First Holy Comm Overview

Amanda Spriegel-Director of Liturgy

Sacrament of First Holy Communion

3rd Grade,

Saturday, May 10, 2008

1:00 p.m.

in the New Church

The contents of the Parent Packet are included here for your convenience.

Please scroll down until you locate what you need. If you still have questions, please contact Mrs. Elaine Ogrin at eogrin@stpatrickwadsworth.org or Mrs Mandy Spriegel at aspriegel@stpatrickwadsworth.org Road Directions to St. Patrick's Church are at the very end of this site.

Church Tours

Altar Platform/Sacristy/Tabernacle Tour

St. Pat’s School First Communion Families and 7th Grade Families in anticipation of Confirmation 2008

Please come and bring the whole family for this informational event and tour of our worship space. There will be ministers available providing information about our rich Catholic tradition in the different areas. This is the first of 3 days and times. Come at any time within the 2 hour time period. Start in the part of the church that is most interesting to you and make sure you ask questions!!! Parents will be able to let their First Communicant taste the sacramental wine, if they would like.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

In the New Church

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

In the New Church

7:00-9:00 p.m. (after 6 p.m. Mass)

Saturday, April 19, 2008

In the New Church

9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

FAQ’s

Things to know about

First Holy Communion for 2008

Ceremony Date: Saturday, May 10, 2008

Ceremony Start Time St. Patrick School: 1:00 p.m.

Time that families should be in their assigned pews: 10 minutes prior to Mass

What are the guidelines for First Communion Clothing?:

Boys: Suit or dress pants and sport coat, white shirt, and white tie, dress shoes. White ties are available through the Main Office for a fee.

Girls: White dress, knee length or longer, with sleeves. No bare shoulders. If a dress is sleeveless, please wear a white sweater or jacket. White flat shoes, optional white veil or floral headpiece. Gloves may be worn but must be removed before receiving the Eucharist. No purses please.

How long does the First Eucharist Mass take?: Generally you should allow 1-2 hours for this Mass. If you are bringing small children or children who need to be occupied; feel free to pack a bag of books, crayons and silent toys. Please do not bring markers, or snacks that have a high fat content, Cheerios, oyster crackers and goldfish are excellent choices. If you bring drinks for your small ones, please do not bring sugary drinks. You are expected to leave your pew completely clean at the end of the Mass. That includes snacks that have fallen on the floor.

If someone in your family has a medical emergency while at St. Patrick’s, please come immediately to the back and find an usher or Mandy. We will call the Emergency folks. Please let us know as soon as you suspect a problem. It is easier for the medical personnel if they are called before things get really bad. We have hard candy, crackers and water for diabetics or those with low blood sugar.

Stewards of our Community Worship Space: Please remember to pick up all the materials that your family brought into your pew. Please put all hymnals and music aids back in the hymn racks carefully and closed properly. Please remember all pens, pencils, books and tissues. Within a few hours after the first event, the regular Sunday Mass schedule will begin and we should leave the church in the condition that we would like it left for us.

The day of First Eucharist:

All First Communicants should make sure to eat lunch and drink an 8 oz. glass of water. Most of the people who end up not feeling well during the Mass are those who are dehydrated. Sometimes in all the excitement, we forget to eat!
Families should remember to visit the restrooms before the start of Mass.
All Communicants and their families should report to the New Church no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the Mass.
All families will have an assigned pew. All families must honor the pew assignments.
Communicants should be seated ‘on the aisle’ for the entire ceremony.
Your family will be able to find your assigned pew in 3 ways: Your communicant’s certificate will be lying on the pew with his/her name on it. You will have a copy of the seating chart. An usher or parish staff can help you find your place.
Additional overflow seating will be available in the balcony, Day Chapel, Narthex and some in the back of the pews.
You should fit as many folks in your assigned pew as comfortable and then have the rest sit in the overflow areas.

Photography

Please remember that when you act as a ‘photographer’, you are not a participant in an event, you become an ‘observer’. This is your First Communicant’s day and they deserve to have you totally present for this important step in their spiritual life.
Please feel free to take individual/family photos in the church up until 10 minutes before Mass is due to begin.
During the Mass, please do not leave your pew to take photos. This includes the time of Communion.
It is not proper to take flash photographs during a Mass
It is encouraged to take photos of the class as they offer their hymn at the end of Mass. However, please do not come forward of the pews.
You are free to take photos on the altar platform, on the balcony, at the shrines and the stairs before and after Mass. This is a great day to get family photos. We encourage you to arrive early, or stay late and get some really memorable shots of this wonderful day.
Please ask to have Fr. Pat, Fr. Ron, Mrs. Bosnak and your Teachers in your photos. Nothing would make them more proud!

Certificates

Every ministry comprised of human beings tries their very best in preparing documents for Sacramental events.
If we have made a mistake and/or you would like a document corrected, please ‘mark up’ the certificate and/or document and return it to Mrs. Ogrin, Mrs. Bosnak or Mrs. Spriegel.
We will be happy to make corrections after the Ceremony Day.
WE WILL NOT TAKE CORRECTIONS VERBALLY, THEY MUST BE IN WRITING or in email.
We cannot take corrected materials prior to the ceremony on the day of the event. There are just too many last minute details to handle. Thank you, in advance, for understanding.

Information on First Holy Communion Day for

St. Patrick Communicants and families

Hydration and low blood sugar during Mass

Families and especially First Communicants should remember to eat lunch and drink, at least, an 8 oz. glass of water. The church gets very warm when it is full of God’s people and good hydration can prevent fainting. This is also true with older family members. Hard candy in Mom’s purse is also a good idea for low blood sugar.

Pew Assignments:

Every family has been assigned a pew. Overflow seating will be available. Ushers and staff will be available to help find seats for overflow.

First Communicants

Should sit at the end of the aisle seat for easy ability to get up and process.

Walking out of the church during Mass

We encourage all families to please make sure all children go to the restroom and get a drink before Mass begins.

Photos of your First Communicant and Family, in the church space

Prior to the Mass are encouraged!!! Feel free to come early and take photos in front of the flowers and shrines. We would ask that all photos cease 10 minutes before the Mass begins as the children should be in their seats ready for the Liturgy to begin.

Opening Procession

At the time of the opening procession, the children will be asked to stand by aisle, and process back to the Narthex where they will be staged for the Opening Procession by their Teacher Aids and Teachers. The Communicants will walk, 2 x 2, to the altar, stop, bow and then turn and process to their family seat.

Communion Procession

All First Communicants will be communicated with the host, by the Celebrant, at your pew. The cup will be available also and Communion from the cup will be distributed by a priest, deacon and Eucharistic Ministers. It is a full Communion to receive the bread only and a full Communion to receive from the cup only. Families should talk with their Communicant about the cup. As with all important decisions in a young person’s life, whether or not to receive from the cup is a decision that families should help their Communicant make.

If on the day of First Communion, you have a family member or friend who would benefit from receiving Communion in their pew, please let Mandy Spriegel know and she will make sure that they are accommodated by one of the priests or the deacon.

First Communion Song

Right after the final blessing and the dismissal statement, the priests and deacon will not process out of the church as usual. They will sit down. Someone will come to the front and direct the children coming forward and getting into position on the altar platform steps for their song and picture. The children will sing their song for the Assembly and stay in position for the taking of their First Communion Class Photo. At this time, the priests, deacon and altar servers will line up in back of the class for the photo.

Recessional Procession

Immediately following the photo, an adult will put the children into procession out of the church space, 2 x 2. They will be met at the back of the church by Mrs. Spriegel and the Teacher Aids. The Clergy and Altar Servers will follow up the procession at the very end. Families will leave the space like the Assembly on Sunday. If the day is nice, the First Communicants will be in the turnaround circle at the west entrance of the church. If it is raining, they will be in the Narthex waiting for their families. Teacher Aids will be at the doors and with the children to make sure all families are re-connected.

Photos with teachers, principal and clergy

The Priests and Deacon, Teachers and Mrs. Bosnak will be available in the church space after the ceremony for pictures.

If there is anything that we can do to make your family more comfortable on this special day, please do not hesitate to approach someone from the staff.

Father Pat Cecil, Pastor

Mrs. Marcella Bosnak, Principal of St. Patrick School

Amanda Spriegel, Director of Liturgy

Road Directions

From Hwy. 41. Take 41 north or south to Wadsworth Rd. Go east on Wadsworth Road (through the Des Plaines River wetland) and through the hamlet of Wadsworth. The church will be on the left side of the road. Turn in and drive past the little white church on the road. This is the Old Church. The New Church is at the back of the property.

From the Tollroad: Take 294 to Grand Ave and exit going east. Turn left at Dilley's Road (first stoplight). Take Dilley's road north until you reach Wadsworth Road. Make a right turn and take Wadsworth Road (through the Des Plaines River wetland) and through the hamlet of Wadsworth. The church will be on the left side of the road. Turn in and drive past the little white church on the road. This is the Old Church. The New Church is at the back of the property.