Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Communion
First Reconciliation
Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Penance is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven.
In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins.
With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God.
“In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). – United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
For more information on the Sacraments, please visit the USCCB website.
Click here for more guidance on the Sacrament of Penance
First Communion
The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist:
“Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”
To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience:
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.”Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion. (CCC 1384-1385)
For more information on the Sacraments, please visit the USCCB website.
Most of our students receive Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Communion at the end of their 2nd grade and after two years of Religious Education.
If you wish to register your child to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Communion, please click here
It is important to remember that it is never too late to complete the Sacraments of the Church – we work with people of all ages to prepare for the Sacraments.
Please contact the RE Office or the Rectory if you know anyone beyond the second grade who would like to receive First Communion.
For information contact the Rectory or Hugo Munoz, Director of Religious Education at 773-763-8228 Ext. 2114 or hhmunoz@archchicago.org.