Our Lady of Victories Catholic Parish Horsley Park and Kemps Creek

So, you're wondering about the sacrament programme ....

At Our Lady of Victories Parish Community we have a parish-based sacrament programme.

This programme assists parents in the preparation of their children for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist. The programme is appropriate to your child's age and level of education. It is presumed that the child's knowledge of the sacraments will be built upon by further instruction, example at home and at school, and regular attendance at Mass. This will enable both faith and understanding to grow.

What's it like?....

... a positive experience ... a chance to grow ... a gentle approach ...

lots of time for parents to share with their children ...

a time for parents to renew their own understanding

a real quality time ....

OK - so, how's it organised?

In 2010 First Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Eucharist are being held on:

FIRST RECONCILIATION will be on Thursday and Friday November 25 and 26, at 7.30 pm.

CONFIRMATION will be held on Friday September 10, at 7.30 pm. Date needs to be confirmed.

FIRST EUCHARIST will be held on Saturdays and Sundays March 13, 14, 20 and 21. Saturdays at 6.00 pm and Sundays 9.30 am.

Look Out!

Firstly, expect to see ...
Enrolment forms for all the Sacraments are published in the Parish News Letter in the first Weekend of November.
Make sure you return your completed enrolment form within the given time.
In February, a Sacrament Programme time-line is made available in the magazine rack in the church foyer with details for the year's programme.

You take the responsibility to find out what you need to know.

The details that you are most likely to see first will include times for the Parent Meeting for the particular sacrament that you are interested in.

ENROLMENT

Who can enrol in the programmes?

RECONCILIATION candidates must be in year 3 or older and be a member of Our Lady of Victories Parish Horsley Park and Kemps Creek.

CONFIRMATION candidates must be in year 6 or older and be a member of Our Lady of Victories Parish Horsley Park and Kemps Creek.

EUCHARIST candidates must be in year 4 or older and be a member of Our Lady of Victories Parish Horsley Park and Kemps Creek.

REMEMBER: Enrolment for All Sacraments takes place between November 1 and December 15 of the year before. Enrolment forms are published in the Parish weekly newsletter in the first weekend of November, or can be picked up from the Parish Office or Church Foyer. All enrolment forms need to be returned to the Parish Office by December 13 2009.

The format for each Sacrament is as follows:

PARENT MEETING

Parent Meetings are held in the Marion School Hall. During this parents-only evening, input will be given on the particular Sacrament, plus details of the programme and information related to the celebration of the Sacrament. Strictly No Children.

At the Parent Information Evening you are expected to choose a group and time that suits you and the child to attend for 5 weeks at the same time and the same venue. (Group Sessions will be available from Monday to Thursday - afternoon and evening).

At the Parent Information Evening for the Eucharist programme, you will also choose the date and Mass time your child will participate in the Eucharist for the first time.

COMMITMENT MASS

ALL CANDIDATES are expected to attend one of the following Commitment Masses:

Saturday 6.00 p.m. Mass, Sunday 9.30 a.m. Mass at Horsley Park, or Sunday 7.30 a.m. Mass at Kemps Creek.

During the Mass, children and their parents will be invited forward as a group, to promise that they will prepare for the sacrament to the best of their ability, by attending all sessions and doing the required activities. The parish community will also be invited to promise their prayerful support throughout the programme.

WEEKLY GROUP SESSIONS.

Each group is facilitated by one of the group leaders who give generously of their time to assist parents in the process of sacrament preparation. This approach supports the parents but is not intended to take over their full responsibility.

Children and parents participate in these small groups, in a private home, outside school hours.

Families, involved in the programme, are invited to volunteer their homes for the group lessons for the five week programme. If you choose to become a host family it is understood that you would extend your hospitality to the six children and parents who would be nominated to your group.

The group sessions go for about one hour (we suggest you allow yourself ninety minutes).

The five group sessions are held over a period of five weeks. At least one parent must accompany the child for every lesson. If your child is sick and cannot attend a lesson, please ring Grace Cavasinni 9606 0934 for the session to be made up for. It is very important that no lessons are missed.

Attendance and punctuality are essential. We understand families are very busy, so please be on time because it is not fair to other families to waste time waiting for late comers. Please turn off all mobile phones for the duration of the session, as it is important to give your child your undivided attention.

Please do not bring any other children to the lessons - no matter what age they are. Apart from being a distraction to the children, it is not fair to the other families. It also distracts the parent from the child doing the session. If you are in a position that you have to bring another child, we ask you to reschedule the lesson the same way as if your child were sick.

During the group sessions, time is allocated for prayer, catechetical input, parent / child interaction, discussion and activities related to the topic.

Material is arranged so that parents and children can dialogue together during the session and begin a sharing which continues at home.

The worksheets, in the Activity Workbook, are designed to be completed with the assistance of parents. They are introduced at each session and concluded with parental help at home. It is therefore important that the children bring their Activity Booklet each week.

Parents are encouraged to read the "Parent Reflection" on each Home Activity sheet. This assists in reflecting on the matter that has been the central theme of the weekly session.

We hope that this five week programme will be a rewarding time for you and your child.

WORKSHOP DAY

As part of the preparation for the Sacraments it is very important that the children attend the Workshop Day. This is held in the sixth week of the Programme from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (refer to Sacrament Time line for dates of the different workshops).

On their Workshop Day, children are asked to assemble in front of Our Lady of Victories Church. It is a Mufti day and children must bring their own lunch. A permission note will be sent out to the parents. The Principals of the State Schools and Marion Primary will be notified. Please inform your child's teacher and / or principal that they will be attending the Workshop Day.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The candidates are required to wear "Sunday Best" to the celebration of the Sacraments. In our Parish we have adopted a white gown, representing our baptism dress, for the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist. This helps us recognise more clearly the connection between the three Sacraments of Initiation into the Christian Community, which are Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Candidates will be wearing this gown during their Confirmation and First Eucharist Masses.

There is a payment of $10 per child going through the programme. This covers the costs of booklets, medallions and resources for workshop day. Please forward this payment to your group leader as soon as lessons commence.

The first time you enrol your child into our Sacrament Programme we ask for a copy of their baptism certificates if the child was not baptised at Our Lady of Victories parish.

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PROGRAMME FOR 2010
FIRST RECONCILIATION: Thursday and Friday November 25 and 26, at 7.30 pm.
CONFIRMATION: Friday September 10 at 7.30 pm. Date to be confirmed.
FIRST EUCHARIST: Saturday March 13 and 20 at 6.00 pm and Sundays March 14 and 21 at 9.30 am.