30th August 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I write to you at the beginning of this school year in relation to the Registration & Request of your child for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2024. The Home, the School and the Parish have a vital role 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. On that day your child was welcomed into the Faith Community of the Roman Catholic Church and the life of grace. The Rite of Baptism emphasises how parents are the first teachers / educators of their children in the ways of faith. A child’s faith grows where there is an atmosphere of faith expressed in prayer and good works.

Your child’s preparation with the ‘Grow in Love’ Catechetical Programme has been ongoing and I wish to acknowledge the work of the teachers in our parish school of Scoil Carmel.

All Registrations & Requests for First Reconciliation (Confession) and First Holy Communion are now made only online by means of a Registration & Request Google Form directly to the parish. In some family situations, both parents / guardians may wish to ‘Submit’ a Registration & Request Google Form with your contact details.

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Please ‘Submit’ this Registration & Request Google Form immediately or at the very latest by 15th September 2023.

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 once again 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 receive the Sacrament of Baptism, you should contact immediately the parish you are living in to arrange their baptism.

Please do not give the Baptismal Certificate to the class teacher but 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. If you wish 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 Google Form requires you to give me a contact email address, I will be able to contact you by email if I need to.

I will be in touch with you in due course about a Preparation Meeting for all parents / guardians of those who have submitted the Registration & Request Google Form for their child preparing to make their First Holy Communion in 2024.

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 prepare to celebrate First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.

With every good wish.

Yours sincerely,

Peter J Reilly

Fr Peter Reilly PP