PARISH BULLETIN: Religious Education
First Eurcharist is a 'Teachable Moment'
Cecelia P. Regan |  Spring 2009

The time of preparation for first Eucharist can offer opportunities to evangelize whole families.

Doesn’t every parish have its nightmare story about the celebration of first Eucharist? We had a few, I’m sad to report. Two years ago, there was the man in the Communion procession who was talking on his cell phone as he approached the altar. When he was asked by the usher to turn it off, a small altercation ensued. And then there are the families who, for whatever reason, haven’t spoken to each other in years and choose to duke it out in the narthex on first Communion day. I am grateful that these extreme examples are few and far between, but they are indicators of a lack of connection to faith.

Families love first Communion day. Unfortunately, for many it has become a rite of passage, rather than a sacramental experience. But it is one of those “teachable moments” that can evangelize families. The big challenge is figuring out how to help our families enter more deeply into relationship with Jesus through the celebration of their child’s first Communion.

Recently, my diocesan office sponsored a half-day seminar for parish catechetical leaders and parish staffs on evangelization and catechesis. To be truthful, I didn’t expect a great turnout. But I am determined to get out the message that we need to evangelize and catechize! To my happy surprise, twice as many showed up as had registered, and they were set on fire by what our presenter had to say. Our goal was to make clear the vital link between evangelization and catechesis that is so well explained in the National Directory for Catechesis: “The purpose of… evangelization is to bring about faith and conversion to Christ. Faith involves a profound change of mind and heart, a change of life, a metanoia” (NDC 17A). “Catechesis aims to bring about in the believer an ever more mature faith in Jesus Christ, a deeper knowledge and love of his person and message, and a firm commitment to follow him” (NDC 19A). In other words, catechesis cannot take place unless a person has accepted Christ as his or her Savior, so that all he or she says and does reflects that conversion of heart. Initial conversion takes place by being open to the proclaimed word of God and making it your own. Catechesis follows and helps us to enter more deeply into the life of Christ and learn the ways of Jesus that teach us how to live. Without that initial commitment of each individual to follow Christ, catechesis is ineffective. It should be a process of drawing closer to the Lord, not a program to receive sacraments, an education in Catholic facts and/or a cultural tradition. In many parishes catechesis is taking place without evangelization, and that’s why catechesis can be such a struggle. Consequently, everything we do in catechetical ministry must be about evangelization and catechesis, since every catechetical encounter is a moment of evangelization—an opportunity to hear the good news and follow in the footsteps of the Lord.

Converting Baptized Catholics

“… ‘[C]atechesis’ must often concern itself not only with nourishing and teaching the faith but also with arousing it unceasingly with the help of grace, with opening the heart, with converting, and with preparing total adherence to Jesus Christ on the part of those who are still on the threshold of faith. This concern will in part decide the tone, the language and the method of catechesis” (Catechesi tradendae 19). It is my experience that you don’t convert baptized Catholics easily. Just look where they sit when they come into any empty church (in the back). Ask them to share something personal about their faith and most times you get very reserved reactions, if any. Although we say the creed every week, how many of us have intentionally, out loud, dedicated ourselves to follow Christ by the way we live? We Catholics have a lot of hang-ups about such things, but without initial conversion, catechesis is ineffective. Preparation for first Eucharist is an opportune time for evangelization, for families to hear the word of God and commit themselves to following Jesus. I am convinced that the “aha” moment can occur through the process of preparing the family and child for first Eucharist. When the oldest child in the family registers for religious education or Catholic school, many times the family has had no contact with the parish since the child’s baptism. How then, do we evangelize and catechize these families?

