Easy Methods To Prepare Your Daughter For Her First Holy Communion

A child's first communion is a noteworthy moment for a lot of Catholic families. Communion often takes place when a child is around seven or eight years old, and it is the first occasion your daughter will be able to partake in the Holy Eucharist sacrament. When preparing for this important occasion, you'll need to invest in a communion veil, dress, shoes, rosary, and other items. In order to prepare your daughter for her first communion, you will have to do more than shopping. Although the majority of Catholic schools or religious education programs teach children about the sacraments, it's inevitably the parents' responsibility to educate their children. A child has to learn what the sacrament is, so continue reading to learn more about what you need to know about teaching your child. First, it's vital that your child has been baptized before getting too far into the teaching process. Baptism is an important part in the Catholic religion. It is the initial step that must take place prior to when the child can even receive any of the other six sacraments. Everyone who has previously been baptized in the Catholic Church has godparents. If the godparents have time, they can help you with getting your child prepared for her first communion. If this is just not possible, Catholic churches typically offer classes that will help your daughter get prepared. Now and again, a child doesn't yet have the maturity to grasp what the sacrament is. The priest who will be giving your child the sacrament will be the judge of whether your child is completely ready. If your child is not prepared, generally it won't cause any damage to wait. Based on past traditions, a child is to have their first confession prior to having their first communion. By doing this, their souls would be cleansed of sin before they received Jesus in the form of the Eucharist. However, some individual Catholic churches in the United States now delay the sacrament of confession until children are several years older and better able to understand God's forgiveness. You will need to check with your particular church to learn whether or not confession has to come before or after your daughter's first communion. It's not unheard of for some children to feel a little bit of stage fright in front of many people when it comes to the Eucharist. They could feel that they won't do it the right way or that they'll drop the Eucharist. As a parent, you can certainly make your child feel more comfortable by practicing with her at home with crackers or small round cookies. It's also a good idea to invite family, especially grandparents, to celebrate. A number of families plan parties at their homes, and some would rather commemorate the occasion at a favorite restaurant. Wherever you celebrate, you should mark the occasion by doing something special. Your child will be eager for the occasion, and she will remember it for a long time to come. Finally, ensure that your daughter is wearing a white communion veil and dress. While the clothing items don't make her anymore religious than if she didn't have them, the clothing does have important symbolism for the event. She should wear white tights with white dress shoes to complement her dress and veil. Since most girls are about seven or eight when they have their first communion, make-up is not necessary. In all probability, you will take her picture in her white communion veil and dress, and she can later look at that photograph, remembering how innocent and hopeful she was at that moment.