Together in Jesus First Reconciliation Lesson 6 - "I Prepare for First Reconciliation" Family Lesson
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Welcome to your 6th and final lesson in the "Together in Jesus" Sacrament of First Reconciliation preparation program. This is an important lesson that should be done with your child as it outlines much of what will be happening on December 15th at your child's First Reconciliation. I have broken down each of the pages in this lesson and provided explanations and suggestions to assist you as you review this lesson with your child.
I Prepare for First Reconciliation: The Sacrament of Reconciliation can be celebrated as a community or individually. While we will gather together as a class community to share in a Prayer Service, your child will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation as an individual. They will be meeting with the priest, face to face, in the confessional and telling the priest their sins. As you read through this page with your child go over the pictures and discuss with them what you see. The first picture is an example of the prayer service that we will be having with Father Bill. The next two represent a "face to face" and a "screen" confession. Talk about your experience with confession and what you do when you enter the confessional. Help them to understand that anything they share in the confessional stays in the confessional. Father Bill under the "Seal of Confession" is forbidden from disclosing the sins of anyone who has confessed. Please reassure them that he is also there to help them with their confession. He realizes that this is their first time and that they might be nervous. He understands that and he is there to help and to ensure that their first experience with confession is positive one.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation Has Four Parts: As a parent, you can ensure your child's comfort by walking them through the four main parts of the sacrament of Reconciliation and helping them to understand what is happening during each step. This is a great time to refer to your child's "My First Confession Steps" card as well as the Parent Handbook and work with them to role play their confession. Refer to each of the pictures as you walk through the steps to help illustrate what is happening.  Step 1) In this step your child should be conducting their "Examination of Conscience". In this picture the child is remembering and feeling sorry for any unloving actions he has done and wants to tell the priest. Have your child look over the "Examination of Conscience" card they received in their packet to help them understand what the child is doing in this step.  Step 2) In this step your child will be meeting face to face with Father Bill in the confessional where they will confess their sins. They will share with Father  ways in which they may not have kept God's commandments or any unloving actions they may have performed.  Remind them that when they are telling their sins to the priest he is acting in the person of Christ and with the authority of Jesus to listen, offer guidance, provide a suitable penance, and speak the words of absolution. Step 3) In this step your child will receive a penance, usually a couple of prayers or an action they must perform. Penance is a way of making up for what they have done wrong or ways in which they may have harmed or hurt someone. In this step they will also be asked to pray the Act of Contrition which they can either do from memorization or reading from the "My First Confession Steps" card.  Step 4) In this last step, the priest will absolve your child of their sins. The priest will bless them "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen" Your child will bless themself when Father does this and say "Amen" at the end. Your child will then thank Father Bill and leave the confessional to return to their pew and perform their penance. If your child has been given an action they should complete that action as soon as possible when they return home. Don't forget when you are finished with this page your child should place the Cross sticker in the appropriate spot on the page.
A Reconciliation Prayer Service: The Prayer Service is designed to celebrate your child's preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It introduces them to each part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and is a culmination of what they have learned in the "Together in Jesus" program.   Page 1 is the welcome that will help place you and your child in a prayerful state for the rest of the prayer service.  On page 2 you are asked to choose a favorite Gospel reading. You might want to refer to the Parent Handbook, page 4, to see a list of readings that speaks to God's love and forgiveness. It is on this page where your child should be thinking about their Examination of Conscience as they prepare to confess their sins.  Page 3 focuses on your child's acceptance of penance. You might want to give your child an example of prayers or actions that might be given as a penance and then have them say the "Act of Contrition".  On page 4, "God Forgives Our Sins" your child can become familiar with the Rite of Reconciliation by reading aloud the words of the "Prayer of Absolution". When the priest says this prayer you are absolved or your sins.  The final prayer on this page is one of thankfulness that you can read with your child. It reminds them that we are grateful for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and for a chance to repair our relationship with God and others; and that we are thankful for God's forgiving love. Don't forget as you finish this page to place your stickers on pages 1 and 4.
Great job! By working together with your child on this lesson you are helping your child to understand God's compassionate love and Jesus' warm forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The "Together in Jesus" program focuses on Jesus' positive expectations of his followers and the special befriending of people who seek forgiveness and want to grow more loving. The season of Advent is a particularly good time for opening our hearts to respond anew to God's love and Jesus' challenge to love one another as he has loved us. And it is a special time for your child to receive the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.
I reviewed this lesson with my child and role played a confession with him/her. *
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