Sacramental Preparation

First Reconciliation Policy

Catechesis for the first reception of the sacrament of reconciliation is to precede the catechesis for the reception of First Communion and must be kept distinct by a clear and unhurried separate preparation. This is done so that the specific identity of each sacrament is apparent, and so that before receiving First Communion the child will be familiar with the Rite of Reconciliation and will be at ease with the reception of the sacrament. The sacrament of reconciliation is to be celebrated prior to the reception of First Eucharist.

Parents of children who have reached the age of reason are invited to enroll their children for catechesis in a religious education program approved by their pastor. Catechesis for reconciliation will commence at the beginning of the child’s third year of catechesis. Thus, a child is to have attended an approved catechetical program for at least two years. In the case of older children desiring first reception of this sacrament, the pastor and parish director of religious education should decide upon and implement an appropriate program of study which will adequately prepare that person for the sacrament.

Parents will be invited to participate in the preparation and celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation with their children. Part of the preparation will entail at least two sessions of sacramental catechesis for parents.

Vatican II’s emphasis on the communal dimension of all the sacraments has changed the outward celebration of reconciliation more significantly than any of the other sacraments. Therefore, care should be taken to involve other parishioners in the preparation and celebration of first reconciliation so that the children can experience forgiveness in a communal setting which includes family, parish priests, catechists, and parishioners and which evidences a spirit of joyful celebration.

The pastor has the final responsibility to determine the readiness of a child for the celebration of the first reconciliation. Because pastors are usually not directly involved in the catechesis, parents, in conjunction with the catechists, ordinarily decide if a child is ready for the celebration of the sacrament. Every effort should be made to encourage parents to accept this privilege and responsibility. Interviews with parent of children are appropriate if the interview encourages a process of mutual discernment.

Catechesis for the sacrament of reconciliation in all parishes of the Diocese of Las Cruces shall be in accord with the Revised Rite of Reconciliation.

Catechesis for children should always respect the natural disposition, ability, age, and circumstances of individuals. It should seek: first, to make clear the relationship of the sacrament to the child’s life; second, to help the child recognize moral good and evil, repent of wrong-doing, and turn for forgiveness to Christ and the Church; third, to encourage the child to see that, in this sacrament, faith is expressed by being forgiven and forgiving; and fourth, to encourage the child to approach the sacrament freely and regularly.

The program for catechesis for first reconciliation is to be one recommended by the Religious Education Office of the Diocese of Las Cruces.

The celebration of first reconciliation is to take place within the context of a communal reconciliation celebration with individual confession. The child should be accompanied by parents, guardians, or whoever is responsible for the religious formation of the child.

Catechesis for proximate first celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist will begin in the second half of the third year of the parish religious education program. Catechesis for First Communion is to be conducted separately from catechesis for First Reconciliation, and catechesis for First Reconciliation will precede catechesis for First Eucharist. Thus, children enrolled in proximate catechesis for the reception of First Communion are to have already received the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Children are to be enrolled in a catechetical program approved by the pastor for at least two years prior to proximate catechesis for First Communion. Adequate and meaningful catechesis must precede the first reception of Communion. Parents shall register their children for, or demonstrate previous participation in a program for the celebration of the sacrament. In the case of older children desiring first reception of this sacrament, the pastor and parish director of religious education should decide upon and implement an appropriate program of study which will adequately prepare that person for the sacrament.

Parents not only have the right but also the responsibility to be intimately involved in preparing their children for First Communion. That preparation should be both supportive and instructional. The supportive role includes a home environment which nourishes a love of God and an appreciation for the Eucharist. The instructional role is to assist in teaching and reinforcing of catechetical content. Thus, parents will be invited to participate in at least two sessions of sacramental catechesis for adults.

The significance of the Eucharist is manifested when it is celebrated with faith and devotion by children and parents in the family’s own faith community. The celebration of First Eucharist is the celebration of the whole Christian community welcoming the first communicants. Therefore, the whole parish should be involved in the preparation and celebration of the sacrament.

The pastor has the final responsibility to determine the readiness of a child for First Communion. Because pastors are usually not directly involved in the catechesis, parents, in conjunction with the catechists, ordinarily decide if a child is ready for the celebration of the sacrament. Every effort should be made to encourage parents to accept this privilege and responsibility. Interviews with parent of children are appropriate if the interview encourages a process of mutual discernment.

