Families must assemble and return banners by this date. These are required to reserve seating for the ceremony.
Parents are welcome to attend. Fr. Jaison will provide final instructions to the children.
Full details to follow in separate communication.
Dear First Communion Families,
Attendance at our Parish Penance & Reconciliation event is required for all First Communion candidates. This sacred Lenten experience will guide your child in receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time as they prepare for the Eucharist.
Visiting priests will be available to hear confessions, and parents are warmly encouraged to participate as well. We look forward to sharing this special evening of God’s mercy and grace with your family. 💜
Our celebration of First Holy Communion on Sunday, May 3, 2026, during the 11:00 AM Mass is quickly approaching. As families begin preparing for this beautiful sacrament, we want to share a few attire guidelines for our young ladies so you may plan ahead, especially while Easter sales are available.
Attire for First Communion Girls
White dress A traditional symbol of purity and joy as the children receive the Eucharist for the first time.
White shoes Simple and comfortable for the Mass and procession.
Veils and gloves These are traditional but not required.
We warmly welcome family traditions, such as passing down a special dress or veil from a sibling or relative. If you plan to do so, this is a good time to ensure it fits well and is in good repair.
As many of you know, once we move past Easter the calendar quickly fills with school testing, field trips, and end-of-year activities. Preparing early can help ease the busy weeks ahead and allow families to focus on the spiritual joy of this milestone.
First Communion is a beautiful and sacred moment in your child’s faith journey, and we look forward to celebrating it together as a parish family. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Gabriel.
Dear Families,
As we are preparing for First Communion on Sunday, May 3, 2026, 11:00am Mass, we want to ensure you have time to prepare for the special event as well as take advantage of Easter sales for suites.
First Communion Attire for Boys:
Dark suits (slacks and jacket) Symbolizing the seriousness of their commitment.
White shirts Representing purity.
Red ties A reminder of the Holy Spirit guiding them through life.
We understand that families may have traditions of their own, and we do not want this standard to create any hardship. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Gabriel.
Today in CCE, we took a deep dive into the Ten Commandments, the loving guidelines, God gave us to help keep us close to Him and to one another.
Your child learned that there are 10 Commandments, and that they are divided into two important parts:
These commandments help strengthen our relationship with God:
1) Put God first
2) Speak God’s name with love and respect
3) Keep the Lord’s Day holy
4) Honor our parents
5) Respect life
6) Keep our promises
7) Respect others’ belongings and hard work
8) Always tell the truth
9) Celebrate others’ loving relationships
10) Be grateful for our blessings
We discussed how choosing wrong actions (or failing to do good) creates sin, which can make us feel heavy, sad, or distant from God. But God does not want us to stay in those feelings. God created us for joy, peace, love, and freedom, and through the Sacraments, He helps restore us.
Since August, our CCE Class has been growing in faith, confidence, and joy. The children learned to make the Sign of the Cross in both English & French. They can recite the foundational prayers of our faith which are The Lord's Prayer, The Glory Be, and The Hail Mary (mostly ☺️).
Your children learned Jesus was born into a family and lived on earth just like them! He understands their fears, loneliness, and challenges, and He is always present to help and guide them. The children practiced the four types of prayer: Adoration, Confession (saying they are sorry), Thanksgiving, and Supplication (asking for help), and created their own rosaries, learning how to pray with them.
Our class now understands that there are seven Sacraments in the Church. They know they have already received Baptism and are actively preparing for First Reconciliation and First Communion. During Advent, they made their own Advent wreaths and learned the deeper meaning of the season, which is waiting, hope, and preparation for the return of Jesus Christ, culminating in the joyful celebration of Christmas. With patient hearts and growing faith, they are ready to step into the new challenges of 2026.
You should be incredibly proud of your children and the growth they’ve shown this year. Their progress reflects not only their curiosity and effort, but also your patience, encouragement, and steady support. These children are smart, capable, and truly amazing.
All that hard work came together in a joyful and meaningful celebration on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, during our Christmas Eve Program. It was a beautiful way to close the year and witness their confidence, commitment, and joy shine. They did a wonderful job & I am so very proud of them.
Alongside the Christmas Eve performance video, I’ve included footage from a rehearsal to honor the children who worked diligently but were traveling and unable to attend that evening. Their efforts mattered, and they are an important part of this story.
Families are warmly invited to share photos from the evening to be posted on the class website only, as we continue to celebrate these memories together.
Rejoice December 14, 2025 is
Gaudete Sunday - The Rose (Pink) candle.
The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice," signaling a shift from penitential reflection to joyful anticipation as Christmas nears.
It's marked by lighting a rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath (instead of the usual purple) and often features priests wearing rose vestments, symbolizing the hope and nearness of Christ's birth
During the second week of Advent we are reminded to work towards Peace on earth. The children gathered in the sanctuary to listen to Sister Josephine explain the symbolism in the Advent Wreath.
First Sunday we light a purple candle for Hope
Second Sunday we light a purple candle for Peace
Third Sunday we light a pink (rose) candle for Joy
Fourth Sunday we light a purple candle for Love
You may add a single middle candle that represents Jesus the Light of the World.
