Sacramental Preparation

FIRST RECONCILIATION, FIRST HOLY COMMUNION, YOUTH CONFIRMATION

Our Vision for Sacramental Preparation 

The Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist are part of the process of initiation into the community of faith. The Christian Initiation of Children states, “Any kind of  initiation has to do with a process of being absorbed into and bonded to a group;” and the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA), which is the Church’s norm for preparation and celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, states very clearly that initiation is the responsibility of the entire community and that both the preparation and celebration of these sacraments “takes place within the community of the faithful.”  

So, while the family should always be the primary vehicle for initiation of a child, the Church community and the child’s faith formation community are also a necessary part of the network of communities responsible for  a child’s preparation for these sacraments. 

Logistics and Participation – 

Participation in the entire program of Faith Formation (from 1st Grade to 8th Grade) is part of the preparation for the Sacrament. Students should be enrolled consecutively from Grades 1 through 8 (whether through full time Catholic school or weekly Faith Formation at the parish) or be able to provide evidence of on-going home  schooling for faith formation in order to enter into sacramental preparation and reception of the Sacraments  in 2nd or 8th/9th Grade. No grade levels are to be skipped. 

Immediate preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion takes place in 1st Grade and 2nd Grade, with immediate preparation for Confirmation in the 8th & 9th Grade.

Additional meetings for parents and retreat programs are part of the preparation for the celebration of the  Sacraments of Initiation in both 2nd and 8th/9th Grade regardless of where the child attends full time school. Please stay tuned for more details. Sacramental parent meetings are typically held in late August and mid-September.  

***Please note that even if your child attends full time Catholic school (whether at the Cathedral or  elsewhere), the parent meetings and retreats held outside of class time are REQUIRED for ALL students  requesting the Sacraments. 

At least one parent is expected to attend the appropriate meeting. The parent and the candidate should attend the Confirmation parent meeting together. The parent meeting for 2nd grade First Reconciliation/First Communion is for parents only. Babysitting/childcare for our 2nd Grade Parent meetings will be provided by the parish if you notify us in advance to arrange sufficient supervision. Please email  maloneye@shc.ptdiocese.org for more details.  

Confirmation is NOT equivalent to graduation.  One never thinks of “graduating” from an initiatory community. Confirmation is only the beginning of living a life fully committed to loving  God above all things, and one’s neighbor as oneself. Therefore, one’s faith formation ought not to stop with Confirmation. It is an on-going process throughout a Catholic’s whole life. For this reason, the parish offers Middle-High School and Adult faith formation opportunities – youth ministry, classes, bible studies, service + liturgical ministry  opportunities and retreats. Discipleship and faith formation are a lifelong journey of growing closer to Christ. 

OCIC/OCIA

Order of Christian Initiation for Adults - formerly RCIA

The current OCIA process is similar in scope to the process that was used from the earliest times of the Church. Currently, our OCIA process takes about a year: from mid-July to a week past Easter. There is no pressure to join the Catholic Church. We want you to feel welcome at any stage of your faith journey. Wherever you find yourself in the process, this is a personal faith journey that will lead you to a closer relationship with God and the Catholic Faith.

Our OCIA program is held in the Cathedral Parish Hall (Rita Reynolds Meeting Room) on Sundays from 10:45 am to 11:45 am. Obviously, the entirety of our Catholic Faith cannot be covered in this time-frame. Our syllabus covers a wide range of topics and gives the Catholic viewpoint of each one.

Order of Christian Initiation for Children (7 to 14 years old) - formerly RCIC

For children who are over seven years old but have not yet received first Sacraments. OCIC classes are for children who have or have not been baptized. The length of time for the preparation process will be determined by the religious background of the individual child. RCIC is generally a two-year process and is a combination of age-appropriate religious education, sacramental preparation, and rites of the catechumenate. At the second year of preparation, the child would receive all Sacraments of Initiation at  the Easter Vigil (Baptism – as needed, First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation).

For any questions at any time, please feel free to reach out to the Director of Faith Formation + Family Ministry,  Erica Maloney, maloneye@shc.ptdiocese.org