Presentation Parish's RCIA for Children program is designed for students who have had limited or no religious formation. We try to provide a solid catechetical program in fundamental Catholic beliefs and a strong preparatory background for those children preparing to celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation.

Our nine month program begins in September and runs through May. We meet on Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:15. The Sadlier text Our Catholic Faith is the foundation for our program. We also study the Bible, with special attention to the Gospels. In addition we strive to help develop each child's spirituality by exposing them to a variety of prayer forms. We encourage the children to enter into the church community by introducing them to specific events and celebrations during the liturgical year.

We start off our studies with a unit titled, "We are Created and Saved." This unit teaches the students who God is, how, and why we were created. We learn who Jesus Christ is, how he was born, suffered and died for us.

In our second unit "We are Followers of Jeus" we learn about The Holy Spirit and the Blessed Trinity. We also learn that the Spirit guides us as individuals and as a community of faith. We learn about the marks of the Church, the Pope and bishops. The children are then introduced to the seven sacraments.

In our third unit "We Belong to the Catholic Church" we learn about what it means to become a Catholic through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. We also learn about the Eucharist and the Mass. Because each child's situation is unique special attention is given to the children individually or in smaller groups to prepare for the Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil service.

In our fourth unit "We Live as Catholics" we learn about the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy are taught in a way that the children will learn to live their lives to be fair and to be concerned for the needs of all people, and to be able to share their knowledge with others.

Throughout our Spiritual Journey, we take a tour of the Church to see the tabernacle where the Body of Christ is kept. We see the Baptismal font. We go into a Confessional and see there are two ways to Reconcile with our God. We go behind the scenes into the sacristy to see where the priest and the altar servers get ready. We learn how to set the altar for mass. The Church becomes a part of our Home. It is a place where we can go and visit with our God.

We learn the traditional Catholic prayers. We learn about Mary the Mother of God and why we pray to her and the saints. We also learn how to say the rosary. We also use music as prayer, and the children are introduced to guided meditation as a way to talk to Jesus.

By Easter Vigil night the children have hopefully developed a relationship with their God, his Father and the Holy Spirit. They will have a clear picture of why we celebrate the Eucharist; and what the Catholic Faith means, not only to them but also to the rest of their extended Church family.

The celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil is followed by a period of continued catechesis when the children are encouraged to enter more deeply into the community and the celebration of the sacraments.

Call the Religious Education Office for additional information, 916.482.8883