FIRST EUCHARIST
 There will be a meeting for parents of children  who will be making their First Eucharist, on  Sunday, October 7th in the church from 9:45  a.m. to 10:30 a.m. All parents who intend for their kids to receive First Communion this Spring should attend.

 Our first class for Eucharist is March 17,  2013, and the children will receive Eucharist for  the first time at the regular masses on May 4 and  5, 2013. See the Religious Formation schedule for more dates to keep in mind.

 FIRST RECONCILIATION
 The Sacrament of Reconciliation (you may remember  it referred to as “Penance” or  “Confession”) is an important, and often overlooked,  treasure in the Catholic Church. Preparation  for this Sacrament is a great “teachable moment”  for parents to talk with their kids about their values and, more importantly, the overwhelming forgiveness of our Loving God.  We will begin preparing kids for their First Sacrament of Reconciliation in October. We feel children understand this sacrament best in fourth grade or older. However, if a parent would prefer their child to receive Reconciliation before First Communion, I would be happy to help prepare those kids as young as Second Grade. Our experience,  however, is that children’s moral development  is better equipped to understand the importance  of this Sacrament at a later age, and that is why we wait until Fourth Grade with most of the  children.  Reconciliation Classes begin for children and their parents with a retreat on Sunday, October 14, 2012 from 1:00 p.m.—4:00 pm in the Church.  See the Religious Formation schedule for times and dates of the rest of the classes. As always, parents and children should attend all classes together. The children will celebrate their First Reconciliation on Wednesday, November 14, 2012,  at 6:00 pm in the church.