The Diocese of Richmond and Saint Bede Catholic Church welcome families seeking First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion for their baptized children. This will be a special year for you and your child as the children learn about the Mass and prepare for the sacraments. Seeing the Mass and the sacraments anew through the eyes of a child can be a meaningful and spiritual experience for the whole family.
Per the Diocese of Richmond, parents/guardians and the parish partner together to prepare children to receive the sacraments. A combination of parent-led home learning and a limited number of parish-based, catechist-led sessions along with a retreat day for the children prepare them to receive Reconciliation and then First Eucharist. Children should participate regularly with their families in the Sunday Mass. Additionally, the children should be regularly attending a systemic, comprehensive, age-appropriate faith formation program.
Once you have registered your child through the ON-LINE enrollment from our Saint Bede website, you will receive an email from the office explaining the program and a link to choose the dates to attend.
Parents/guardians attend an orientation meeting in September to receive information on the preparation program, session schedules, guidance as to how we, as the parish church, can assist you throughout the year and their child's book. This meeting will help parents deepen their understanding of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and prepare them for their role in the home-based component of the Sacramental Preparation program.
Children preparing to receive the sacraments will attend a total of eight catechist-led sessions to prepare for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. There are four sessions for each sacrament, one evening session per month from September - April. The children's catechist-led sessions are designed to reinforce and supplement what the children are learning at home with their first catechists, their parents. The children learn to encounter Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in a very personal way through understanding the Word of God in a classroom setting and in the Atrium - a special environment used in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Groups are offered on at least three different evenings of the month to help accommodate busy family schedules. While the children are participating in their sessions, the parents/guardians meet with our Director of Evangelization to learn and discuss topics and meditate on scripture while forming a supportive community.
If your child has reached the age of seven years of age but has NOT received the Sacrament of Baptism, contact Michelle Tomshack at (757) 229-3631 ext. 2309 or [email protected] for more information.