Coming into the Catholic Church — Baptised Children

Preparing for First Confession, Reception, Confirmation and First Holy Communion

If your child is aged seven or over, was validly baptised in another Christian Church or ecclesial community, and now wishes to become Catholic, they are very welcome.

Your child is already baptised and already Christian. The Catholic Church recognises the real bond with Christ created by every valid Christian Baptism. Baptism is therefore never repeated.

Coming into full communion with the Catholic Church means more than joining a parish, changing schools or receiving First Holy Communion. It means professing the Catholic faith and entering into full visible communion with the Church founded by Jesus Christ: sharing her faith, her sacramental life and her communion with the Pope and the bishops united with him.

The Church does not disregard the Christian upbringing your child has already received. We give thanks for everything that has helped them to know and love Jesus Christ. Their preparation builds upon this foundation and leads them towards the fullness of Catholic faith and sacramental life.

Is this the right pathway for your child?

This preparation is intended for a child who:

  • is aged seven or over;
  • has already received a valid Christian Baptism outside the Catholic Church;
  • has not yet been received into full communion with the Catholic Church;
  • wishes, with the support of their parent or guardian, to become Catholic; and
  • is ready to take part in suitable preparation and attend Sunday Mass.

A child who has reached the age of reason must receive personal preparation. The child should gradually understand the faith they are being asked to profess and should be able to respond to God freely and sincerely.

This is not the correct pathway for every child:

  • If your child has never been baptised, please see BAPTISM FOR CHILDREN AGED SEVEN AND OVER.
  • If your child was baptised Catholic but has not yet received the other sacraments, please see FIRST CONFESSION and FIRST HOLY COMMUNION.
  • If your child was baptised in an Eastern Christian Church, or if you are uncertain whether the Baptism was valid, please speak to the parish priest before beginning any programme.

What are you asking for?

When parents ask for their child to become Catholic, they are asking the Church to prepare the child to make a profession of the Catholic faith and to enter fully into her life.

The child is not simply preparing for a special day. They are preparing for a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ in his Church.

They are being prepared:

  • to believe and profess the Catholic faith;
  • to turn away from sin and seek God’s mercy;
  • to make their First Confession;
  • to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church;
  • to receive the strengthening grace of Confirmation; and
  • to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.

The ordinary sacramental order for a baptised child being received into the Church is:

  1. First Confession
  2. Profession of Faith and Reception into Full Communion
  3. Confirmation
  4. First Holy Communion

Reception, Confirmation and First Holy Communion will ordinarily take place together in the same celebration once the child is properly prepared. The precise arrangements will be made by the parish priest after speaking with the family and examining the child’s baptismal record and circumstances.

Preparation is about readiness

There is no automatic sacramental year and no entitlement to receive the sacraments simply because a child has completed a certain number of lessons.

The Church must have a reasonable assurance that the child understands the faith at a level appropriate to their age, sincerely wishes to become Catholic, participates in Sunday Mass and is ready to live as a member of the Church.

Preparation therefore takes place through:

  • regular attendance at Sunday Mass;
  • prayer at home;
  • conversations with parents and catechists;
  • learning the essential truths of the Catholic faith;
  • preparation for a good First Confession;
  • learning how to participate reverently at Mass; and
  • growing in a real love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Parents remain the first teachers of their children in the faith. The parish supports the family, but it cannot replace the witness of Catholic life in the home.

Our preparation catechism

The parish uses:

Coming into the Catholic Church

A Preparation Catechism for Baptised Children

This catechism provides sixteen guided lessons for the child, their parents and the parish catechist. It covers:

  • God and creation;
  • the Holy Trinity;
  • Jesus Christ and his Church;
  • Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition;
  • Baptism and the life of grace;
  • sin, conscience and the Ten Commandments;
  • First Confession;
  • the Mass and the Real Presence;
  • the profession of the Catholic faith;
  • reception into full communion;
  • Confirmation and the gifts of the Holy Spirit;
  • First Holy Communion;
  • prayer and the Blessed Virgin Mary;
  • the saints and the four last things; and
  • living faithfully as a Catholic.

Each lesson contains clear Catholic teaching, questions and answers to learn, a section for talking together, Sacred Scripture, a practical activity and prayers.

DOWNLOAD THE PREPARATION CATECHISM

A printed copy can also be provided by the parish where needed.

Beginning the journey

The first step is not completing an application form. It is a conversation with the parish priest.

Please contact the parish and provide, as far as possible:

  • the child’s full name and date of birth;
  • the name of the church or community in which the child was baptised;
  • the date and place of Baptism;
  • a copy of the baptismal certificate;
  • details of the child’s present Christian practice;
  • whether either parent is Catholic; and
  • any other sacraments the child may already have received.

The parish priest will then explain the appropriate preparation and the next steps.

Sunday Mass is at the heart of all sacramental preparation. Families should therefore begin attending Mass regularly while enquiries and preparation are taking place.

VIEW SUNDAY MASS TIMES

CONTACT THE PARISH TO BEGIN

Alternatively, contact:

Fr John Owens
john.owens@dioceseofnottingham.uk

Coming_Into_The_Catholic_Church_Child_CatechismDownload