I have called you by your name. You are mine.

Year 3 is a very special year in our school community because the children prepare to be called by God to share the Last Supper and make their First Holy Communion. It is a time of great celebration and reflection where we help them through discussion, story and role play to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus. Throughout the programme the children will be asked to attend a weekend mass convenient for each family. There will be certain masses such as the initial celebration mass when we would like you and your child to attend a particular service. Most importantly we look forward to taking this journey with each family.

The programme begins with both parents and children making a commitment and attending sessions which explore Jesus’ teachings about sin and forgiveness and how they apply this in our own lives, leading to the children making their First Reconciliation in church. This is such a beautiful experience for the children. Below you will find some of the comments that children have made before and after the sacrament.

During the pandemic

“To celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation is to be wrapped in a warm embrace.”   Pope Francis

Watching the children receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion is a very important time of the year for all of us at Our Lady Star of the Sea and being able to share time together in preparation only enhances this further. Unfortunately, due to these very unusual times that we find ourselves in, the children who should have celebrated their First Holy Communion in 2020 still have not managed to take this spiritual step on their faith journey, despite a number of attempts to arrange this. We know that the children are waiting patiently for their special day and we hope and pray that this will happen soon.

At this time of the year we would normally be beginning our preparation programme for the children in our current Year 3 class. This year the children will be preparing for these special sacraments within school time and when circumstances allow we will make every endeavour to ensure that they are able to celebrate these special sacraments with Jesus.

We place our trust in God and know that “with love and patience, nothing is impossible” (Daisaku Ikeda) 

“I have listened to everything that we have talked about and now I can’t wait to celebrate reconciliation and say “Sorry” to God.”
“I thought about what I wanted to say and I felt that the priest listened to me without judgement. Afterwards it was like a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders.”
“I felt so excited because I knew that I was going to be forgiven and that it would mean that would become more like Jesus. Afterwards I felt so happy that I was now like Jesus.”

Following on from the Sacrament of Reconciliation the children will explore the Mass and the Eucharist. The sessions help the children to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the steps that they are taking to become one with Jesus. The celebration of First Holy Communion takes place at Mass on Sunday morning with the parish community sharing this special time with the children and their families. In working with the children in preparation for these very special sacraments we hope that we can help them to understand their faith a little more and to grow in the love and trust of God and to carry on the work of God that Jesus came to tell us about. To quote one of the children

“”If everyone tried to be more like Jesus, the world would be a happier place..”