Introduction
In June 2020, Our Lady of the Rockies provided parents and guardians of Grade 2 Students with a letter and schedule for First Reconciliation and Communion Preparation for 2020-21. Since that time, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary has recommended that Parishes are free to determine this Fall and in 2021 how they conduct the Celebrate and Remember Reconciliation and Eucharist programs by Saint Mary’s Press which the Diocese has adopted as the official sacrament preparation program.
The following resource is being offered to parishes that require assistance and do not have the ability to run an in-person sacrament preparation program for any variety of reasons. It has been determined that this is the current reality in our parish and that directing our parents and guardians to this at-home, online based sacramental preparation program will offer the most safe and effective way to help our students prepare to receive these two Sacraments.
Below is the new schedule for how the preparation for First Reconciliation will take place:
Due to the recent change in Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation and Holy Communion moving from being parish based preparation to online, at home preparation, the original September 24th Information and Registration Meeting at Our Lady of the Rockies Parish has been cancelled. All other previously scheduled dates from the June 2020 OLS newsletter announcement about Sacramental Preparation have also been cancelled.
Registration
This is home-based sacrament preparation does not require gathering in the church except for the actual celebration of the Sacraments. This letter will only cover preparation for First Reconciliation but the registration remains the same as in the past in that each registration is already for both First Reconciliation and First Communion. The fee for materials is $50.00. The preparation for First Communion will take place in February with more information to come.
A reminder that all children who wish to receive their First Communion must first undertake the preparation for First Reconciliation. If your child has not yet been baptized and would like to take part in the preparation, please contact the parish first to speak with Fr. Nathan.
Below are three ways that you can register:
In June 2020, Our Lady of the Rockies provided parents and guardians of Grade 2 Students with a letter and schedule for First Reconciliation and Communion Preparation for 2020-21. Since that time, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary has recommended that Parishes are free to determine this Fall and in 2021 how they conduct the Celebrate and Remember Reconciliation and Eucharist programs by Saint Mary’s Press which the Diocese has adopted as the official sacrament preparation program.
The following resource is being offered to parishes that require assistance and do not have the ability to run an in-person sacrament preparation program for any variety of reasons. It has been determined that this is the current reality in our parish and that directing our parents and guardians to this at-home, online based sacramental preparation program will offer the most safe and effective way to help our students prepare to receive these two Sacraments.
Below is the new schedule for how the preparation for First Reconciliation will take place:
Due to the recent change in Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation and Holy Communion moving from being parish based preparation to online, at home preparation, the original September 24th Information and Registration Meeting at Our Lady of the Rockies Parish has been cancelled. All other previously scheduled dates from the June 2020 OLS newsletter announcement about Sacramental Preparation have also been cancelled.
Registration
This is home-based sacrament preparation does not require gathering in the church except for the actual celebration of the Sacraments. This letter will only cover preparation for First Reconciliation but the registration remains the same as in the past in that each registration is already for both First Reconciliation and First Communion. The fee for materials is $50.00. The preparation for First Communion will take place in February with more information to come.
A reminder that all children who wish to receive their First Communion must first undertake the preparation for First Reconciliation. If your child has not yet been baptized and would like to take part in the preparation, please contact the parish first to speak with Fr. Nathan.
Below are three ways that you can register:
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Online Registration
We are seeking to make registrations as accessible as possible. You may use the fillable form above or print and then fill in the Diocese form by hand at this link. Once you fill out this form, please email it along with a scanned copy of your child's baptism certificate to OLRSacraments@outlook.com. Payment can be made over the phone by calling the parish office at 403-678-5022 or at the parish office.
Parish Office Registration
We will also accept registrations and payment in person at the parish office (2 Silvertip Trail, Canmore, AB) Tuesday-Thursday from 9:00am-Noon and 1:00pm to 3:30pm and on Fridays from 9:00am until 12:30pm.
Distribution in Grade 2 Classrooms
Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy has also graciously agreed to assist us in gathering registrations and fees at the school. Parents are asked to place in an envelope the filled-out registration form, the copy of the baptismal certificate, and payment. Children can bring this back to their teachers.
Once registration and payment is completed online or at the parish office or via the school, the two workbooks that your children will use for their preparation will be available for pick up at the parish office or the school.