Normally, children will receive First Communion in the parish in which their parents are members. Taking into account religious education and the nature of contemporary society, pastors and parish directors can make allowances to permit a child to receive First Communion in a parish different from the one in which preparation has taken place.

The program for catechesis for First Communion is to be one recommended by the Religious Education Office of the Diocese of Las Cruces.

The celebration of first reconciliation is to take place within the context of a communal reconciliation celebration with individual confession. The child should be accompanied by parents, guardians, or whoever is responsible for the religious formation of the child.

The Confirmation Policy of the Diocese of Las Cruces pertains to those teens who received baptism at an early age. Those adults or children of catechetical age (age 7) who are seeking baptism or full communion within the Catholic Church are to participate in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).

Confirmation is one aspect of the Church’s total initiation practice. Confirmation should be related to the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist, and should be experienced as such as much as it is possible. Initiation involves the concern of the whole Church, for it is the life-blood of the Church. Therefore, bishops, pastors, catechists, candidates, sponsors, parents, and all parishioners should be involved.

Formation into life of faith-commitment takes time. Catechesis should not be rushed. The total preparation for the sacrament of confirmation should not normally be included in a grade level curriculum.

Each parish in the Diocese of Las Cruces will at regular intervals invite all persons who are in their junior year of high school, or at least sixteen years of age if they are out of high school, to participate in a process of confirmation catechesis and liturgical celebration. Catechesis should be designed to include the following components:

• The candidates will participate in a one-year program of catechetical formation which shall consist of at least thirty hours. It is hoped that prior to the immediate preparation for the reception of the sacrament these candidates would have been regularly and actively participating in religious formation as provided by the parish.
• Catechetical formation of the candidates should be patterned after the catechumenal model of faith development.
• The candidates should be thoroughly instructed as to the meaning of the Rite of Confirmation, its’ symbolism, and practical implications. Catechesis on the meaning of Church and the candidates’ involvement in the life of the Church is also appropriate.
• It is appropriate to use some process by which the candidate requests confirmation; e.g., a letter to the pastor. These requests should receive some pastoral reply. To formalize this request by the candidate and the response of the pastor, a ceremony of commitment should be held when the parish community is present to witness to the intent of the candidate to seek confirmation.
• The parish should provide formation programs for parents and sponsors to enable them to better understand the history of the sacrament and its meaning for Christian living. As the primary educators of their children, parents, along with sponsors, are to be intimately involved in catechesis for confirmation. This will help them renew and strengthen their own faith as well as enable them to set an example for their youth. A minimum of four contact hours of preparation for parents and sponsors is required.
• Preparation for confirmation involves some involvement in Christian witness. This experience should flow naturally from service opportunities that are already a normal part of parish life and the ongoing youth ministry of the parish. A minimum of ten hours of their service is recommended.
• The candidates should be actively participating in the liturgical and sacramental life of the parish. Catechesis should enable the candidates to articulate a sense of God and God’s presence in their lives. A retreat experience and a communal celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation should precede confirmation.
• The parish community should be intimately involved in the preparation that the candidates are experiencing. Enrollment of candidates in the process of confirmation preparation should take place when the parish community is assembled and the celebration of the sacrament itself should include participation of the community of faith.
• In order to manifest the close relationship of confirmation to baptism, it is preferred that the candidates retain their baptismal names. However, a special name may be chosen if desired, in which case it should be that of a recognized saint.
• The confirmation is to be recorded in the register of the parish in which the sacrament is celebrated. Notation is also made in the baptismal register and sent to the church of baptism.
• It is preferred that there be only one sponsor for each person confirmed; however, two sponsors are permissible. The sponsor:

• must be at least sixteen years old;
• must be a practicing Catholic leading a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken;
• must be fully initiated;
• must not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
• may be of either sex, bit it is important that the candidate be able to identify with the sponsor in terms of Christian living;
• may not be the parents; however, parents may present their son or daughter to the bishop if there is no sponsor;
• is to be selected by the candidate and his/her parents;
• ideally should be a member of the parish community who can share in the faith journey of the candidate.

• The sponsor should assist in the catechetical and liturgical preparation for the sacrament, accompany the candidate to celebrate the sacrament, and help the candidate to fulfill his/her baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit.