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Guidelines
for Reception of Sacraments So
that parents fully understand the seriousness, holiness, and
importance of properly preparing children for the reception of the
sacraments, the following Diocesan guidelines are provided.
These guidelines are offered to help light a fire of enthusiasm in
your children and to rekindle within parents your own commitment to
Jesus and His Church. We
ask parents to observe, fulfill, and assist your children in
accomplishing these guidelines by your example and direction. Parents
are the primary educator of their children in the faith. It is
only through the cooperation of parents and the Religious Education
Office that we can make this a truly rewarding spiritual
experience for you and your child. The Parish staff of the
Church of Saint Joseph stands ready to assist you in any way we can. NOTE:
Parish children who attend catholic or private schools will receive
their sacraments at St. Joseph’s during the same celebrations as
all other parish children. The Director will work with school
administrations to assure that all communication and events are
passed along to the parents and students. The
Sacrament of Penance celebrates the reality of our ongoing
conversion and our fundamental reconciliation with God. From
earliest times this sacrament has offered a means of reconciliation
for those who, after baptism, have sinned so seriously as to
alienate themselves from God and the community of disciples. The
Sacrament of Penance has also been an opportunity for ongoing
repentance and the conversion for many who have never experienced
such serious alienation. Pastoral
practice should offer an appreciation of the free gift by which we
have been reconciled with God and should encourage an attitude of
ongoing conversion and repentance. This attitude is expressed in
acts of reconciliation with those around us. Believers must be
challenged to respond more deeply to Jesus’ great command of love.
They must examine their lives regularly and become more aware of the
ways in which they may bring harm to themselves or to the rights and
dignity of others. It
is the responsibility of the Church community to assist and
encourage all her members to live and celebrate the gift of
reconciliation. Families with children preparing for the Sacrament
of Penance need the wisdom, support and resources of the Church as
they help to develop sensitive consciences in their children.
Parents/guardians should be involved in the preparation of children
for this sacrament. The Church community also shares in this
responsibility with these families by welcoming their children to
the sacrament. Catechesis
for children must always respect the natural disposition, ability,
age, and circumstances of individuals. It seeks, first, to make
clear the relationship of the sacrament to the child’s life;
second, to help the child recognize moral good and evil, repent of
wrongdoing, and turn for forgiveness to Christ and the Church;
third, to encourage the child to see that, in this sacrament, faith
is expressed by being forgiven and forgiving; fourth, to encourage
the child to approach the sacrament freely and regularly. “Catechesis
for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to precede First Communion
and must be kept distinct by a clear and unhurried separation. This
is to be done so that the specific identity of each sacrament is
apparent and so that, before receiving First Communion, the child
will be familiar with the revised Rite of Reconciliation and will be
at ease with the reception of the sacrament. The Sacrament of
Reconciliation normally should be celebrated prior to reception of
First Communion.” (National Catechetical Directory #126). POLICY
#1 The
catechesis and reception of the Sacrament of Penance is separate
from the catechesis and reception of the Sacrament of Eucharist. POLICY
#2 The
catechesis for children preparing for the Sacrament of Penance takes
place where the child receives their formal religious education,
i.e. Parish Religious Education Program or the Catholic or Private
School.
POLICY
#3 The
parish is responsible for ongoing opportunities for faith
development of its members in the area of Penance.
POLICY
#4 The
parish will make every effort to provide a program of instruction
for older children and youth who have not received the Sacrament of
Penance. Children of families who have returned to the Church need
to have special classes to prepare them for the Sacrament of
Penance as part of their re-entry to the parish community.
The
pastor has primary responsibility for sacramental preparation as
well as the celebration of the sacraments. He fulfills his role in
the penance preparation program by:
Parents
are the first and foremost catechists of their children. They
catechize informally but powerfully by example and
instruction. NCD #212 Parents/Guardians
are encouraged to become involved with their child’s preparation
for Penance by:
Role
of the Family The
family’s catechetical activity has a special character, which is
irreplaceable. This catechesis is more incisive when, in the course
of family events … care is taken to explain in the home the
Christian or religious content of these
events. CT #68
Role
of the Director Two
basic roles seem to be emerging, together with variations of them.
