Eucharist

Preparing to receive jesus

Preparation for a child’s first communion usually takes place at the age of 7. Parents work together with the parish to prepare their children for this beautiful Sacrament.

“At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us’” (CCC, 1323).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that parents are the primary educators of the faith for their children. As your child’s primary educator, we ask that you do the following as part of the Family Faith Formation Program:

Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
To the best of your ability, go over weekly faith formation lessons with your child.
Financially contribute to the Church according to your ability.
Be an active and registered member of one of the Upper Pontiac Parishes.
Pay attention to emailed correspondence from the parish.

Preparation for First Confession & Communion

The first step in preparing your child for First Confession and Communion is to bring your child to church on Sundays. If you are not regularly attending Sunday Mass, then your child cannot receive these Sacraments. Attending Sunday Mass is an essential aspect of Christian life. God says to us through Moses, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work” (Ex. 20:8-10). The Catechism of the Catholic Church elaborates on the necessity of keeping the Lord’s Day holy:

The celebration of Sunday observes the moral commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship “as a sign of his universal beneficence to all.” Sunday worship fulfills the moral command of the Old Covenant, taking up its rhythm and spirit in the weekly celebration of the Creator and Redeemer of his people.
The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life.
Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church.
CCC 2176-2177

In our parishes, all children are required to take a course to prepare for the Sacraments of Confession, Communion, and Confirmation.

The first Sacramental preparation meeting will be on Saturday, November 15th, 2025 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church. The following meetings parents will have the choice of bringing their child once a month either on a Thursday evening at 6 p.m. or a Saturday morning at 10 a.m. A list of dates will be provided to those who register.

If you are regularly attending Sunday Mass with your child and wish to take the next step in preparing for Confession, Communion, and Confirmation, please fill out the form below.

1st Confession, Communion & Confirmation Registration Form

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Child’s Name

Father’s Name

Mother’s Name (Maiden Name)

Child’s Date of Birth (YYYY-MM-DD)

Child’s Church of Baptism (Church & City)

Child’s Date of Baptism (YYYY-MM-DD)

Phone Number

Address

Are you a registered parishioner at one of our parishes? If yes, which one?

Why do you wish to have your child prepare for receiving his/her first Confession & Communion?

Have you had any other children prepare for First Confession & Communion?(required)

Yes No

I understand that by registering my child for 1st Communion and Confession I am promising to be at Mass every Sunday and fulfill my obligations (explained above) as a Christian parent.

Yes

First Confession & Communion of Adults

Adults who wish to join the Catholic Church and have already been Baptized may also go through the RCIA program (Rite of Christian Initiation for adults). Any fully initiated Catholics who want to learn more about their faith are most welcome too! Please call the office or visit the Diocesan RCIA page for more information.