Session 2:
This is for you and your child to do together. You can even do
this as a family.
Take time to do this session so that your child we be ready for
Reconciliation (Confession)
Set up:
- 5 candles lit (same ones used in Session 1)
-Cover a table with a cloth
(green for Ordinary time, Purple for Advent or Lent, white for
Christmas season)
-A bible - open to the reading and the candles on the
table/bench (5 candles)
- Music: If you choose to use music, please set a quiet
atmosphere with soft music playing.
– printed craft (attached) and markers ( page 10)
- How to Go to Confession/Act of Contrition Card (page 8)
Begin with your child in a quiet space without other
distractions
We invite you to center yourselves for prayer.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Thank you God for being with us today.
As the time draws near for your First Reconciliation,
We ask God to bless you with peace, joy and forgiveness.
We ask God to open your heart to receive the gift of
forgiveness.
When we are truly sorry, we show it by changing our ways and
living God’s Law of Love.
Help us to love and understand others as God loves and
understands us.May peace be in your heart as you prepare for this
Sacrament.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
A Story of Forgiveness:
Very soon, you will celebrate the Sacrament of
Reconciliation.
You will meet with a priest who will welcome you with joy.
He will offer you forgiveness in Jesus’ name.
This story from the Bible might help you understand what happens
in this Sacrament.
………………………………………………………………………
There once was a person named Zacchaeus who really wanted to see
Jesus.
Zacchaeus was too small to see over the crowd, so he climbed a
tree.
When Jesus saw him there, he said,
“Zacchaeus, I think I’ll come to your house for lunch
today.”
Everyone was very surprised as he was a tax collector and not
very well liked by the people. They called him a sinner.
However, Zacchaeus listened carefully to Jesus and what he said
about God’s Law of Love. Zacchaeus knew that he had taken the wrong
path and had sinned.
He spoke to Jesus about it because he could tell that Jesus
loved him and did not judge him. Zacchaeus was very sorry for all
he had done wrong and would work at not doing it again.
Jesus forgave Zacchaeus for all of his sins.
At the end of the meal, Zacchaeus thanked Jesus, said that a
weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and told Jesus how happy
he felt.
Jesus knew that being forgiven for doing things wrong had
changed Zacchaeus’ life.
(adapted from Luke 19: 1-9)
5 Parts to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: (craft/card)
Being here together is a very special privilege.
We are here to prepare ourselves for a Sacrament, a special way
of receiving Grace from God.
This Sacrament has lots of names: Penance, Confession, and
Reconciliation.
We use Reconciliation because it tells us what we are to do.
Reconciliation is when you receive forgiveness for something you
have done wrong;
saying “I’m sorry” and moving forward together.
We have a choice. We can leave things broken, damaged, hurtful
and blocked off from others or we can pause and fix things as best
we can. This is what this Sacrament is all about.
Hand Craft Activity: use the craft sheet attached on page
10.
Now, put one hand on the table in front of you with your fingers
spread out.
Each finger will remind us of things we need to do.
The thumb: Stop and think: talk with God about how our lives
have been going and what we might need to change.
The pointer finger: Have we hurt others: our family, our
friends, people around us, our relationship with God?
The middle finger: Are we ready to say sorry?
Naming the things we are sorry for helps us to move forward and
feel better. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation we also receive a
special blessing.
The ring finger: A time of forgiveness.
When God speaks forgiveness, we hear it in our hearts but
sometimes we need to hear the words with our ears as well, so Fr
says these words of Absolution, forgiving us for what we have done
wrong.
The baby finger: Being accountable (Penance). In a small way we
need to make up for what we have done wrong. It is our own time to
also plan how we can avoid making the same mistakes again. This is
an important part of our being reconciled with God and with each
other.
Sometimes we think that the hardest or most important step is
actually doing the confession, others times it might be the thumb –
stopping long enough to recognize the need to change and receive
God’s grace. Sometimes doing the Penance and planning how not to do
these things again might seem the hardest part.
Remember the hardest parts are often the best parts; they help
us to remember how much Jesus loves us.
Jesus did the hardest thing of all – He died for us and forgives
us when we have done something wrong.
Hand out the attached sheet of paper on page 10 with empty side
and personal note side.
(Hand Activity: Parts of the Sacrament)
Each student is to trace their own hand on the left side and
write the words that they think belong on each finger.
(Suggestions) Thumb – Stop and Think
Pointer – I’ve done wrong
Middle – I’m sorry
Ring -- Thanks for forgiving me
Baby –- I’ll try not to do it again
These are the same steps of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
1) Examination of Conscience: Stop and think
2) Confession: What have I done wrong and tell Fr
3) Act of Contrition: Ask for forgiveness “God, I am sorry
….”
