Frequently Asked Questions

 

My child attends a Catholic school. My family goes to mass at our local parish. Who is responsible for preparing my child for First Communion, the school or the parish?

The parents and the parish are responsible for your child's preparation for the First Holy Communion, with help from our Catholic schools. To prepare for First Holy Communion you are to register your family in your local parish. If you are not attending a parish currently, we warmly invite you to participate in the Mass on Sundays with one of our many parish families.
 

Why is this preparation held in the parish and not the school?

The immediate preparation for the celebration of the sacraments is the responsibility of the parents and the parish.

Sacramental preparation in the Archdiocese of Toronto is rooted in three principles:

• All sacraments are ecclesial celebrations, i.e. celebrations of the Church;
• Parents are the primary educators of their children in the ways of faith;
• Catholic schools are an integral part of ongoing Religious Education, including preparation for the sacraments.

There are two types of preparation for sacraments, initial and immediate. 

1. Initial (ongoing Religious Education) preparation encompasses:

• Sunday worship;
• Prayer in the family;
• Education in a Catholic School system (or equivalent formation in the parish in Catholic doctrine and life-style);
• Daily living of a Catholic life-style appropriate to one’s age and spiritual development

2. Immediate preparation is the responsibility of the parents and  parish and encompasses:

• Sunday worship;
• Prayer in the family;
• Specific sacramental catechesis on the sacrament being anticipated;
• Daily living of a Catholic life-style appropriate to one’s age and spiritual development.

Children will be prepared to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the parish where they worship, even if this is different from the parish with which the school they attend is affiliated. If parents would prefer their child receive the sacrament with their school community then they will require a ‘letter of permission’ from the parish priest.
 

Why are parents involved in the process?

Children to the faith of the parents are like sponges to water. At baptism the point about the parents' and godparents' responsibility to pass on the faith of the Church is clear as day in the symbol of the lighting of the candle from the paschal candle at Baptism. The Church involves parents in the faith of their family from the start, because parents are called to be "the first preachers of the faith" to their children. ​[1]
The parents "are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their off-springs", [2] as St. Augustine once said that parents are called "not only to bring children into the world but also to bring them to God". [3] For these reasons the Church calls the Christian family "the domestic church" (CCC: 1655-1658; Compendium: 350), as Pope John Paul II reminds us in the words of Pope Paul VI: [4]  

Why is there a cost associated with this preparation?

While there is absolutely no fee associated with the Sacrament of Eucharist, our parish families help cover such expenses as program materials, refreshments, and so on, through voluntary donations.
 

What if my child is not ready to celebrate the sacrament?

Please contact our Pastoral Associate, Silvana Amantea at silvana.amantea@stpatrick.on.ca or call the Parish Office at (905) 294-5955.
 

If my child did not receive First Communion in Grade Two, can they receive it when they are older?

Yes, but please speak to our Pastoral Associate, Silvana Amantea at silvana.amantea@stpatrick.on.ca or call the Parish Office at (905) 294-5955. to get information about their preparation for First Communion.
 

How may validly baptized non-Catholic children receive First Communion?

The pastor will be able to speak to your particular situation. [5] Validly baptised non-Catholic children between seven and fourteen years should be enrolled in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children of Catechetical Age.
 

Can a non-baptised or non-Catholic child receive First Communion if they are enrolled in a Catholic school?

No. Eucharistic communion is reserved to those who are in the fullness of ecclesial communion with the Catholic Church.
 

Can an Eastern Catholic or an Orthodox child receive First Holy Communion?

First Holy Communion is usually the first celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Because baptised children from these ecclesial communities normally received First Communion along with Baptism and Confirmation, these children do not usually celebrate First Holy Communion again. Orthodox children are usually not presented for First Communion even if they are enrolled in Catholic schools.
Speak to your pastor about your particular situation, especially if the child has a Roman Catholic parent or if the parents would like to be received into the Catholic Church.


[1] Lumen Gentium, 11.
[2] Gravissimum Educationis, 3
[3] Lumen Fidei, 43.
[4] Familiaris Consortio, 52; cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi, 71.
[5] For common examples, see the Archdiocesan resource Invited to the Feast, especially pp. 21-22.​