Page 11 - First Reconciliation

I Prepare for the
Sacrament of
Reconciliation
First Reconciliation 1, page 4, 15 minutes
Objective
The children will preview their First Reconciliation preparation.
1. Explain that Jesus wanted his followers to forgive and make up when they treated each other in unloving ways. He taught us that forgiving is so important that he gives us a way to celebrate God’s forgiveness and love. This celebration is called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Read the sentences on the page while the children follow along.
2. Have the children look closely at the photo. Explain that the child is talking with the parish priest. This is a part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We recommend taking photos of First Reconciliation children and their parents and displaying the photos with names for all the people of the parish to see.
3. Have the children find the two other names for the Sacrament of Reconciliation on this page. Write these names on a chalkboard or newsprint. Explain each. We give this sacrament the name Reconciliation because it brings people together again. We give the sacrament the name Confession because we tell a priest our sins, the unloving actions that we do and want to change. We give the sacrament the name Penance because the priest gives us a prayer to pray or a loving action to make up for our unloving actions.
a. Have the children color the border around the prayer if time allows.
1. Have the children gather in the prayer area to celebrate the first prayer ritual.
b. Direct the children to put the prayer up in their rooms, pray it every day, and that way learn it by heart.
a. Assign children the parts—Readers 1, 2, 3, 4. Explain that everyone will pray the parts marked “All.”
I Can Love
4. Have the children take home a copy of the Act of Contrition (page 47). Discuss what the word contrition means.
10 minutes
c. Celebrate “I Can Love.”
2. Have the children take home their
Prayer Ritual 1
b. Lead the prayer service yourself so children learn the routine. Each ritual begins the same way.
Objective
The children will celebrate the “I Can Love” Prayer Ritual.
lessons. Encourage them to tell their parents about the lesson and to use the prayer ritual at home.
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I Prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Bible tells us a story about the first man and woman.
God commands the man and the woman not to eat from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil.
But they disobey God. We call this Original Sin.
This story of the first man and woman tells us about ourselves. We are born with Original Sin, which separates us from God.
We are purified from Original Sin when we receive the Sacrament of Baptism. But, even after Baptism, we are still free.
We can obey, and we can disobey.
We can help others. We can hurt and harm
others.
We have to learn what is good and what is evil.
Jesus teaches us to love God
and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Sometimes we fail. We sin. We do mean, unloving actions.
Our Church has a sacrament for asking and receiving forgiveness. This is the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
This Sacrament also has the names Penance and Confession.
We tell a priest we are sorry for our unloving actions.
God forgives our unloving actions when we are sorry.
God’s love for us is a gift
to help us grow holy as he is.
Our Church calls this gift sanctifying grace.