In our parish First Communion is celebrated when children are in Second Class. Preparation for First Communion is shared by the parish, the school and the family. In school children follow the Alive-O Religious Education programme.

The parish preparation programme offers parents and family the opportunity to be involved in their children’s preparation.

A significant part of the programme will take place at Sunday masses during the year. Parents will be advised of the specific masses to attend with their children.

Eucharist

The Second Vatican Council told us that the Eucharist is the Source and the summit of the Christian life. This means that it is the source from which we receive grace to live as Jesus wanted us to and it is also the summit or the highest point in the Christian life. Because of this the Eucharist has, right from the very beginning of the Church been a central part of the Christian life.

In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that the first followers of the ‘Way’ met each Sunday, the day of ‘resurrection’ to celebrate the ‘breaking of the bread’. So coming together as a Christian Community to worship God and to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ has always been central to being a Christian. We continue this unbroken tradition by celebrating Mass in our parish every Sunday and you are very welcome to join us.

Receiving Holy Communion for the First Time

Not only is it an important event in the life of your child, their class, their teachers, and especially for you the parents/guardians, it is also a special time for the parish community. Your child’s faith journey began the day you brought your child to the Church to be baptised. And what a special day that was for you and the family. Now, that child has grown, they are about to take another step in that journey, as they prepare to receive Holy Communion for the first time. And we all have a part to play.

During this special time in your child’s faith story, each parent/guardian will be asked to take on a special role, to journey with their child as they prepare to receive the sacraments. Because the religious instruction they learn in school is only secondary to what they learn about God from you at home. Our teachers do a wonderful job in preparing the children for their special day. But the home is the domestic Church, where our children are influenced by what they see and hear – you are their first and best teachers – your children will learn more from you, from observing what you say and do, from your attitudes and thought patterns, than they ever will from their school teachers, priests or Pastoral Workers.

Check out our videos in Preparation for Penance(Confession) & Eucharist(Holy Communion). You can find the first one here and the second one here. Both are on our You Tube channel, please remember to and

Letter regarding the Celebration of Holy Communion for the First Time

Archbishop Dermot Farrell has issued a letter in relation to the celebrating of Holy Communion at this time. You can read the full letter here.