First Holy Communion is the second sacrament of initiation continuing the journey begun in baptism. It is one of the holiest and most important occasions in a Roman Catholic’s life. Most Catholic children generally receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion when they’re seven or eight years of age because this is considered the age of reason.
St Joseph’s Parish supports parents in preparing their child to receive these sacraments. This church-home partnership recognises that parents/carers are the first teachers of their child in the ways of our faith and they play the most crucial role in ensuring their child truly appreciates the richness and significance of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.
The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason, the family home is rightly called ‘the domestic church’, a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1666
Our 2026 programme will be led by Fr Bob Davies OCD from the Carmelite Community, supported by a small team of Catechists. Catholic children in Year 3 or above are invited to participate if parents discern this is the right time for them to receive the sacraments. There will be an Open Meeting for Parents on Tuesday 16 September at 7:30pm in the First Committee Room at St Joseph’s Church. At the meeting, Fr Bob will outline the plans and expectations for our 2026 programme.
Preparation sessions will begin mid-November and run fortnightly on Saturday afternoons (at St Joseph’s Church) during term time until mid-May. Online registration will open on Wednesday 17 September and close on Monday 6 October for those who wish to enrol their child(ren) in this programme. This gives us time to order the resources for the start of the sessions.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR COMMUNION 2026. [link not available until 17 September]
This year parents will join their child at every session so they can accompany them on their journey to Reconciliation and the Eucharist and help them as they would with their schoolwork. Our programme includes four Parent Sessions within the schedule to make our catechesis more encompassing, as some of us have not had time to reflect on our faith since our own First Communion or Confirmation. There will also be two evening meetings to outline the format of the liturgy, provide guidance on the practicalities and address any queries ahead of the First Reconciliation service and First Holy Communion Mass.
Details of the programme, with a schedule of dates, expectations and overview of the preparation activities can be found here (2 pages).
It’s important for children to properly prepare for their First Communion, so that there's no child without this Sacrament. The Eucharist is a firm step towards Jesus, along with Baptism and Confirmation.
Pope Francis
This year’s cohort will be divided into two equal size groups – Group 1 and Group 2. They will have their sessions in parallel on the same day and time as each other and will make their First Communion at two separate Masses on the same Saturday in May. Parents will be advised which group their child is in on 1 November; at this point they will then know the date and time of their child’s First Communion Mass.
Due to space restrictions on church premises, the maximum class size we can accommodate is 48. Families who worship and/or live outside of St Joseph’s Parish should contact their own parish in the first instance. In the event that there are more registrations than available places, the following oversubscription criteria will be applied:
- Children of families who attend Mass at St Joseph’s Parish on a regular basis and are known to the Carmelite/Parish Community
- Children of families who are on St Joseph’s Parish Register (as at 1 September 2025)
- Children of families who live in St Joseph’s Parish
- Children of families who live outside the parish with a letter of support from their priest
- Children of families who live outside the parish
Priority will be given to those who enrol in the programme during the registration window, thereafter available spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
A copy of the child’s Baptism Certificate (or Baptism details if baptised in St Joseph’s Parish) will be requested at Registration and must be provided by the time the sessions start mid-November.
The fee is £50 for each child. This includes all books, materials and supplies as well as the First Communion Day itself. No one will be disadvantaged if they are unable to contribute in full, please speak privately with Fr Bob if this is a concern.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:14
Picture Credit: aalmeidah from Pixabay.com