FIRST HOLY COMMUNION & THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Enrollment in the two-year First Holy Communion and Reconciliation preparation program opens when children reach the age of seven. Canon Law 914 states that “It is primarily the duty of parents and those who take the place of parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that children who have reached the use of reason are prepared properly and after they have made sacramental confession, are refreshed with this Divine Food as soon as possible…” That being said, our catechists offer classes that work in support of the domestic church to prepare children to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, after making a contrite First Reconciliation. Contact the Faith Formation Office (210) 341-1397 for more information or to register.
CONFIRMATION
Teens may enroll in the two-year Confirmation Preparation program at the beginning of their 9th-grade year. Year I introduces students to the concept of Grace, and why we need it. It continues by walking students through an introduction to the basics of the Catholic Faith and ignites in them a desire to initiate an authentic relationship with Christ. Year II goes into much more depth, including Church History, the efficaciousness of the Sacraments, the Blessed Trinity, the Person of Christ, and the Theology of the Body. Students are required to attend one Saturday retreat a year in order to complete the program. Parents and sponsors of Year II students are required to attend one Saturday Sacramental Preparation Seminar. Contact the Faith Formation Office (210) 341-1397 for more information or to register.
R.C.I.A. ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN
Much like the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, R.C.I.A. adapted for children, is a process designed specifically for those in 2nd grade or above who have not been Baptized, those who were Baptized into non-Catholic Christian faith communities, or those teens who are Baptized, but have not received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. This is a two-year process that prepares children and teens to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Holy Confirmation. Although the formalities of this process are conducted in regular sessions, parents and guardians play an essential role in this process. They are the means through which our Catholic Faith and Traditions are passed on from generation to generation.
Family Sacrament Preparation
Children over the age of 11 years [in the 6th grade or higher] who have been baptized can participate in our Family Sacrament Preparation. This is a two-year program in which adolescents and teens attend age-appropriate classes to be prepared to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. Contact the Faith Formation Office (210) 341-1397 for more information or to register.