In one, the individual is responsible for overall direction of the
parish catechetical programs … The other role involves
responsibility for administration of a parish’s catechetical
program on a particular level or for particular group … Both roles
are generally designated by the titles of Director, Minister, or
Coordinator of Religious Education. NCD #214 In
order that penitents may be fully prepared to celebrate the
Sacrament of Penance for the first time, it is suggested:
The
Church is above all a Eucharistic Community. The Eucharist
expresses and brings about our unity with Christ and one
another. St. Paul writes, “Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, many though we are, are one body, for we all partake of one loaf”
(1 Cor.10:17)… The Sunday Eucharist is a special expression of the
Church’s faith in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. It is here
that Jesus Christ prays with his people, who become with him a
people of worship, adoring the Father in spirit and in truth. The
purpose of liturgy is above all the worship of God. The Risen
Lord as ever living High Priest is the celebrant of the Eucharist
and of the sacraments in his Body the Church. Christian
and parish life rely above all upon the Eucharist that celebrates
and brings about the unity of the Christian community – unity with
God and with one another. In the Mass, the sacrifice of the Cross is
perpetuated down through the centuries until Christ comes
again. The parish community has no greater task or privilege
than to gather like Christ’s first disciples for the “breaking
of the bread.” It also has the task of reaching out to others so
that they too may know and follow Christ. Policy
#1: It
is the responsibility of the pastor and his collaborators in the
parish community to prepare its members for the sacraments of
initiation and celebrate their reception. Catechists, trained in the
teaching of the Church, may be designated by the Pastor to assist in
the spiritual and intellectual formation of the children. First
Communion is a sacrament of initiation as is Confirmation. An
integral component of the initiation into the full sacramental life
is the conversion that is provided through the sacrament of
Reconciliation.
Policy
#2: Regular
parental involvement is required in the catechetical preparation of
children for the first reception of Eucharist.
Policy
#3: Catechists
must be baptized and confirmed Catholics who actively practice their
faith, especially through the frequent reception of the Eucharist.
Policy
#4: Candidates
preparing for the Sacrament of Eucharist enter into a program of
special preparation that includes instructional elements and
formational elements:
Policy
#5: Catechesis
for the reception of the sacrament of Eucharist is conducted
separately from the catechesis for the first reception of the
sacrament of Penance. Role
of the Family Parents
have a right and duty to be intimately involved in preparing their
children for First Communion. Catechesis aims to help parents grow
in understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist and participate
readily in catechizing their children. (NCD#12) The
family’s catechetical activity has a special character, which is
in a sense irreplaceable. This catechesis is more incisive when, in
the course of family events … care is taken to explain in the home
the Christian or religious content of these events. (Catechesis
Tradendae #68). The
family has an important role to assume during the preparation period
for the first reception of the sacrament of Eucharist. It is
suggested that parents strive to:
It
is suggested that families strive to:
…
the support of the larger community becomes highly important to
education in faith, and its absence a more serious matter. Children
accustomed to seeing others give witness to their faith are more
likely to be ready for a fuller, more systematic presentation of
concepts, forms of liturgical expression and religious
practices. (NCD #178) The
role of the child is dependent upon the parents’ and parish
community’s acceptance of their responsibilities regarding
preparation for the first reception of Eucharist. When this is so,
we expect:
Because
by its very nature the Eucharist expresses the unity of the faithful
to Jesus Christ and with each other, the celebration of the first
reception of he Eucharist should evidence a clear link between the
celebration itself and the regular worship life of the parish
community. Thus, the parish is to be involved in this celebration,
for it marks the (further) initiation of individuals into God’s
family. In
order to foster the understanding of the first reception of the
Eucharist as a sacrament of initiation, it is recommended that the
celebration
It
