Photo Credit: Waiting For The Word via Compfight
Please note: This post is about preparing for the ceremonies
of First Confession and Communion
as opposed to faith formation and learning during the year.
I notice a significant numbers of visitors to this blog
are looking for information about preparation
for these ceremonies, hence this post.
If it is your first time preparing a communion class
you might find helpful ideas here.
How long does preparation take?
This will vary depending on a number of factors,
for example;
– the teacher,
– the school ethos and traditions
– and the number of children in class
that are not making communion.
I find if I take time during religion class over a month
that is plenty in order to prepare for each ceremony.
If you over rehearse, the children will become jaded.
What prayers do the children need to learn?
Prayers can include the:
– Act of Sorrow
– Prayer for Forgiveness
– Prayer after Forgiveness
– Our Father
– Mass responses
– Confiteor
– Prayers before Communion
– Prayers after Communion
There are resources online e.g from Kandle.ie
Click HERE and scroll down to the end of the page
for two useful links.
Double check that you have the correct format
of ‘The Confiteor’ and mass responses
for your diocese as they can vary.
Every year, we collect up the booklets
at the end of the ceremony and store them,
for use with preparing the class, the following year.
If you go over the full ceremony once
to give the children an overview,
then you can practice it piecemeal over time.
Photo Credit: Kevin Labianco via Compfight
How else can you involve the children ?
I ask for children to volunteer to sing,
do a reading or say a prayer.
I assign them these jobs in pairs
so that the children can give one another back up.
For example I can pair, a more confident child
with a less confident one.
At both ceremonies the children go up on the altar
and say the Our Father with actions so we practice these.
Parts Two and Three of this topic
Finally great eye catching visuals for prayers here
on this great blog: MargD Teacher Posters
The prayer posters are just wonderful. Thank you so much and I will share them with my primary school here in Melbourne.
Marg
Thanks Marg,
The prayer posters come from a namesake of yours,
a talented compatriot of yours who lives in Geelong, Australia
and very generously shares them.
She has a wonderful website with a treasure trove of resources.
I have found her graphic organizers great too.
http://margdteachingposters.weebly.com/graphic-organizers.html
With every good wish