Preparation for 1st Confession & Communion Ceremonies: Practical tips that 1st time teachers might find useful. Part One

The Good Shepherd 41
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.

A Hymn
Creative Commons License 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  

here and here.

Finally great eye catching visuals for prayers here

on this great blog:  MargD Teacher Posters

2 thoughts on “Preparation for 1st Confession & Communion Ceremonies: Practical tips that 1st time teachers might find useful. Part One

  1. The prayer posters are just wonderful. Thank you so much and I will share them with my primary school here in Melbourne.

    Marg

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