First Eucharist Preparation Begins at Baptism

Preparation for first Eucharist is not only a teachable moment, but also a wonderful opportunity for evangelization. It is my experience that families desire to connect with their faith during this process and it is up to us to make sure there are various experiences available for them to come to know the Lord and enter into relationship with Jesus. However, the process does not begin when the child is seven years old. First Eucharist preparation begins at baptism. How does your parish reach out to families with young children after baptism and before religious education? What experiences do you provide to connect young families with their faith? Young families desire to connect with their peers and want to find a spirituality in an unthreatening way that will help them raise their children. When invited to be church, they enter into a relationship with Christ and learn how to be the primary religious educators of their children. Provide a pre-k Sunday school (staffed by your youth ministry) during liturgy; once a month gather young families together for prayer, fun, and fellowship; offer parenting support groups and “Mommy/Daddy and me” gatherings that focus on Bible stories, music, and craft activities. Ideally, under the guidance of a parish staff member, leaders and organizers will surface from within the group who will take charge and make this ministry grow.
When the child begins religious education or enters the Catholic school, more formal learning takes place. In some parishes, whole community catechesis is offered in place of, or in addition to the school model. WCC incorporates families in a systematic way and prepares the entire community for this sacramental moment. Parents sometimes go kicking and screaming into these sessions, and most times leave happy and wanting more. This is a perfect time to evangelize. Prayer, Scripture, and faith sharing should be a major part of these sessions. Parents will want to model prayerfulness for their children, and children are so easily led at this early age that they in turn will keep adults engaged in prayer. Often parents feel inadequate about their faith and reluctant to share because they themselves have not been formed. Teach parents how to talk about Jesus with their children by suggesting questions related to the Sunday gospel for discussion during family meals. Give them a vehicle to learn about their faith and enter the journey with their children by organizing about eight family events over two years. Invite the whole parish community, but target those families in immediate preparation to receive a sacrament. There are many resources through various publishers that offer specifics for carrying out such a plan. Obviously, these events should be adapted to the needs and culture of your parish. Various topics might include:

• The liturgy—the symbols, vessels, prayers, parts of the Mass, bread and wine. A church tour that shows off all the children have learned is a great way to teach parents.

• The church year, which celebrates the life of Christ as told in the gospels. Include Lectionary cycles, special feasts, colors of the season, church environment.

• Sacraments celebrate the important events of our lives. Discuss and display (if possible) the symbols of each sacrament, what we celebrate with each sacrament, and how sacraments nourish our life in faith.

• Scripture is God’s word. The Old Testament tells the story of God’s love before Jesus was born. The New Testament tells us about the life of Jesus and how he came to show us how to live. Discuss how history and experience influenced the Scripture writers and how Catholics interpret the Bible.

• Prayer—Demonstrate and invite your families to experience different types of prayer, such as guided meditations, the examen, centering prayer, mantras, hymn singing, memorized prayers, prayers of petition. Teach them how to set up a prayer corner in their homes and give them hands-on prayer activities they can do with their families.

• Creed—Using the Nicene or Apostles’ Creed, talk about what we believe as Catholic Christians, and how our beliefs are rooted in Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium.

• Mission—At the end of Mass we are commissioned to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” This means that we are to become what we eat: Eucharist for others. We are called by our baptism to serve others by living what we believe. What difference do we make in the world because we live as a Christian family? Offer specific family opportunities for service.

• Rituals and traditions—This topic would include eucharistic adoration, benediction, the stations of the cross, prayer/alms-giving/fasting during Lent, the rosary, novenas, pilgrimage, May crowning, Advent wreath, etc.

Be sure to make every moment of catechesis an occasion for evangelization. Our goal is to offer a personal experience of God through individual encounters, prayer, Scripture, public witness, story telling, hands-on activities, sharing, and teaching. “…there is no separation or opposition between catechesis and evangelization… they have close links whereby they integrate and complement each other...Catechesis is…a very remarkable [moment] in the whole process of evangelization” (CT 18). These events evangelize families and offer the opportunity to connect with our God and the parish community, to help people understand that making a commitment to follow Christ is life-changing. We must find tools to awaken faith. And do not be discouraged if the message must be proclaimed over and over again before it takes root. Jesus had that same challenge!

Cecelia P. Regan is the director of the Office for Catechesis in the diocese of Metuchen, N.J. Previously, she served as the director of religious education at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Old Bridge, N.J. where she ministered for twenty years.