Session Four: Friendship & Respect

On Wednesday 4th December 2024 we had our fourth session of the ‘Heart Speaks to Heart’ programme, preparing our children for their first Reconciliation. The theme was “Friendship and Respect – Turning to God.”

We began the session discussing how we were feeling about making our First Reconciliation and preparing for the special day.   The children contributed their thoughts, and we discussed what we could do to prepare ourselves for this special sacrament.  We then talked about the virtues of Friendship and Respect and how by reflecting these virtues in our everyday life they can help us to be more like Jesus.

 

We watched a video about Zacchaeus and how Jesus made friends with him, we then separated into smaller groups to share our thoughts about the Bible story.  We talked in our small groups about the stages of Reconciliation and considered the words of confession, penance, contrition, examination of conscience and absolution.  At the end of the session, we practised our singing and reading for the Mass on the following Saturday night.

 

On Saturday 7th December at the 5.30pm Vigil Mass the children opened the celebration with the Hymn: Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.  They all did a fantastic job singing in front of the congregation led by Michelle.  The children also participated in the Mass through Readings and bidding prayers.