First Reconciliation - Parent Guide (PDF)
Theology of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is grounded in the very essence of Christ’s mission. Christ was sent by God to establish a new covenant: a relationship of everlasting mercy and love.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation should be understood as a way to help us deal with the reality of sin in our lives. Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of our relationship with God. At the same time, it damages our relationship with one another in the Church.
The new rite of the Sacrament of Reconciliation emphasizes the Church as a community of repentance and mutual forgiveness and stresses the responsibility of its members to extend Christ’s love to all.
The purpose of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to help us celebrate and deepen our ongoing efforts to be persons of reconciliation in our world. Participation in the sacrament helps us to understand that just as our God freely forgives us our transgressions, we too should be willing to give and receive forgiveness freely.
The new Catholic rite includes three liturgies which reflect this change of emphasis:
· A communal celebration with opportunity for individual confessions.
· A rite for the reconciliation of the individual penitent in which the priest ministers to the person as a representative of the Church and the bishop.
· A communal reconciliation without individual confession (Used only in extreme circumstances and following the directives of the Holy See).
Diocese of Buffalo Policy Statement
A. Readiness for Reception of the First Reconciliation:
· Readiness - not chronological age or school grade - will determine a person’s preparedness to encounter Christ in a sacramental celebration.
· The person is to be considered ready to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation when the parents, catechist, and pastor, through dialogue, find the awareness and ability appropriate to age and maturity.
· The person will complete the defined First Reconciliation curriculum and understand the prescribed concepts commensurate with the level of development and experience, age/maturity to assist in readiness.
· Individuals with disabilities are to be given special consideration. (See U.S. Bishops' Guidelines for the Celebration of Sacraments With Persons With Disabilities Section II #22-25)
B. Pastoral Considerations
Catechesis for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to be kept distinct from catechesis for the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation should be celebrated for the first time 6 to 12 months prior to the reception of First Eucharist.
The options for celebration of the sacrament should be understood.
The revised ritual (Reconciliation) offers forms and options for celebration of this Sacrament. Among these are communal celebrations which more clearly show its ecclesial nature. Penitents have a choice of customary anonymity (option 1) or sitting face-to-face with the confessor (option 2). A choice is also offered among various prayers and readings. (NCD #124)
Because continuing lifelong conversion is a part of what it means to grow in faith, catechesis on sin, conversion, and the Theology of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to be presented at each stage of the individual’s development, including the adult community. (Constitution on Divine Revelation, Chapter 2)
It is the responsibility of the pastor to ensure that quality catechesis takes place in the parish preparation program:
· Our children belong to various communities which educate and initiate them, including their family or household, school, and parish. While the family is the primary teacher, and the Catholic school religious education or parish religious education program may offer additional religious instruction, it is the parish worshipping community which is the appropriate setting for sacramental initiation and celebration.
· The preparation for the sacrament should be broader than mere classroom instruction and should include elements which link the students to the parish community.
C. Diocesan Policies
1. A parish sacramental program should bring together Catholic, private, and public school children, and those being home schooled, for at least six sessions. There should also be an opportunity for catechesis with their parents/guardians.
Considerations:
· The parish-based sacramental preparation program involves liturgical celebrations, parent meetings, days of prayer, acts of service and other appropriate experiences.
· Great care should be taken to ensure that these sessions do not conflict with the regular Catholic school religious education program or the parish religious education program. This calls for collaboration on the part of the pastor, principal, director of religious education, and catechetical leaders.
· The parish preparation program for the reception of a sacrament should be clearly communicated by the parish to families, the schools, and the religious education program.
2. Preparation for the reception of First Penance is to take place in the child’s home parish.
Considerations:
· Sacraments celebrate the life of the parish and its members.
· Later celebrations of Reconciliation may take place within the Catholic school religious education program or the parish religious education program.
· A Pastor should never deny a person’s request to confess to a priest of his or her own choosing, but he should know where a child goes if the child chooses another confessor.
D. U.S. Bishops' Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments With Persons With Disabilities
The following guidelines offering "a set of general principles to provide access to the sacraments for persons with disabilities" were approved by the U.S. Bishops during their June 15-17, 1995 meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
General Principles:
· By reason of their baptism, all Catholics are equal in dignity in the sight of God and have the same divine calling.
· Catholics with disabilities have a right to participate in the sacraments as full functioning members of the local ecclesial community. (Canon 213) Ministers are not to refuse the sacraments to those who ask for them at appropriate times, who are properly disposed, and who are not prohibited by law from receiving them. (Canon 843.1)
· In accordance with Canon 777.4, pastors are to be as inclusive as possible in providing evangelization, catechetical formation, and sacramental preparation for parishioners with disabilities. Persons with disabilities, their advocates, and their families, as well as those knowledgeable in serving disabled persons can make a most valuable contribution to these programs. Parish catechetical and sacramental preparation programs may need to be adapted for some parishioners with disabilities. Further, parishes should encourage persons with disabilities to participate in all levels of pastoral ministry according to their abilities.
Every Christian community considers those who suffer handicaps, physical or mental, as well as other forms of disability—especially children—as persons particularly beloved of the Lord. A growth in social and ecclesial consciousness, together with undeniable progress in specialized pedagogy, makes it possible for the family and other formative centers to provide adequate catechesis for these people, who, as baptized, have this right and, if non-baptized, because they are called to salvation. The love of the Father for the weakest of his children and the continuous presence of Jesus and His Spirit give assurance that every person, however limited, is capable of growth in holiness. (General Directory for Catechesis #189)
N.B. The Diocese of Buffalo provides support services for pastors to facilitate the evangelization, catechetical formation, and sacramental preparation for parishioners with disabilities. (Please call, Department of Catholic Education, 847-5505)
E. The Sacrament of Reconciliation and Christian Initiation
Although not a sacrament of initiation, there are often questions about celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation in conjunction with the process of initiation. These policies are provided here for the sake of completeness.
Catechumen's Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Catechumens preparing for baptism (both children and adults) do not celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to baptism. They are to be invited to participate in non-sacramental penitential rites as found in the RCIA #291-303 so that they may come to understand the reality of sin and appreciate the comforting message of God's pardon.
Children's Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Non-Catholic children who are baptized in infancy but preparing for reception into the full communion of the Roman Catholic Church should be adequately prepared and encouraged to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation sometime prior to their formal reception into the Catholic Church. (RCIA #482, National Statues #27)
Resources
1. USCC. Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Washington, DC, 1994.
2. Canon Law Society of America. The Code of Canon Law. Washington, DC, 1983
3. United States Catholic Conference. General Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC, 1998
4. ICEL & BCL. Liturgy Documentary Series 7: Penance and Reconciliation in the Church. Washington: Office of Publishing and Promotion, 1986. Publication No. 104.
5. ICEL & BCL. The Rite of Penance. New York: Pueblo Publishing Company, 1975.
6. NCCB. Sharing the Light of Faith, National Catechetical Directory for Catholics of the United States. Washington: USCC, 1979.