National Eucharistic Revival - bread and wine wheat and grapes
Liturgy and Sacraments

The Eucharistic Revival and Inclusion

As we journey deeper into our Eucharistic Revival, let’s be mindful of our responsibility to call all of God’s people to the Table of the Lord, especially those with disabilities! Recently, the National Community of Catechetical Leaders (NCCL) hosted an online conference that focused on inclusive catechesis that engages learners of differing abilities. One session in that conference featured the work of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) and was presented by the Executive […]

First Holy Communion Novena booklet
Liturgy and Sacraments

First Holy Communion Novena

Encourage families preparing a child to receive First Eucharist with a novena-style prayer to pray at home. Download the First Holy Communion Novena and make copies for parents, instructing them to begin praying 10 days before the day of First Holy Communion. Each day’s prayer time includes parts for children and parents, as well as a suggestion for a family practice for the next day. The text for the novena is from Christ Our Life, […]

mother-daughter hug - Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com
Liturgy and Sacraments

Ritual and Remembering in Preparation for the Eucharist

When my daughter Catherine was in elementary school, we developed a school drop-off and pick-up ritual. Before leaving the car, I’d look lovingly into her eyes, smile, and trace the sign of the cross on her forehead, saying, “Blessings upon your day!” When I’d pick her up from the after-school care program at the end of the day, she’d often be playing with friends at the farthest corner of the school yard. The playground supervisor […]

God's Gift sacramental preparation DVDs
Leading a Parish Program

Helping Parents Prepare Children at Home for First Eucharist and Reconciliation

One of the things that we learned from the experience of the pandemic over the last few years was how to assist parents at home with the faith formation of their children. This help often took the form of providing parents with digital resources they could use at home with their children, utilizing them when their schedules allow quality time for faith formation. First Eucharist is one of the primary moments in the life of […]

monstrance for Adoration
Family Catechesis

Equipping Parents to Share Eucharistic Adoration with Their Children

Several years ago, I was redesigning my First Communion retreat to make it more experiential, especially the portion where I have the parents by themselves for a few moments while the children are participating in another activity. I was contemplating how I could not only teach the parents about, but also allow them to experience the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, so that they could pass that gift on to their children. […]

father and daughter watching video on tablet computer
Liturgy and Sacraments

Enhancing Sacramental Preparation with Engaging Videos

I have long been an advocate of using engaging videos to enhance faith formation, as long as they are never used to replace the catechist. In other words, videos should always be seen as a supplement to the faith formation experience—a way of reinforcing important content visually and/or a way of telling a story that invites the viewer into a deeper experience of the theme being explored. In my years at Loyola Press, I have been […]

Pop-Up Catechesis with Joe Paprocki
Liturgy and Sacraments

Pop-Up Catechesis: First Eucharist Retreat at Home

With the ongoing pandemic and shelter-in-place restrictions, almost every aspect of our lives has changed, including major events such as graduations, showers, birthday parties, Confirmations, weddings, and First Holy Communions. For many children, a First Eucharist retreat is part of their preparation at the parish. Since the present crisis precludes such gatherings, I offer some suggestions for doing a First Eucharist retreat at home, in today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis.  Here are some resources to […]

Dear Pope Francis covers in English and Spanish
Books

Instead of Giving Money as a Gift for First Holy Communion

I’ve touched on this issue before: the strange tradition we Catholics have of giving children money as a First Holy Communion gift. While a well-intentioned gesture, it makes little sense: “You’ve received the Body of Christ; now go out and buy something for yourself!” Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox, but not before suggesting an alternative gift idea. I suggest the wonderful Dear Pope Francis book (also available in Spanish) as a most fitting First […]

Come to the Table retreat banner-making - image courtesy of Marie Noel
Liturgy and Sacraments

Come to the Table: A First Communion Retreat (Part 2 of 2)

This is the second of two articles about hosting a retreat for children preparing for their First Holy Communion and their parents. This article provides the outline and schedule for the retreat. The preparations, planning, and materials needed for the retreat were described in the first article. Registration and Gathering The retreat begins with snacks and registration. At registration, hand out a welcome kit to each family. Ask each family member to write their names […]

Come to the Table retreat setup - image courtesy of Marie Noel
Liturgy and Sacraments

Come to the Table: A First Communion Retreat (Part 1 of 2)

This is the first of two articles about hosting a retreat for children preparing for their First Holy Communion and their parents. This article covers the preparations, planning, and materials needed for the retreat. An outline for the retreat will be provided in the second article. One of my favorite activities to do with the children is Come to the Table, our First Communion Retreat. This retreat has become an opportunity for family catechesis, when […]