. (See options above)
The name that you put on the form will be the name we use on the program and certificate-PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY.
First Eucharist Policy Letter (Pink Sheet):
Attendance:
Attendance has been good for the second grade classes; keep up the good work. If your child is sick, make it your responsibility to make up the lesson. You can come by the office to get the lesson. Remember, you the parents, are the first teachers. Teaching our faith is not just the responsibility of the volunteer teacher who has your child for one hour each week
You need to be bringing your child to Mass; they need to know how to behave at Mass, how to respond to prayers, sing, and proper actions. Modeling proper Church behavior is very important, too, so that they will learn how to act when they sit with the other children for the celebration.
Photos:
During the First Eucharist Mass, Fr. Joel requests that there be no picture taking - video or still pictures. Please inform your family and friends not to take pictures or step into the aisle to take pictures as this is disruptive to the Mass. We have a professional photographer that will be taking a picture of each child receiving the Body of Christ. He and his associate are the only people with permission to photograph during the Mass. As a gift to you for keeping your cameras put away, you will receive 2 copies of your child receiving the Body of Christ and one copy of the group picture (4X6). These pictures will be ready to be picked up after Mother’s Day weekend.
We take a group picture after the Mass; last year was the first year we were able to do this and it was beautiful. We will rope off the area around the group after Mass, so that we can take the group picture. We ask for your assistance in not coming into the area until after the group pictures have been taken.
The photographer will also be offering individual studio-quality pictures to be taken before or after Mass. The photographer will be in the vesting sacristy about 2 hours before the Mass and stops 30 minutes before Mass. He will again be available after the group pictures. More info will come at the Parent & Child Meeting.
The priests will also be available for pictures in the church after the group picture.
Dress:
The dress is Sunday best. We do not require any certain dress for your child. We do, however, want it be modest and age-appropriate. Fr. Joel does not allow spaghetti straps; you may use a sweater or short jacket as a cover-up. Sleeveless dresses are fine. Just remember, this is a solemn celebration, not Project Runway or the Prom.
Your child will only be carrying a piece of wheat into Mass that we will give them before Mass begins. They will not be able to carry prayer books, rosaries, candles, etc. Girls will not be wearing gloves or carrying a purse. You may use the gloves, prayer book, rosary, etc. if you have individual pictures done before or after Mass.
Sponsors:
St. William does not have sponsors for First Eucharist. This is a family thing. If you chose a sponsor they will not be able to sit with the child during the Mass. There is not role for a sponsor during the Mass.
Scripture Reflections (Green Sheet) and Helping Your Family get the most out of Mass (Buff Sheet):
This is information to help you and your child prepare for Mass and the Eucharist. If you would like, use these to teach your child how to look up scriptures in the bible and reflect on the readings.
Additional Information:
First Eucharist Banners:
The students will make first Eucharist Banners to have for their room. These banners will be made in class. A picture of your child is needed to put on the banner. The teachers will request that you to send a picture (school or snapshot) from home for this project when the time comes.
Gift Shop:
We have Knight of Columbus Gift Shop in the narthex. They will have a display set up at the next meeting for you to shop at. If you have something that you may want, talk to them and they may be able to obtain it for you. We like to support the Knights because they donate profits back to our church.
Invited Guests:
There is no limit to the number people you may invite. We only ask that you be reasonable about the number of people you invite.
Receiving on the Tongue or in the Hand:
Your child may receive on the tongue if he/she desires. We will address this in class and at practice. We will help the child to do whichever he/she chooses, but the child needs to decide ahead of time and practice before the actual Mass so that they will not be confused during the ceremony.
They do not have to take the wine. That is for you and your child to decide. The children will be given several opportunities to taste the wine before the actual ceremony.
Reconciliation:
We will not be having group reconciliation before the First Eucharist Ceremony. You will need to see to it that your child receives reconciliation before then, so that he/she will be the state of grace when they receive Jesus for the first time. Check the bulletin for times.