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Children's Sacramental PrepTwo-year program to prepare to receive
Baptism*, Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Communion
Registration Re-Opens August 1, 2026 -
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Year One: Reconciliation & Salvation History
For children beginning in 2nd Grade, our Sacramental Preparation program spans two years. During the first year, students study Salvation History and prepare for, and receive, First Reconciliation. Families in Year One must meet the program requirements (listed here). Tuition for Year One is $125 per student.
Unbaptized children, known as catechumens, prepare through the Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC). They receive all three sacraments at the Easter Vigil at the end of their second year in the program—the same year other students receive Confirmation and Eucharist.
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Year Two: Confirmation & First Communion
In the second year, students learn about and prepare to receive Confirmation and First Communion, which are celebrated at the same Mass in the spring. Families in Year Two must meet the program requirements (listed here), and students must have completed Year One to continue in the program. During Year Two, students select a saint name and a Confirmation sponsor. Tuition for Year Two is $125 per student.
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The IHM Children’s Faith Formation Program has two options for Sacramental Preparation:
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In-person classroom instruction
In-person classroom instruction is led by parish volunteers at Immaculate Heart of Mary. Space in in-person classes is often limited, so early registration is encouraged. Registration opens online each year on August 1. Classes are held on Wednesdays, and families may choose the class time that best fits their schedule: 4:30–5:45 pm or 6:30–7:45 pm.
All programs follow the same Year One/Year Two structure, and families may transfer between programs between years if needed.
Register here for In-Person Classroom Program (opens August 1 each year).
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At home/online learning
Children learn using an on-demand online curriculum from St. Mary’s Press and IHM-created lessons with YouTube videos. Parents support their child through the lessons, while the program delivers content online. At-home families must meet the same requirements as in-person families (listed here), and the program aligns with the in-person class schedule for Masses, Retreats, and Sacraments.
This program also follows the Year One/Year Two structure, and children may transfer into or out of it between years.
Register here for At-Home/Online Program (opens August 1 each year).
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Home-Based Program
Our Home-Based Program allows families to begin at any time and complete lessons at their own pace. Students attend and log Masses separately, and parents participate in the “Discovery” class. This option is ideal for families needing flexibility while still completing the full sacramental preparation sequence.
This program also follows the Year One/Year Two structure, and children may transfer into or out of it between years.
Register here for Home-Based Sacramental Preparation (register any time).
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Sacramental Preparation Program Requirements
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Children must complete all lessons in their program. If a child is absent from class, the lesson must be completed online.
Year One:
Reconciliation Unit: 8 lessons
Salvation History Unit: 10 lessons
Year Two:
Confirmation Unit: 4 lessons
Eucharist Unit: 8 lessons
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Children must attend all retreats with a parent or their Confirmation sponsor. The Sacramental Preparation Program includes three retreats over the two years:
Year One: Reconciliation Retreat
Year Two: Confirmation Retreat and Eucharist Retreat (two separate retreats)
Retreats are typically half-day events held on Saturday mornings. Home-Based families may either join the in-person retreats or complete alternative activities as outlined in the curriculum.
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Families must provide the requested documentation:
Baptized children: a copy of the child’s Baptism Certificate
Unbaptized children: a copy of the child’s Birth Certificate
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Families must identify a suitable sponsor for their child in Year Two. The Catholic Church has specific requirements for sponsors; you can learn more here.
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Families must attend a minimum of three First Wednesday Confession and Mass nights each academic year. There are six First Wednesday Masses each year, and students must attend at least three with a family member. These Masses help children who do not regularly attend Sunday Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary become familiar with the church setting and experience the Mass several times before receiving their Sacraments.
This requirement applies to both Year One and Year Two programs. Home-Based families complete this requirement independently using a Mass Log provided by the program, and the Home-Based program requires attendance at eight.
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Parents are required to participate in adult program offerings, called Parent Encounters. Parents may choose which offering to attend, and many options will be available. Classroom volunteers and trained Guides automatically fulfill this requirement through their program work.
Home-Based families complete this requirement by participating in a Discovery Small Group (or through OCIA/Welcome Home). Contact Tyler to learn more.
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In Year Two, students select a saint for their Confirmation name and complete a Saint Poster Project. Saint names should be chosen from those who are beatified or canonized in the Catholic Church. The Saint Poster Project helps children learn more about their chosen saint in preparation for Confirmation and First Communion.
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Students participate in a Student/Family Interview at the end of Year Two. A Study Guide is provided at the start of Year Two, and interview questions focus on reviewing major learning objectives. Interviews are conducted with the student’s teacher, and parents attend as well.
For Home-Based Program students, the interview is conducted with the parents and the program director.
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Why is ConifrmatioN being received in Elementary School?
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Sacramental Preparation & “The Restored Order”
You may be wondering why your child will receive Confirmation in elementary school, especially if you were confirmed as a teenager. In May 2015, Archbishop Samuel Aquila issued a pastoral letter calling for the restoration of the Sacraments of Initiation to their original order: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist—often referred to as the Restored Order.
All parishes in the Archdiocese of Denver implemented the Restored Order by Archbishop Aquila’s 2020 deadline. As a result, Immaculate Heart of Mary’s Children’s Faith Formation program follows a two-year sacramental preparation process, with children receiving Confirmation and First Communion at the same Mass at the end of their second year.
Sacramental preparation begins in 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 Eucharist). The first year, Year One: Reconciliation and Salvation History, focuses on foundational formation and First Reconciliation. Children who meet program requirements in Year One may continue into Year Two: Confirmation and First Communion.
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FAQs
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Children age 7 and older who have not yet been baptized enter the program as OCIC catechumens (Order of Christian Initiation for Children). Over the course of the two-year program, OCIC catechumens prepare for an additional sacrament: Baptism.
OCIC catechumens participate in the same classes as children who are already baptized, but they also take part in several additional rites. During Year One, they receive the Rite of Welcome, which is celebrated in the spring. In Year Two, they participate in the Rite of Election, a special liturgy held at the cathedral, where they are formally called by the Archbishop.
During the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent, children preparing for Baptism receive additional blessings and anointings at Mass. At the conclusion of Year Two, OCIC catechumens receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil (the Saturday night before Easter).
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If your child is transferring to our program from another parish and has already prepared for and received First Reconciliation, please contact Kit to review transfer requirements. Depending on prior formation, some students may be asked to complete an additional online course in Salvation History before entering the program.
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If your child is under seven years of age, contact our Family Life Director Susan Anderson for information about the Sacrament of Baptism.
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Both programs allow students to complete sacramental preparation at home, but they differ in structure and expectations:
At-Home/Online Learning Program: Follows the same schedule as the in-person program, typically September through May. Students participate in the same half-day retreats, attend some First Wednesday Masses, and parents complete the same adult formation requirements. Lessons are delivered online using St. Mary’s Press curriculum and IHM-created videos, with parental support.
Home-Based Program: Offers maximum flexibility. Families may begin at any time and complete lessons at their own pace. Students attend and log Masses separately, and parents participate only in the Discovery class. Retreats and other program activities are completed independently, with guidance provided in the curriculum.
All programs follow the same Year One/Year Two structure, and families may transfer between programs between years.
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