is vitally important that between those who are to receive, no
distinction be made for those children who attend a parochial
school, for ethnicity, for sex. Every effort should be made to
provide an all-inclusive liturgy. To do otherwise is to reverse the
unifying dimension of the holy Eucharist. The
liturgy “should tell by its very action and word that the
Eucharist is not child’s play but the gathering of the whole
people of God, adults as well as children, at their Lord’s
sacrificial supper… The celebration should be one of simplicity,
and as close to a regular Sunday liturgy as possible. Gimmicks
should be avoided, as should anything that might be seen as putting
first communicants on display. Those
receiving for the first time are to be dressed in attire that is
appropriate to the dignity and simplicity of the Eucharistic
assembly. Care should be taken to emphasize the sacrament and not
the externals of the celebration. The
use of personal photographic/ video equipment should be carefully
handled so as not to distract from the ceremony. In
the event that parishes distribute Communion under both species,
care should be taken to familiarize the children with the taste of
wine prior to the celebration, and to ensure their understanding of
the difference between ordinary wine and that, which becomes the
Blood of Christ. The sacrament of Confirmation is an integral part of the Rite of Christian Initiation. Reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. Jesus promised to send his Spirit upon his followers to assist them in their mission to bring the message of salvation to all people (Mt 28:20). This promise was fulfilled on Pentecost. The imposition of hands and the signing with chrism are recognized in the Catholic tradition as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation (CCC #1288) Confirmation
is a “special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted the
apostles on the day of Pentecost” (CCC #1302). With this
understanding the Church teaches that Confirmation:
Roles
and Responsibilities Diocese:
Given that God’s grace is given freely, it is incumbent on
God’s people to prepare themselves to the best of their ability to
be open to the graces and blessings of the sacraments. The Bishop is
charged with the faith formation of the souls within his
jurisdiction and it is to that end that the diocese formulates
guidelines that reflect the bishop’s mandates in preparing people
to receive sacraments.
Pastor: The pastor ensures that adequate preparation is
provided for the Confirmation candidates, their parents, sponsors,
catechists, and the entire community.
Director of Religious Education (DRE): The
responsibilities of the DRE include:
Candidates: Candidates for the Sacrament of Confirmation must be
baptized and give sufficient evidence of readiness. Their role
involves:
Parents:
By Baptism, parents are commissioned to form and gradually develop a
spirit of faith in the children and, with catechetical institutions,
prepare them “for the fruitful reception of the sacraments of
Confirmation and Eucharist. This responsibility is also shown by
their active participation in the celebration of the sacraments”
Parents are rightfully involved in their child’s Confirmation
preparation by:
Sponsors:
The sponsor is a person who is willing to be a spiritual friend,
witness and guide to the candidate on his/ her faith journey. The
sponsor should know the candidate and be able to share faith with
them. The selection of a sponsor should be indicated at the
beginning of the candidate’s immediate preparation for
Confirmation. The sponsor:
Catechetical
Process Candidates
must have consistent opportunities for ongoing faith development
from the time of Baptism to the reception of Confirmation. Beginning
at the time of their Baptism through their Confirmation, candidates
must be included in the youth and adult formation programs offered
by the parish.
First
Year Preparation
Second
Year Preparation
Retreat The
parish plans retreat days during the 2-year preparation. These
experiences are scheduled for Catholic school and Religious
Education classes at a time convenient for both groups. These days
may take place within the parish or at a place outside the parish
where the group is directed in activities, prayer and liturgy. Confirmation
Names Naming
is a part of the sacrament of Baptism. When the sacraments
were separated, it became the custom to take another name at the
time of Confirmation.
Service Service
is an important component in the preparation of the candidate for
life of Christian service. We are called to a life of service in
imitation of Jesus. Our call to service is actually an outgrowth of
our baptism. |
Role
of the Pastor 
Role
of Parents
Role
of the Child
Liturgical
Guidelines