Each ceremony will last approximately 60-75 minutes.

Arrival:  First Communicants should arrive, at the Chapel on the lower level of the church at St. John and at the front of the church at St. Paul, by 8:40 am on Saturday.

Suggested Dress code:  

Girls:  white dress, white shoes, headpiece (flowers, ribbon, veil), please no gloves or purses

Boys:  sport jacket, dress pants, white/light colored dress shirt, tie, dress shoes

Seating:  Children will be sitting with their families at the end of their pew, assigned by lottery prior to rehearsal.  The pew will be reserved for your family and will be identified by your family banner.  A seating directory will be in the gathering area at the rehearsals and at each ceremony.  There will be additional seating beyond the last assigned pew.  Most pews sit 6 - 8 people.  Families with relatives in our program should notify Christina at Christina.Messore@sjspwellesley.org so that we can arrange for pew assignments adjacent to each other.

Pictures:  To maintain the solemnity of the Mass, please be aware that pictures may only be taken during the procession and recession.  No pictures or video cameras are allowed during the Liturgy.  A photographer will take a picture when your child receives Communion and at the end of the ceremony for a group picture.  

Procession: The children will gather in the Chapel at St. John or the front of St. Paul a before the ceremony.  They will process in as a group.  You may take pictures at this time. The children will process to the front of the Church, line up on the steps of the altar and join in the opening hymn.  They will then join you in the family pew for the Liturgy, so please be sure to keep a seat open for them at the end of the pew. 

Communion: At Communion time, the First Communicants will receive the Sacrament before family and friends.   The Sacrament will only be offered in host form at the First Communion ceremony.  A professional photographer will take individual pictures as each child receives First Holy Communion.  The children will then sit in the choir section that will be reserved for them.  They will sing while the congregation receives Communion.  After Communion, they will line up on the steps of the altar for a song and a group photo. 

Recession:  Following the picture, the children will recess out.  You may take pictures at this time.  The children will recess down to the Chapel where you will pick them up.  Please take your child's banner and prayer book home with you as a memento.

Student Participation:  Families will receive an email regarding participation in the ceremony as a reader or gift bearer, please reply to the email with your child's name and role preference.  We will pick names out of a hat and communicate roles prior to the week of rehearsals.

Families: If parents or family members are Eucharistic Ministers or Altar Servers and would like to serve at Mass, or if older siblings would like to distribute programs, please let us know.