Parents Coaching Sessions
To support the work of parents as primary teachers of the Faith, coaching sessions for parents will be available via Zoom. These will be offered on various days and times to accommodate to the busy lives of today’s families. These sessions are only for parents. They are optional but strongly encouraged.
The Sessions are going to be offered by several priests: Fr. Julian Studden, Fr. Jonathan Gibson, Fr. Kevin Tumback, Fr. Daniel Wilson, LC, Fr. Troy Nguyen, and whenever required, Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon. The sessions will be an hour long.
A new webpage has been created for Sacrament Preparation for the families to access the Parents Coaching Sessions schedule – www.catholicyyc.ca/sacraments.
Conclusion
We hope that this home-based preparation will provide the service that families need in a format that acknowledges their concern for safety under these conditions. We also hope that with the coaching sessions, parents may feel empowered to form their children in the ways of faith and they themselves learn in the process.
For inquiries on the diocesan level about preparation for these two sacraments, please contact Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon at Wilbert.ChinJon@calgarydiocese.ca or Fr. Troy Nguyen at Troy.Nguyen@calgarydiocese.ca
Fr Nathan can also be reached for any questions, concerns or assistance you might require during the preparation at frnsiray@gmail.com
In remains yours in Jesus through Mary, Rev. Nathan Siray
We are seeking to make registrations as accessible as possible. You may use the fillable form above or print and then fill in the Diocese form by hand at this link. Once you fill out this form, please email it along with a scanned copy of your child's baptism certificate to OLRSacraments@outlook.com. Payment can be made over the phone by calling the parish office at 403-678-5022 or at the parish office.
Parish Office Registration
We will also accept registrations and payment in person at the parish office (2 Silvertip Trail, Canmore, AB) Tuesday-Thursday from 9:00am-Noon and 1:00pm to 3:30pm and on Fridays from 9:00am until 12:30pm.
Distribution in Grade 2 Classrooms
Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy has also graciously agreed to assist us in gathering registrations and fees at the school. Parents are asked to place in an envelope the filled-out registration form, the copy of the baptismal certificate, and payment. Children can bring this back to their teachers.
Once registration and payment is completed online or at the parish office or via the school, the two workbooks that your children will use for their preparation will be available for pick up at the parish office or the school.
Parents Coaching Sessions
To support the work of parents as primary teachers of the Faith, coaching sessions for parents will be available via Zoom. These will be offered on various days and times to accommodate to the busy lives of today’s families. These sessions are only for parents. They are optional but strongly encouraged.
The Sessions are going to be offered by several priests: Fr. Julian Studden, Fr. Jonathan Gibson, Fr. Kevin Tumback, Fr. Daniel Wilson, LC, Fr. Troy Nguyen, and whenever required, Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon. The sessions will be an hour long.
A new webpage has been created for Sacrament Preparation for the families to access the Parents Coaching Sessions schedule – www.catholicyyc.ca/sacraments.
Conclusion
We hope that this home-based preparation will provide the service that families need in a format that acknowledges their concern for safety under these conditions. We also hope that with the coaching sessions, parents may feel empowered to form their children in the ways of faith and they themselves learn in the process.
For inquiries on the diocesan level about preparation for these two sacraments, please contact Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon at Wilbert.ChinJon@calgarydiocese.ca or Fr. Troy Nguyen at Troy.Nguyen@calgarydiocese.ca
Fr Nathan can also be reached for any questions, concerns or assistance you might require during the preparation at frnsiray@gmail.com
In remains yours in Jesus through Mary, Rev. Nathan Siray
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The Sacrament of Penance is the first of two sacraments of healing. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also calls it the sacrament of conversion, Penance, confession, forgiveness and Reconciliation. It is the sacrament of spiritual healing of a baptized person from the distancing from God resulting from sins committed.
The sacrament involves four elements:
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The Eucharist, also called the Blessed Sacrament, is the sacrament (the third of Christian initiation, the one that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says "completes Christian initiation") by which Catholics partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and participate in his one sacrifice. The first of these two aspects of the sacrament is also called Holy Communion. The bread (which must be wheaten, and which is unleavened) and wine (which must be from grapes) used in the Eucharistic rite are, in Catholic faith, transformed in their inner reality, though not in appearance, into the Body and Blood of Christ, a change that is called transubstantiation.
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