A lot goes into helping children get ready for their First Reconciliation and First Communion.

Preparing to go to your first Reconciliation can be intimidating. There is a lot to understand and remember. Beyond that, it can just be scary. Admitting to sin is something we all struggle with. Renewed: Your Journey to First Reconciliation offers children and their parents an engaging, interactive way to grow in their understanding of God’s love and mercy. It helps prepare them for what comes next.

The first time we encounter the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is a beautiful and powerful moment in the life of every Catholic. Children preparing to receive their first Holy Communion can sometimes miss just how special this moment is amid all the hustle and bustle of that First Communion Day. Received: Your Journey to First Communion helps children understand and appreciate the incredible gift we’re offered in the Eucharist.

Children and their parents will come away with a deeper love and gratitude for these transformative sacraments.

These programs have been granted:

• Nihil Obstat
• Imprimatur
• Inclusion on the USCCB Conformity List

• The Online Leader's Access gives leaders access to a digital version of the Leader’s Guide as well as all of the student videos, the parent information session and materials, and the retreat guide and materials. This specially developed online access integrates the various resources for each lesson to simplify lesson planning (assessments, lesson goals, activities, student workbook content with leader notes, etc.), making it easier than ever for leaders to plan and implement each lesson.
• The Leader’s Guide provides an overview and an easy seven-step structure for every lesson. It includes the complete Student Workbook content with wrap-around leader’s notes and helpful items like lesson objectives and interactive activities. It also offers detailed lesson plans for 45-, 60-, 90-, and 120-minute sessions, as well as plans for teaching a lesson over the course of a week in a school setting.
• The Student Workbook is seamlessly integrated with the videos and includes 12 lessons with hands-on activities, prayers, saint connections, main content teaching, visio divina exercises, Bible stories, car conversations, take-home activities, discussion questions, and more.
• The DVD set provides twelve lessons (approximately 3–5 minutes each) and shares the story of Felicity as she prepares to receive her first Reconciliation and first Communion.
• Renewed by Jesus: My Guide to Reconciliation helps children discover the joy and peace that Christ offers us in this beautiful sacrament. This stand-alone book offers them a better understanding of God’s love and mercy through simple analogies and evocative imagery. This book is the perfect size for them to bring right into the confessional and leads them step-by-step through the whole process in simple language.
• Receiving Jesus: My Guide to the Mass helps children become comfortable going to Mass by not only showing them when to sit, stand, and kneel and what to say but also explaining simply why we do the things we do at Mass. They’ll learn about the roles of the different people they see at Mass, like the ushers, lectors, cantors, deacons, and priests. This is the perfect book for them to bring to Mass!
• The Renewed Parent’s Certification Course provides four short sessions that offer spiritual encouragement and refreshment for parents, as well as guidance on how to help their child prepare for Reconciliation. The course includes a digital Parent's Guide. Each lesson in your child’s book has a corresponding section in the Parent's Guide. Parents receive a certificate of completion when they finish the course.
• The Received Parent’s Certification Course provides four short sessions that offer spiritual encouragement and refreshment for parents, as well as guidance on how to help their child prepare for Communion. The course includes a digital Parent's Guide. Each lesson in your child’s book has a corresponding section in the Parent's Guide. Parents receive a certificate of completion when they finish the course.
• Every session of both Renewed: Your Journey to First Reconciliation and Received: Your Journey to First Communion offers a Friend on the Journey section featuring original artwork and reflections on a specific Catholic saint. The Complete Prayer Card Set provides a single copy of the twenty-four prayer cards available, drawn from the 24 lessons in the Renewed and Received programs.

The Online Leader’s Certification is a six-session course that offers leaders a way to quickly and easily train their team to prepare children for both First Reconciliation and First Communion. Your team will receive inspiration and guidance to build up their spirits as they take on this important work. They’ll receive practical guidance on what to expect and how to respond to typical situations that are likely to arise. In the end, your team will come away with an increased sense of confidence and enthusiasm to serve the children and families in your program.