Moving on to Chapter 5 - and signing up for the retreat

The Next Chapter in the First Eucharist Book

RSVP for the First Eucharist Retreat

Prayer after Communion to Learn
Recording your child's First Confession Date

Rosary Offer

Buying a missal - new link

Celebrating
God's Grace:

Penance and Reconciliation

Eucharist

St. Emily and St. Thomas Becket Parishes

April 1, 2019

Dear Families,

Our next big event is the First Communion Retreat on April 13 . You have the choice of two different times. Parents are not required to come, but are very welcome. If you don't accompany your child, please bring this permission slip with you.

RSVP for the retreat here.

Please remember that after your child has celebrated the sacrament of Penance for the first time, please use this online form to tell us the date.

Exploring Chapter Five in your book.

This book is for second graders.

If your child is not in second grade, they will continue to work with Mrs. Schiemann on Wednesdays.

Here are some ideas to help make the connections, as you work through the pages with your son or daughter:

As we gather with family and friends for Easter, speak with your child about the reason we have a feast for the holiday. We eat special foods for Easter, but our real nourishment comes from Jesus. Help your child connect these two ideas while exploring page 50 of the book.
Recount the events of Holy Week and Easter with your child - how Jesus shared his Body and Blood with us at the Last Supper, the crucifixion on Good Friday and the Resurrection. (pages 52 and 53)
The Lord we receive in the Eucharist is the same Risen Lord who appeared to the disciples. Connect this to the information about the Real Presence on page 55.
Here is a art reveal game your child can play online.

Telling the Easter Stories

As we go into Holy Week, this video from The Storykeepers might be a good choice for your child to watch. Behind it is the idea the Christians persecuted in Rome continued to tell the stories that we now have written down for us in the Gospels.

As you watch this, in whole or in part, talk with your children about the stories, and the connections between the scenes they see in the video and the Gospel accounts we hear in church over Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.

How and why do we give thanks for what the Lord has done for us?

Each time we walk into church, there is the tabernacle, with the Risen Lord, the Body of Christ, contained inside. How do we show our love and respect for the Lord? What can we say to him when we come into the church?

Prayer to say after receiving Communion

As the focus has shifted to the Eucharist for your child, it is a good time to introduce another prayer for your child to memorize. This prayer can be said after receiving communion.

Of course, we can pray however we want after communion, but I have found that for children, having something definite 'in reserve' is a comforting thing for them.

On page four of Prayers, Practices.... (a handbook for parents and families in our program) there are the choice of three prayers. All of these are honored in our tradition.

Please choose one with your child and say it each night in the weeks leading up to communion. You can remind your child that they are preparing for something wonderful and that this is a way to both anticipate that event and thank God for it.

Rosary

Makes a Wonderful First Communion Gift

We have commissioned rosaries for the parish of St. Emily. Available with either blue or brown beads, these were crafted in Italy. The crucifix is modeled on the one that hangs in the church and St. Emily is on the center medal.

This would make a great First Communion gift for any communicant.

These are available at the St. Emily parish office for $25.00 each.

Buying a Missal for Your Child

At our meeting, I suggested that you might want to buy a missal for your child now. It will help him or her to learn the mass prayers as s/he follows along. And then, Amazon seemed to be sold out.

Here is the link directly from the publisher for the

black cover edition.

Here is the link directly from the publisher for the

white cover edition.

Have You Paid the First Communion Fee?

Please pay as soon as you can

$40 for St. Emily School students. This includes the photo. The school tuition covers some of the materials cost.
$50 for St. Thomas Becket parishioners. This does not include the photo.
$60 for St. Emily Religious Education students. This includes the photo and all materials not covered by the tuition.

You can pay by check made out to St. Emily, or you can pay through E-Giving.

Please contact Cathy Crino with any questions.

Quick Links

Religious Education
and
Sacrament Calendar

Penance and Reconciliation / Eucharist Program

www.stemilyreled.org

St. Emily Parish

Catherine Crino, DRE

847-299-5865

ccrino@stemily.org

St. Thomas Becket Parish

Renata Sosin, CRE

847-296-9051

rsosin@stbmp.org

STAY CONNECTED: