First Communion

NOTE: 2020-2021 The registration for the next available sessions (Fall 2021 and Spring 2022) is now open. Register at the bottom of this page.

Here at SEAS, we offer two sessions a school year of “The Bread of Life” First Communion preparation. This program is for 1st and 2nd graders.

You may register for the Fall (Oct-Nov) session if your child will be age 7 by January 31, 2022.

You may register for the Spring (Feb-March) session if your child will be age 7 by June 10, 2022.

Requirements:

In order to register for our First Communion Preparation, your child must be receiving formation in one of the following three ways: 

1. Be enrolled in our weekly Religious Education classes if in public school* 
2. Be attending Catholic School
3. Be home schooled full time using a Catholic curriculum approved by the Diocese of Fort Worth. 
   • If enrolled in RE, your child needs to attend consistently. After five absences from class, your child will be moved to the next First Communion preparation session.

This wonderful study of the Eucharist is aimed at increasing our own adult understanding of and love for Our Lord in the Eucharist, so that we may then bring that knowledge and fervor home to our children in order to teach them to treasure this Greatest Gift.

In addition, it provides fellowship with other parents in the parish who are also preparing their children. In addition to the Bread of Life course, we will provide you with books to use with your child at home to prepare him for each of the sacraments.

It consists of 3 classes (with one "rain date") offered every other week on a Saturday morning. The child does not attend any class outside of their regular RE or Catholic school classes; the parents prepare him/her for the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist at home, using books that we provide, the knowledge gained from the Bread of Life classes, and the formation their child is receiving in their own religion classes.

The nursery will be available for your children during each class.

1. STEP ONE: Register your child for Religious Education if they attend public school.
   Just like our children go to school every year, our children should attend Religious Education each year to encourage and reinforce the formation they are already receiving at home. 
2. STEP TWO: Register your child for the sacraments.
   (Be sure to register for both if your child attends public school.)

Spring 2022 Important Dates

Mandatory Parent Meeting in the PCC (orientation, Q & A, and receiving the books):

• Either Monday, February 7 @ 7:00 pm 
• OR Monday, February 10 @ 7:00 pm 

Bread of Life Classes | 10:00 AM- Noon | PCC building

• February 26
• March 12
• March 26
• April 9 and children Reconciliation class

Assessments

• Saturday, April 23; 9:00am-noon by appointment in the School Building

First Communion dates for Spring 2022 Session:

• Rehearsal: Thursday, May 12 at 6pm in the Parish Hall
• First Communion Mass: Saturday, May, 14 at 9:00am.

As the primary educator of your child, it will be up to you to determine when your child is ready to be brought in for an assessment of his or her readiness to receive First Communion. It is suggested that, when the Bread of Life course has concluded, and you and your child have read and studied the books you received at the parent meeting, you come on the scheduled group assessment day (see date above).

If you feel your child is not ready, you may call the office of Elementary Religious Education after that date to schedule an appointment. SEAS school 2nd grade students in the Fall session will be assessed by their own teacher in school.

The Bread of Life course provides a comprehensive preparation for this assessment, even giving you questions to bring home and discuss with your child, and helping you relate what you are learning to the books you are using with your child at home. You will be given a study guide at the last Bread of Life class.

In the Diocese of Fort Worth, children usually receive First Holy Communion in the second grade at age 7 or 8.  Older children (grades 3-12) who have not yet received First Holy Communion are enrolled in a program designed especially for them called Young Disciples: The Foundation.

To register, please call us at the office at (817) 431-3857.

Catholic adults who have not yet received First Holy Communion receive special attention in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) which takes the time to fully immerse them in the rites and mysteries of the faith to prepare them for the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Click link below to learn more about our RCIA program and to register:

https://seascc.org/formation/rcia-becoming-catholic/

Sometimes it’s just not possible for one of the parents to attend a class. In that case, you can download the Parent Handout for the lessons covered in that class, as well as listen to an audio recording of the class. This of course is not ideal- the audio is not of the highest quality (we’re working on getting good quality videos!), and you’re not there to ask questions in person. But it is better than missing the class altogether. Here are links to the audio class recordings, and to the Parent Handouts. Note: The audio recordings are in a different order than the Parent Handouts. Please use the Parent Handouts (below) as your guide, as those are in the correct order. Please ask the catechist which lessons were covered in the class you missed.

Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: How to Make a Good Confession
Lesson 3: Holy Sacrifice- Salvation History 
Salvation History booklet
Lesson 4: John 6 (The Bread of Life Discourse)
Lesson 5: The Sacrifice of the Mass
Lesson 6: The Presence of Christ
Lesson 7: Transubstantiation
Lesson 8: Worthy Reception (and Review)