St. John the Baptist Catholic Church- Sacraments

Penance

The sacrament of reconciliation is the liturgical celebration of God’s forgiveness of the sins of the penitent, who is thus reconciled with God and the Church. The acts of the penitent – contrition, the confession of sins, and satisfaction or reparation – together with the prayer of absolution by the priest, constitute the essential elements of this sacrament.

The parish requirements for the preparation of children for First Reconciliation are the same as other sacraments. These include:

The child must be baptized.
The child is to be of the age of reason (age 7 or older).
Children are to receive their First Reconciliation prior to receiving their First Eucharist.
The expectation is that the child is immersed in a faith filled home where weekly celebration of the Eucharist is the norm.
The sacrament of First Reconciliation is offered to the children at a communal celebration in the spring prior to their First Eucharist.
Parents may opt to schedule the First Reconciliation at another time with the parish priest.