4) Absolution: Appreciate the fact that we have been
forgiven
5) Penance: Do what Fr suggests and try not to do it again
** GO OVER THIS A FEW TIMES TO HELP YOUR CHILD REMEMBER**
Use your hand to remind you of the different parts of
Reconciliation.
How to keep God’s Joy in your Heart:
God gives us the wonderful gift of joy, a feeling of happiness
deep within our hearts.
Jesus has this gift. He wants us all to have it, too. We are
joyful in a special way when we pray.
It is important that before you receive Reconciliation
(Confession) for the first time, you practice and know these
prayers by heart.
The prayers are the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary and the Glory
Be.
©2010 Francoise and Jean-Paul Berube, “We Prepare for
Reconciliation”, Novalis Publishing Office, Toronto, ON.
Hail Mary:
Mary is Jesus’ Mother. She is our Mother, too. She asks God to
watch over each of us. Mary talked to God often when she was a
young person. The Church has a special prayer to Mary called the
“Hail Mary”. Millions of Catholic all over the world pray this
prayer often, even every day.
Invite your family to pray together with you.
(You can choose to print and color this and add it to your
Prayer Corner, if you like.)
The Glory Be:
This prayer is to praise God and recognize that God sent us His
only Son to love us and take care of us for all eternity.
This is to reassure us that God was, is and will love us for all
eternity, no matter what.
Celebrating Reconciliation:
When you meet with the priest for the Sacrament of
Reconciliation, you will follow a few simple steps that lead to joy
and forgiveness. You do not need to remember them all. If you
forget something, the priest will help you.
First, the priest welcome you with joy. Greet him and then make
the Sign of the Cross together
Next, the priest will read to you from the Bible. The Bible is
the book of God’s Word, and a sign of God’s living presence among
us. God will be with you as you celebrate this sacrament.
Now you tell the priest about times you have done things wrong
on purpose and/or maybe hurt other people by what you have said or
done. Speak to him as you would speak to Jesus.
The priest will NEVER tell anyone else what you say, not even
your parents.
The priest will ask you to make up for the things you have done
wrong (your sins) by telling you to do a special action or say a
prayer. This is called Penance. It shows that you want
to get back on the right path to God and stop doing wrongful
things.
Now you tell God through the priest that you are sorry for your
sins. You can use the “Act of Contrition” (page 8). The priest then
offers you God’s forgiveness with these words of Absolution: “I
absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, the Son and
the Holy
Spirit.” These words are the sign that God forgives you and is
giving you a fresh start. At the
end you answer, “Amen.”
The last step is to give thanks to God by saying a prayer of
praise and sharing the greeting of peace. Then you thank the priest
and leave the room of reconciliation.
Make sure you head to the church to do your penance that the
priest has given to you.
It is important to say your penance right away so that you don’t
forget.
Then you can head home to celebrate this beautiful gift that you
can do over and over again.
You do not need to memorize this “Act of Contrition” or “How to
Go to Confession”, but please practice it at home, and bring it
with you on the day of your First Reconciliation
(we will have extra copies on that day if you forget it).
** 1st Reconciliation (Confession), at the moment, will be in Fr
Mirek’s office on an individual basis or if we are able to have
more than 1 priest present, then in a variety of places in the
church and hall. It will be face to face for 1st
Reconciliation.
Dates and time will be determined at a later date beginning in
January.
Closing Prayer
Jesus is the light of our world. He wants to help us find the
path of true happiness.
Thank You, God of Love, with all my heart for all the gifts you
have given me.
Help me to open my eyes to Your loving forgiveness.
With Jesus’ help, I will walk with You always. Amen
Reminders
First Reconciliation is on an individual basis.
· At least 1 parent needs to attend Reconciliation with their
child.
· While you wait, there will be a activity booklet that your
child can complete.
· Parents are to walk up with your child and introduce them to
the priest.
Please say something positive about your child and let the child
go to Father.
· Once the child has come back to do the Penance (prayer,
reflection – whatever Fr has asked them to do) greet them and
congratulate them. You may then leave quietly and celebrate
elsewhere as a family afterwards.
Please ensure your child knows the “Our Father” and the “Hail
Mary”
Please remind children that Father WILL NOT let anyone know what
they have said to him and to God about the things they have done
wrong. They should be able to speak freely.
They might be nervous, but should not be afraid to talk about
their mistakes. It is good to let them go and not hold onto them so
that their sins can be forgiven.
Thank you and have a wonderful Celebration,
Charmaine Marcinek
Any questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact me at (403)347-3114 or e-mail
[email protected]
Office Hours:
8:30am to 4pm Tuesday to Thurs (closed 12 to 1pm for lunch)
8:30am to 12 noon Friday
Closed all weekends and all Stat Holidays
Common Prayers: (print out for Prayer corner)
SIGN OF THE CROSS
In the Name of the Father, the Son, And of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
OUR FATHER
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, On earth, as it is in
Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you
among women,
And blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother
of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father, the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen
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