First Penance/First Eucharist Preparation Program

[mrs_katekista]

This question was probably asked before but I just couldn’t find it in the forums. So, I decided to just ask. I help prepare children in my parish for their First Penance and First Communion. They are usually in third grade.

If you are a catechist, please share your feedback and experience about the programs/ you have used in your Parish Religios Ed for First Penance and First holy Communion.

These are the things I’d like to know:
Name of the program you have used.
Reason/s why you like/do not like it.
Would you use it again? If not, what program are you looking into?
Did you have to supplement it with something else or was it the only source you used for the class?

Feel free to add anything more about your experience with the program that might help!

Thank you very much in advance!!!

 

[His_helpmeet]

This question was probably asked before but I just couldn’t find it in the forums. So, I decided to just ask. I help prepare children in my parish for their First Penance and First Communion. They are usually in third grade.

If you are a catechist, please share your feedback and experience about the programs/ you have used in your Parish Religios Ed for First Penance and First holy Communion.

These are the things I’d like to know:
Name of the program you have used.
Reason/s why you like/do not like it.
Would you use it again? If not, what program are you looking into?
Did you have to supplement it with something else or was it the only source you used for the class?

Feel free to add anything more about your experience with the program that might help!

Thank you very much in advance!!!

When preparing my DSD for First Reconciliation/First Eucharist, I used the same program that had been used to prepare me when I was her age - “Living Reconciliation” and “Living the Eucharist”. “Living Reconciliation” leads children through a number of different themes, such as the Law of Love, what happens when we don’t listen to Jesus, how to make up for our offenses, and the sacrament itself. It uses cartoon stories of situations that could be experienced by children themselves so that they can understand how Confession relates to them. During the discussion of the actual sacrament, the authors compare going to Confession with Jesus meeting with Zaccheus. “Living the Eucharist” leads the children through an understanding of the Mass. They learn, for example, that the Liturgy of the Word could be compared to grandparents telling their grandchildren about their family story. The Bible is OUR story. They learn about the significance of bread and why we use bread and wine in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Finally, they learn how we ought to let the Eucharist transform our lives.

I supplemented this with the “Faith and Life Series: Book 2 - Jesus Our Life”. I’m using he “Faith and Life Series” for DSD’s catchesis right now and have been since she was in Grade 2. “Jesus Our Life” provides instruction about the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, because this is the age at which children commonly experience these sacraments.

 

[1ke]

Faith and Life by Ignatius Press. It needs no supplementing.

 

[mrs_katekista]

Thanks His_helpmeet and 1ke for your (name removed by moderator)uts. I do love Faith and Life series, too and have been using it for years with my own children, at home.

I forgot to include that these children attend a sacramental preparation class which includes 12 sessions (1hr per session) in addition to their regular catechism class.

I have been contemplating about using just those chapters in F&L2 specified for sacramental preparations for this class. Maybe read the chapter text aloud to them and provide the Q&A as (part of) handout? Perhaps have the parents read the related Bible stories to them at home? What do you think?

Thanks again!