24th August 2024

Dear Parents / Guardians,

I write to you at the beginning of this school year in relation to the Registration & Request of your child for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion in 2026. As of the end of June 2024, the After School ‘Seeds Of Faith’ Religious Education Classes are now the Official Dublin Diocesan Religious Education Classes for all requesting the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation of Catholic Children attending Schools other than Catholic Schools. It is now a two-year preparation (normally 1st & 2nd classes) of 28 in person After School ‘Seeds of Faith’ Religious Education Classes per year for those requesting the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion 2026 and thereafter. Unfortunately, I only became aware of this as the school summer holidays began.

The Home, Religious Education, and the Parish, have vital roles to play in the faith formation of your child. Only children Baptised as Roman Catholic can make the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. We recognise that children may be Baptised in another Christian Church / Denomination who will not be receiving First Holy Communion. With First Reconciliation (First Confession) and First Holy Communion your child will come to know Jesus in a new way. As Roman Catholic parents you presented your child for Baptism and was welcomed into the Faith Community of the Roman Catholic Church. Parents are the first teachers / educators of their children in the ways of faith. A child’s faith grows where there is faith expressed in prayer and good works.

All Registrations & Requests for First Reconciliation (Confession) and First Holy Communion are made only online by means of a Registration & Request Form directly to the Parish. I wish to thank Firhouse Education Together National School & Gaelscoil na Giúise, for sending this letter to you. In some family situations, both parents / guardians may wish to ‘Submit’ a Registration & Request Form with your contact details. Please ‘Submit’ this Registration & Request Form immediately or at the very latest by 20th September 2024. (Link at bottom of this page.)

Your child’s Baptismal Certificate from the Parish of Baptism will be needed, as evidence of a Roman Catholic Baptism. If you do not have a copy of the Baptismal Certificate, please contact the Parish of your child’s Baptism for a Baptismal Certificate immediately. For children Baptised in the Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Firhouse, we will check the Baptismal details of all children Baptised in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Firhouse. If by any chance your child has not received the Sacrament of Baptism, you should contact immediately the Parish you are living in to arrange their Baptism. Please forward the Baptismal Certificate directly to me by email attachment or drop it into the Parish Office between 9.30 am – 4 pm where a photocopy will be taken of it. To email me the Baptismal Certificate, use the email address firhouseparishsaf@gmail.com to send a scanned copy or a photo of the Baptismal Certificate to me directly. As the Registration & Request Form requires you to give me a contact email address, I will be able to contact you by email if I need to.

The ’Seeds of Faith’ Religious Educator will be covering the Religious Education Material in the ‘Grow in Love’ Religious Education Programme, and I encourage you as parents / guardians to journey with your child in this ‘Grow in Love’ Programme, and whatever else you may be able to do in helping your child to prepare for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. There will be 28 ‘Seeds of Faith After School Religious Education Preparation’ in-person classes per year, starting on Wednesday 2nd October, and the payment is €140 for one child, €200 for two children in any one family, and €240 for three or more children in any one family, partaking in either the First Holy Communion or Sacrament of Confirmation classes. This payment can be paid in total in October, or in two instalments, one in October the other next February. In order for safeguarding to be protected it will be necessary for two parents to be present in the building where the Seeds of Faith classes will occur, and a rota of available parents / guardians we will be organised.

We are asking each family to contribute a donation of €20 to meet the running cost of the parish and administration involved in preparing for the celebration of the sacraments. If this request causes any hardship, please email firhouseparishsaf@gmail.com where all will be dealt with in confidence.

There will be a meeting for all parents / guardians of children attending the ‘Seeds of Faith’ Classes on Wednesday 25th September at 7.30 pm in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Ballycullen Avenue, Firhouse, D24 N5WC. I encourage you, either in your own Parish or another Parish, to partake in Saturday Evening or Sunday Mass as your family, with your child, prepares to celebrate the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2026.

Please complete and submit your Registration & Request Form on this link:

2026 Firhouse First Holy Communion Registration Form Seeds of Faith

With every good wish.

Peter J Reilly

Fr Peter Reilly PP