OLM Sacraments for School Children

YOUR SCHOOL AGE CHILD & THE SACRAMENTS

for OUR PARISHIONERS

Celebrating your Faith life with your child is an important undertaking. We at Our Lady of Mercy Parish want to do all that we can to help you in this undertaking. It is primarily your role as parent[s] that make this such an important task. This is the underlying presupposition of our approach to Sacramental Preparation for Children.

Teaching of Faith

In the classroom and at the Sunday Mass you attend, the parish community does its part to hand on the Faith we all cherish. In your home is where the seed germinates, is nourished and grows. We can do much together but if either part of this partnership falls short, the Faith you so want your child to possess will NOT grow.

Practice of Faith

The process in our Parish Community begins with your practice of the Faith. It continues and touches your child directly when you request of the parish that the Sacraments be celebrated. The Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated over a period of time in your child's life.

The Sacraments of Faith

Baptism either at infancy or as a young child is the first Sacrament. For infants, we ask the parents and Godparents to attend the parish Baptismal Preparation Evening. For older children there will be arrangements made for the families to prepare adequately after the child has been in the Catholic School or Parish Religious Education Program for two [2] years.

First Penance and Eucharist are celebrated when the child is around 8 years of age, close to the 2nd grade level in school. This process takes place over nine months with families participating in a program of joint preparation by attending four meetings which take place after a Sunday Mass [dates announced in September each year].

Confirmation in our Catholic Tradition is celebrated at a time when your child can make a personal commitment to take a more active part in the growth of their Faith. Thus it is separated from Baptism and Eucharist and is celebrated with the Archbishop at an appropriate time in their lives. This preparation takes place over the time span of two years and involves the young person more than the Family.

Parental Support of Faith

We invite you on this journey of faith. We ask that it be as important to you as your child's participation in sports, school and leisure time activities. If any of these are more important you may find that we will ask to delay the celebration of the particular Sacrament requested.

Non-Parishioners & Sacraments

We concentrate on active, participating members of our parish community. We ask that others seek out the parish community in which they will be celebrating and living the Faith for these Sacraments.

This is not meant to be exclusive but it makes better use of our community's resources and better enables all involved to take an active part in the growth and development of the Faith in each person, each family and each parish.

Thank you for considering this and your understanding of the particular guidelines and norms for celebrating the Sacraments with the children in our Faith Community at OLM.

Parish Preparation

We prepare for the sacraments for school age children in the context of the parish community. Families are requested to attend sessions connected with the Sunday Mass of the Parish.

This format allows us to help you in your pursuit of the growth in Christian life that the Church calls all of us to undertake. It also allows the community to be aware of the growth and development it is undergoing through and with its young people.

The past experience of connection with the Parish School or Religious Education Program [CCD] did some of this. It concentrated on the educational aspect of Faith. We believe in the importance of this knowledge and so continue to foster the growth of the religious education in our School and CCD.

However, the call to discipleship, living the faith, which the sacraments celebrate needs to be reinforced in our day and age. We have to be aware of our call in life which is to LIVE the GOSPEL. People need to recognize Catholic Christians by our way of life not simply by what we say we believe. The Sacraments strengthen us to do this. Plan on being a part of our Parish, our Formation Programs and the Lives of your children. In our programs we want to have you make FAITH a priority in your life and the life of your household. Only in this way can what we do make sense to ourselves and to our society. This makes us DISCIPLES.

For more information, please select Feedback below or contact Sister Margie Aguilar - RVM.

Return to Parish Education

Home Parish Map Schedule Staff Calendar History Art Links Feedback