Our Parish offers a family focused, parish based Sacramental Program supported by the surrounding schools and PREP. In enrolling your child for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you are giving them the opportunity to experience one of the greatest gifts that the Church has to offer. This experience of being reconciled with God is explained to us by Jesus in the parable of the Prodigal Son; the experience of a child being restored to the loving care of his or her parents.

Reconciliation becomes therefore a celebration of God’s love for us, of his boundless forgiveness and the joy of “coming home’ to a happy, whole relationship with him.

Your role in this process is crucial and the following points may be helpful to consider:
* Let your child see reconciliation happening between adults and family members. If your children experience forgiveness, they will more readily understand what it means.
* When someone in your home says “sorry” and is forgiven, celebrate in some small way, to recognise the joy that comes with forgiveness.
* Encourage your child to pray daily and to ‘Take Stock’ before they go to sleep each night, to consider things they perhaps could have done better and to give thanks for the things that went well.
* Always present God to your child in the light of his great mercy and love.
* Attend Reconciliation yourself in the weeks before your child’s first Reconciliation and let your child know that you, too, honour the Sacrament.