The Sacraments of First Reconciliation & First Eucharist

The sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession or Penance, is one of the sacraments of healing, through which we express sorrow for our sins and receive God's forgiveness. First Reconciliation is received prior to receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the greatest of the sacraments of initiation, the “source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324). In Holy Communion, we receive Jesus himself under the appearance of bread and wine.

The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as “the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.” In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1374)

First Reconciliation and First Communion are typically received in the Second Grade, although older children and adults are encouraged to inquire about receiving the sacraments. Children who wish to receive First Reconciliation & Eucharist should be enrolled in our parish Faith Formation program, a Catholic school, or an appropriate homeschool curriculum. To enroll your child in preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist or inquire about receiving sacraments as a teen or adult, please visit our Children & Family Faith Formation program or contact our Coordinator of Religious Education, Catherine Gallerizzo Oyster, oysterc@adw.org.