First Communion & First Reconciliation

You welcomed your child into the Church at baptism and now your child is ready to take a next step into being part of the Church. We’re thrilled to be a part of that journey with you.

Preparation for First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion
For those students who are enrolled in St. JFX School, preparation for these sacraments will take place in the 2nd grade religion class during their normal school day.

For students not enrolled in our parish school, preparation for these sacraments take place within our Family of Faith program and along with several additional classes for the students to participate. 

In addition to the preparation classes as highlighted above additional requirements for ALL families (both school and Family of Faith) include two parent meetings (one in the fall, one in the spring), and one retreat/rehearsal for First Communion. Please see the calendar directly below for detailed dates and info for this year's sacramental preparation process.
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Inquiries regarding First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion should be directed to Dana McKenna at [email protected] or 847-251-3734.

Reconciliation and First Communion Calendar

Timeline

First Grade Year
  • All Year:  Children begin preparation in their Family of Faith classes

Second Grade Year
  • October:  “Parents only” meeting about First Reconciliation
  • January:  First Reconciliation celebrated
  • February:  Parents meeting about First Communion
  • First Week of May:  First Communion celebrated

Content

While the formation for these important sacraments is an integrated, two-year process, different parts of the preparation stress different ideas and themes.

  • First Reconciliation
    In this part of the preparation, we emphasize what parents have already begun to teach at home. In their everyday lives with their families, children start to acquire ideas of right and wrong, attitudes of forgiveness, and experiences of God’s unconditional love, especially as that love is lived in the families.

  • First Communion
    When a child reaches the age when she/he understands the meaning of the Eucharist and asks to come to the table of the Lord, the baptized child is welcomed to our family table. The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist nourishes the child who began his initiation into the Catholic Church at baptism.

    Jesus ate with his friends and with strangers. Our meals at home show our children the importance, not only of eating for nourishment, but eating for community building, celebration, and getting to know one another face-to-face in person. As with all things, the education our parents do at home is essential.