St. Anne’s Catholic Primary School
Sacramental Preparation
At St Anne’s we follow the Archdiocesan Sacramental Programme ‘With You Always’.
‘Jesus spoke to them and said, “I am with you always; yes, until the end of time”
(Matthew 28: 20)
The ‘With You Always’ resource is for children and their parents in school year 4, aged 8–9 who are preparing for Reconciliation and First Communion. The programme aims to:
- engage children in sessions that are welcoming and active
- offer time for children to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ
- help children learn about the Faith and respond to God’s Word in their daily lives
- prepare children for the reception of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist in the primary school years.
The ‘With You Always’ session content is structured into the following modules:
- Come to the water (Sign of the Cross & Family/Baptism).
- Called by name (Names/Saints).
- Come back to me (Sign of Peace & Choices/Reconciliation).
- Reconciliation (First Reconciliation).
- A new way of living (Following Jesus & The Beatitudes).
- Teach us to pray (Prayer & Growth/Lord’s Prayer).
- Jesus brings us together (Jesus Feeds Us & The Triduum & Community/Eucharist).
- Jesus calls us to follow Him (Receiving Holy Communion & Jesus/Eucharist).
Each Session has the same structure:
- Introduction: class teachers deliver a brief welcome to the session and its themes.
- Gathering: children link the session theme with life experience.
- Sharing Scripture and Tradition: children read about Scripture (Old and New Testaments) and Catholic Tradition.
- Responding: children share an activity.
- Celebrating: the class teacher leads prayer in the large group.
- Taking out: sessions end with a task to complete at home during the month.
In St Anne’s School the preparation for the sacraments take place in school and are led by the Y4 class teachers. However, the children and staff are fully supported by Father Godric and the parish of St Anne’s. This begins with a meeting – hosted by Father Godric in the Parish Centre - for parents to explain the preparation and how they can support their child in their faith journey.
The services for the Sacrament of Reconciliation are held in church during the season of Lent – a time for growth and reflection.
The children and their families are then invited to take the next step on their faith journey – the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The children’s first Eucharist will be celebrated with their families at a weekend parish mass in May or June.
They will then celebrate with their school family at a school mass in July.
Sacramental Preparations Photo
