Children&#039;s Sacramental Prep

|||

Facebook YouTube Instagram Flocknote

Children's Sacramental Prep

Two-year program to prepare to receive
Baptism*, Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Communion

Registration Re-Opens August 1, 2026
- Year One: Reconciliation & Salvation History
  
  For children starting in 2nd Grade, our Sacramental Preparation program covers two years. In the first year, students learn about Salvation History and prepare for, and receive, First Reconciliation. Year One families must meet program requirements (listed here). Year One classes are $125 per student.
  
  *Unbaptized children, called catechumens, prepare through the Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC) and receive all three sacraments at the Easter Vigil at the end of their second year in the program, the same year when the other students receive Confirmation and Eucharist.
- Year Two: Confirmation & First Communion
  
  In the second year, students learn about and prepare to receive Confirmation and First Communion (which takes place at the same Mass in the spring). Year Two families must meet program requirements (listed here), and children must complete “Year One” to continue into this year. Year Two students select a Saint Name, a Confirmation Sponsor. Year Two classes are $125 per student.
Why is ConifrmatioN being received in Elementary School?
- Sacramental Preparation & “The Restored Order”
  
  You may be asking why your child is going to receive Confirmation while they are in elementary school, when you yourself received Confirmation while you were a teen. In May of 2015, Archbishop Samuel Aquila released a Pastoral Letter calling for the restoration of “the Sacraments of Initiation to their original order, that is, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist” (this is also referred to as “The Restored Order”).
  
  All churches in the Archdiocese of Denver restored the order of the Sacraments of Initiation to their original order by Archbishop Aquila’s deadline of 2020. As a result, Immaculate Heart of Mary’s Children’s Faith Formation Program is a two-year process, and children receive Confirmation and First Communion at the same Mass at the end of their second year of preparation.
  
  Sacramental Preparation starts for children in the 2nd grade. Over the course of two years, children prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and complete the Sacraments of Initiation (Confirmation and Communion). The first year is called “Year One: Reconciliation and Salvation History.” Children who meet program requirements for their first year are admitted into a second year, called “Year Two: Confirmation and First Communion.”
FAQs
- What if my child hasn't been Baptized?
  Children who are over age 7 and who are not yet baptized join the program as “OCIC” (Order of Christian Initiation for Children) Catechumens. OCIC Catechumens prepare for an additional sacrament over the two years of their study: Baptism. While students preparing for baptism participate in the same classes as those who are already baptized, they do have a few special steps. In their first year (Year One), they will receive a special blessing called the Rite of Welcome, which takes place in the spring of their Year One year. In their final year, toward the end of their studies, Year Two students preparing for baptism participate in a special liturgy called the "Rite of Election" which takes place in the cathedral downtown. They are able to meet and shake hands with the Archbishop. Finally, on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, children preparing for their baptism receive additional special blessings and anointings at Mass. Finally, at the end of their second year, students receive Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil (the Saturday night before Easter).
- What if I am transferring from another parish?
  If your child is transferring to our program from another church and has already prepared for, and received, Reconciliation, please contact Kit for transfer requirements (some students may need to take an additional online course for Salvation History to transfer into our program).
- What about my child under 7 that needs Baptized?
  If your child is under seven years of age, contact our Family Life Director Susan Anderson for information about the Sacrament of Baptism.
The IHM Children’s Faith Formation Program has two options for Sacramental Preparation:
- In-person classroom instruction
  
  In-person classroom instruction where the children are taught by volunteers at the parish. Space is often limited in the in-person classrooms, so early sign-up is encouraged. Registration always opens August 1 online. In-person classes are offered Wednesdays, and families choose a class time that works for them, either 4:30-5:45 pm or 6:30-7:45 pm.
- At home/online learning
  
  At home/online learning where children learn using an on-demand online curriculum through St. Mary’s Press and and an IHM-created curriculum with YouTube lessons. Children in our at home/online program must be supported by parents through lessons, although lesson objectives will be taught using an online format. At-home families still need to meet the same requirements as in-person families (requirements are listed here).
Sacramental Preparation Program Requirements
- Children must complete all lessons.
  If a child is absent from class, they must complete the lesson online. The Reconciliation Unit has eight lessons, the Salvation History Unit has ten lessons, the Confirmation Unit has four lessons, and the Eucharist Unit has eight lessons.
- Children must attend all retreats with a parent or their Sponsor.
  The Sacramental Preparation Program has three retreats over two years: a Reconciliation Retreat in the Year One program, and a Confirmation Retreat and a Eucharist Retreat in the Year Two program. Retreats are usually half day on a Saturday morning.
- Families must provide requested records.
  For baptized children, families must provide a copy of their child’s Baptism Certificate. For un-baptized children, families must provide a copy of their child’s Birth Certificate.
- Families must identify suitable sponsors in Year Two.
  The Catholic Church has specific requirements for suitable sponsors (learn more here).
- Families must attend a minimum of three First Wednesday Confessions and Mass nights.
  There will be six First Wednesday Masses each academic year, and students must attend three of the six with a family member. These Masses help children who do not regularly attend Sunday Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary to become familiar with our church setting, and experience the Mass several times before they receive their Sacraments.
- Parents are required to attend adult program offerings.
  Called “Parent Encounters,” parents can choose which offering to take. Many encounter options will be available. To learn more, contact Tyler. (Note - classroom volunteers and trained Guides automatically complete this requirement through their work in the program).
- Students are required to identify a Saint for their Confirmation Name and complete a Saint Poster Project in Year Two.
  Saint Names can be selected from saints who are beatified or canonized in the Catholic Church. The Saint Poster Project will help children become more familiar with their saint, in preparation for their Confirmation and First Communion.
- Students are required to attend a Student/Family Interview in Year Two.
  These interviews take place at the end of Year Two. A Study Guide will be offered at the beginning of Year Two, and interview questions will focus on reviewing major learning objectives. Interviews take place with a student’s teacher, and their parents attend as well.