The First Holy Communion marks a child’s first reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Generally, children receive these Sacraments in School Year 3 (beginning in a September), which is at around 7 or 8 years of age, but if you feel your child is not ready, then it can be later.

Before one can receive the Eucharist for the first time, the sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Confession) has to be received by the candidate. Our programme has planned 2 Sacraments of Reconciliations for the child: one before Christmas and one right before the final Communion mass.

Our First Holy Communion Programme

The sessions are on Sunday mornings, starting right after our 9.30am mass, and attending this mass is part of the course. The children will be put into small groups (named after a Saint) with a Catechist in charge, and we try to mix up the groups that people from the same school are not sitting with their friends, but make new friends from other schools. The 11 sessions take place about every two weeks during term time and last for one hour. The book for the course is included in the enrolment fee, and it will be given to the child at their first session, including a free tote bag which they will personalise. The parents are expected to wait in the Parish Centre for their child during their session, where their will also get a religious input by the Parish priest. There will be one additional meeting on a Sunday morning for the child for a tour of the church with the Parish priest. The parents are expected help at BOTH the Christmas Jamboree in December and the Summer Parish BBQ in June, and they will be allocated to a stall to run for a shift. The parents will organise and run a fundraising event for the Parish themselves. At the end of the course we are going to have a “Going Forth Mass and Party” for all children in their dress and suits again, when we celebrate the completion of the course as a group together after the Summer Break. Please note this important change from the new course starting in 2025-2026: You are expected to attend all Sunday masses in term time (in any Catholic church) and proof it with a passport we will be giving you, and having it stamped or signed by the priest who will say mass. 

Extra curriculum for Children attending non-Catholic Schools as part of the First Communion course

If your child is attending a non-Catholic school, we have four extra sessions as part of the curriculum of the First Holy Communion preparation: two Advent sessions, and two sessions in Lent. These sessions will take place on a Sunday afternoon. For these session you will not need the course book.

Course Fee

Once you have been notified that your child has been accepted, you will need to send the Course Fee of £60.00. Included in this price is the course book and a group photo by a professional photographer made at the First Communion mass. The boy’s tie for the Communion mass will come extra (£5.50). Further information will give you the Parish Office.

How and when to enrol

The enrolment to our First Holy Communion course is usually for several weeks and will start before the summer break. The enrolment dates are also announced in our weekly church newsletter. The enrolment will be via the online forms only, and the links will be put here once the enrolment starts.

In order to enrol you have to be a registered in our Parish and be on our Parish Census Form. The Parish database contains current information of the parishioners and their family members. New parishioners have to register first. Please contact the Parish Office to register. If you currently belong to another Parish, this means that basically change your Parish. It is standard procedure when participating in sacramental programmes you need to be on the Parish Census.

The first First Holy Communion session will be end of September. There will also be a parents’ meeting before the session starts in which the programme will be explained. The parents will receive the name of the group in which their child will be at the first parents’ meeting in September. The mass, in which the children will receive their First Holy Communion, will be in May / June. 

The First Holy Communion Course 2025-2026

The enrolment of the new First Holy Communion course 2025-2026 was from Sunday, 13th July to Sunday, 14th September.
UPDATE: The enrolment deadline has been extended to Thursday, 25th September. 
The first parents´ meeting will be on Wednesday, 1st October.

Enrolment Forms

To enrol all three forms have to be filled out: (links to the enrolment forms will be put here once the enrolment starts):
1. First Holy Communion Enrolment Form  CLICK HERE
2. Consent To The Safe Use Of Images Form  CLICK HERE
3. Code Of Conduct For Children And Young People Form  CLICK HERE
Please note: For the enrolment you have to upload the child’s birth and the child´s Baptism certificate.

Class timetable:  CLICK HERE
You have to make sure your child will be able to attend all sessions and extra curricula when enrolling. 

Questions

If you have any questions, please email our Catechetical Coordinator via this email newbarnetcat@rcdow.org.uk