Sacramental Preparation Programs
Welcome to our Sacramental Preparation Programs which prepare children to complete their sacraments of Christian Initiation! Following diocesan directives, our parish provides the required two-year program of religious education classes for receiving Communion, and likewise for receiving Confirmation.
This webpage explains the details of our sacramental preparation programs, which are part of our regular religious education program. For those students who are taking the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, these sacramental preparation classes are taken in addition to their regular CGS classes.
Please note that these sacramental preparation programs are for our parish children who are not enrolled in a Catholic School. Catholic School students have a different religious education program and a different sacramental preparation program from our regular parish faith formation programs.
Communion Preparation Program. This two-year sacramental program usually starts in first grade and continues in second grade. However, regardless of when a student starts this program, it still remains a two-year preparation program for Confession and Communion.
Communion is not celebrated at any particular grade level as such. It is celebrated when the student completes the two-year program of sacramental preparation. Most students receive their Communion in grade two.
In addition to the regular classes, students will be expected to know their basic prayers, their Mass prayers, and their Confession prayers. First Communion Masses are usually celebrated during Easter time.
Confirmation Preparation Program. This two-year sacramental program usually starts in seventh grade and continues in eighth grade. However, regardless of when a student starts this program, it still remains a two-year preparation program for the sacrament of Confirmation.
Confirmation is not celebrated at any particular grade level as such. It is celebrated when the student completes the two-year program of sacramental preparation. Most students make their Confirmation in grade eight.
In addition to the regular classes, students will be expected to know all the lessons that are taught in the pastor’s Catechism of the Heart. Confirmation is scheduled by the diocese in the spring each year.
Registration for the Sacramental Preparation Programs. There are no registration forms for sacramental preparation as such. The faith formation staff will invite students to participate in the second year of these programs. This will be done after the students have completed their first required year of studies, as described above. For more information about First Communion, please click here. For more information about Confirmation, please click here.
Transitional Issues for our new Sacramental Programs. Those who participated in our parish faith formation program for first or seventh grade in 2022-2023 have fulfilled the first year of their two-year sacramental preparation program for First Communion and Confirmation in 2023-2024. New students, and students who did not attend our faith formation program in 2022-2023, will start with the first year of our sacramental preparation programs in 2023-2024.
Saint Dennis Church is looking upward in faith, moving forward in hope, and leading onward in love to new life in Christ. As a faith community of prayer, learning, and service, we invite you to join us as intentional disciples of Christ. For more information, please check out the many spiritual resources provided at the CatholicChristian.org website. Together, let us embrace faithful Catholic Christian lifestyles for the new apostolic age of church history.