PARISH PRACTICE MARTIN DELANEY
Team effort F
irst Communion and First Reconciliation preparation was still taking place exclusively in school in Ireland when I was a diocesan adviser for religious education in primary schools. The main part of my work involved an annual visit to each of the 88 primary schools in our diocese, and these visits gave me a unique insight into the concerns of teachers – particularly in relation to their role as religious educators. One persistent concern which regularly surfaced was the fact that teachers felt isolated and unsupported when it came to religious formation in general and sacramental preparation in particular. Within the parish, there should be three
partners involved in the religious education of young children – parents, teachers and priests (together with other parish leaders). When these three significant influences in the life of a child work together in partnership, the seeds of faith are nourished to the greatest effect. My impression from teachers throughout the diocese was that, in reality, they were the only ones among the three partners who were active. And, from conversations I had with other diocesan adviser col- leagues around the country, the picture was very similar. In 2004, Veritas Publications published a programme called Do This in Memory, based on material I had prepared with Maeve Mahon, the diocesan adviser from my neighbouring Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. This pro- gramme is now used in every diocese in Ireland as well as parts of England, Scotland and the United States – and, this year, more than 40,000 families for First Communion are using the programme. Do This in Memory works because it
actually does what it says it will do. It involves parents and parish communities in the prepar ation of children for the sacraments. Indeed, the support and involvement of the priest in the parish is critical to the success of the programme. Initially, in Ireland, some priests found it difficult to imagine having
TO DO
Ask yourself how involved your community is in your First Communion programme
There can be too much focus on clothes and other superficialities when preparing children for First Holy Communion. But with careful planning, parents and priests can work together to make the event a true parish celebration
anything to do with preparation for First Communion programmes that did not involve the teachers in the primary school. Do This in Memory involves a complete change of mindset on behalf of all the stakeholders. The way it works is this: the priest takes
the initiative to gather together all the parents of the children who would like to receive their First Communion that academic year. This meeting takes place in early September and, if possible, the venue should be somewhere other than a school. This begins the change of focus. The programme manual provides the priest
Think, as we come to the end of the “First Communion season”, about whether the parents and children have been spectators or participants
Consider what liturgical catechesis is available in your parish
or catechist with detailed notes so that they can conduct that initial meeting with the parents. (The notes also come in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.) The main purpose of the meeting is to outline for the parents what is involved, what commitment is expected from them over the next 10 months – and crucially, to assemble a small coordinating group who will work with the priest to run the programme. These people will meet with the priest before each monthly Mass to plan the liturgy. The coordinator’s manual also provides the agenda for each monthly meeting – including the tasks to be com- pleted in preparation for the monthly Mass. There are notes, too, to guide the celebrant through the Mass including notes for the homily. The Mass takes place at one
of the regular Sunday Mass times. Throughout the liturgy, there is an awareness that the children are present – and they are learning about the Eucharist. Most of our liturgies are adult in their focus and language and children can feel excluded. When there is a deliberate effort to use child-friendly language and concepts, the adults present listen with new ears. Do This in Memory is a form of liturgical catechesis not only for the children and their parents, but for the whole parish community. Participation in the monthly Sunday Mass is absolutely central to this programme. (This means that parents who
have not been regularly attending Mass on Sundays begin to do so; and we have found that they often continue to do so after their children have received their First Communion.) After the monthly Mass, the programme continues at home using various resources to help the children and their parents deepen their understanding of the Mass and other aspects of their Catholic faith. A monthly newsletter called “Grapevine” is given to each family on the programme containing various reflections for the parents, ideas for developing a sacred space in the home, texts for family prayer, Mass responses to be learned, notes on saints’ feasts and other holy days which occur during the month and the text of the Gospel for the following month’s Mass. The other resource the family uses at home
is “Thumb” (“That’s His/Her Useful Mass Book”). “Thumb” introduces the children to two other eight-year-olds, Kath and Qumen, as they prepare for their First Communion. Following them through their preparation helps to develop an understanding of the Mass over the months of the programme. “Thumb” also includes a child-friendly Missal and a set of worksheets for the children. Do This in Memory is not a complete solution to the many challenges presented in sacramental preparation and its success, like all programmes, depends on how it is used. Feedback from parents, children, priests and teachers has been very positive. One parent reflected on her experience of Do This in Memory in an article she wrote for her local paper following the First Communion celebrations. She said, “I sat in our church on Sunday for our daughter’s First Holy Communion with 15 very relaxed, happy children and their families and their com- munity. The months of preparation showed through and I knew that this is the faith I want to pass on.” The families and the children were part of the ceremony; the children were not show- pieces. It was a real celebration with no spectators – only participants.
■Martin Delaney is a priest of the Diocese of Ossory and works at St Canice’s Parish in Kilkenny, Ireland.
25 June 2011 | THE TABLET | 17
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