Recently, for a grant, I was asked to imagine the Sacraments of Initiation for Children in a Catechumenate Model. We were to imagine Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation, lived in our Church the way we experience OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, previously called RCIA).

The point was to challenge us to think of Sacrament as a not as a one moment event, but from the perspective of using a Catechumenal Formation Model: Preparation-Celebration-Mystagogy.

I found this an easy thing to do. While not using the language of the Catechumenate model we indeed have implemented it! Our parish does our best to involve preparing our children and parents creatively in their families and the parish, to make our celebrations occasions of great joy and beauty and do everything we can to continue unfolding of the significance of the Sacrament – in mystagogy, offering many experiences to lead to a deeper understanding of the mystery of faith and the meaning of the Sacrament celebrated.

This weekend we are delighted that 60 of our children will celebrate their First Holy Communion.

Led by Michelle Lukas, their preparation has been extensive and vibrant! Children are in a catechetical class for one to four years prior, from 3-K but not later than 1^st grade to begin what is called Remote Preparation. Here is Michelles’ summary of their Immediate Preparation:

• A parent/child evening session: Children worked with catechists while Fr. Mark talked with parents. He emphasized the importance of what families do and how we practice our faith. Parents shared some of the meaningful traditions of their childhoods as well as the traditions within our their families now. Children learned about the Last Supper, the Real Presence in the Eucharist, discussed the Apostles Creed, completed a bread shaped puzzle with the parts of the Mass, and practiced their special song that they sing at their First Communion during Mass.

• Bread Baking Retreat: Many parents (and other parishioners) helped the children bake bread and participate in other activities to prepare for their celebration of First Communion. Then, families joined their First Communicants for a special prayer as they shared their freshly baked bread followed by a picnic lunch together. Thank you to Christine Baar for leading the bread baking.

• With their parents, children decorated their First Communion candles at home and said a special prayer.

• Children and parents worked together to complete a workbook, giving them an opportunity to discuss different parts of the Mass and our Catholic traditions together at home.

A special feature this year was for each child to create a Sacrament Memory Box, an idea first conceived by Fr. Mark and Fr. Tony and developed by Michelle. Each child created their Memory Box, as a keepsake. This will be a special place to keep things to hold Sacrament memories. The children decorated their box on their retreat day to look like stained glass, reminiscent of the tradition of stained glass in our church. They were given 7 stickers to represent the 7 sacraments inside their boxes to continue to decorate their boxes at home and write the dates of their sacraments on the box.

Congratulations to our First Communicants who will now join us at the Table of the Lord. Thank you to Michelle Lukas for leading their preparation, to Fr. Tony and Fr. Mark, their teacher, Alyssa Cloherty, catechists Kris Ponzi and Anna and Nick De Bakker and helpers for all the time, faith and care, they put into preparing our children to receive their First Holy Communion.