Adapt the symbolism: A fund theme shouldn't negate the symbolism of the wreath. The four candles should still represent hope, peace, joy, and love, and your wreath should always have space for Christ as the the center.
The Church in its great wisdom has designed the liturgical calendar with the human spirit in mind. The liturgical calendar is usually pictured as a circle. This is a reminder that life is a cycle filled with the promise of new things like the birth of your child, then we get into the routine of living our ordinary lives (work, school, church repeat), and inevitably there will be a time to grieve. We may need to grieve the loss of a loved one, a job, a home, or relationship. it is important that we take the time in each part of this cycle to experience the fullness of God's love through all of it.
This video can be used to help with practicing the ALS song the class will perform, Yes! Jesus Loves Me. We will continue to work together in class each week to get ready for the Advent Season performance, but please make sure your child is also practicing at home.
This is the full prayer in French along with the words in both French and English. The native French speaker keeps a calm and patient pace. Please allow your child to practice the Sign of The Cross and the first line of the prayer which is the first 22 seconds of this video.
We will continue to work line-by-line together in class, and I will release additional videos of my children each time we move to a new part of the prayer.
The full prayer is 47 seconds. If your child is feeling more confident and you recognize they are ready please feel free to let them try more
🌟 October 5, 2025 Following the 8:30 a.m. Mass, our CCE families gathered in the sanctuary for our Parent & Child Town Hall. We introduced the new My Mass Passport attendance program developed in response to parent feedback and new Archdiocesan accountability guidelines. We hope this initiative will be embraced with enthusiasm by both parents and children!
📿The event also featured a beautiful presentation by our Middle School class honoring Holy Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Rosary. Their reflection reminded us of Mary’s faith-filled “yes” and her example of prayerful devotion.
📢 The session included a Q&A period, and CCE leadership plans to host additional town halls throughout the year to keep families informed and open the door for suggestions.
📅 Next Class (October 12): No assignment is due. We’ll explore the Hail Mary as a prayer of supplication (petition).
🎬 Families can now view our A.C.T.S. Prayer sizzle reel featuring student video submissions on the website below.
We’re excited to share a new initiative this year the My Mass Passport!
As part of our CCE program, attending the 8:30 a.m. Mass is an essential part of your child’s faith formation. Mass is where our children learn the prayers, responses, and rhythms of Catholic worship. It’s also where they encounter Jesus in Word and Sacrament, not just in the classroom.
Each child will receive a My Mass Passport journal.
After 8:30 a.m. Mass each Sunday, children will bring their passport to be stamped or signed.
This simple ritual helps make Mass attendance fun, personal, and easy to track.
At the end of the CCE year (April 19, 2026), completed passports will be recognized with certificates and special awards.
In previous years, parents were asked to sign children in before Mass. We listened to your feedback and want to make the process easier while keeping the focus on your child’s active participation in the Mass itself.
Help your child remember their passport each week.
Encourage them to take pride in presenting it after Mass.
Support them in understanding that Mass is the most important classroom we have.
Thank you for partnering with us to nurture the faith of our children and make Sunday worship a joyful part of their spiritual growth.
Sunday, September 28th, our class explored prayer through the acronym A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). The children shared their family tree projects and practiced offering prayers in each style, showing beautiful engagement and patience with one another.
This Week's Assignment: Please video your child demonstrating any one of the ACTS prayer types (examples: saying grace, a short confession, or a prayer request). Upload via Talking Points or email to gabrielgirlz@gmail.com
Trevelyan
Amber
Xenia
Addison
A – Adoration: Telling God how great He is.
C – Confession: Saying sorry for things we’ve done wrong.
T – Thanksgiving: Thanking God for His blessings.
S – Supplication: Asking God (or Mary and the Saints) to help us.
Adoration: “Lord, You are so good and loving!”
Confession: “Lord, please forgive me for being mean to my sister.”
Thanksgiving: Saying grace before a meal.
Supplication: “God, please help my grandma feel better.”
Have fun! You can record it at home with your family’s help. 💙
Sunday, September 28th, our class will begin exploring the topic of prayer.
We will review the two assigned prayers, The Sign of the Cross (with motions) and The Doxology Prayer, The Glory Be (Gloria Patri)
Together, we will take a closer look at the meaning of each prayer and then discuss the four types of prayer by intentions (ACTS)
The acronym ACTS helps us remember the four different types of prayer intentions
Video Homework for this week (September 21–27): If you can't hire Ryan Coogler or Ava DuVernay impression, just do your best! 😁.
We would like a video of your child reciting the words and making the Sign of the Cross. You child should also recite the second prayer, The Glory Be.
You can can produce one video or two separate videos if the upload is a challenge.
Submitting the assignment: Videos may be shared through the Talking Points App (preferred) or emailed directly to gabrielgirlz@gmail.com
Our class began presenting Family Tree projects on Sunday, September 14th, and we loved hearing the stories shared! On Sunday, September 21st more of our classmates presented their Family 🌳. We will make time on Sunday, September 28th for more presentations!
Avé
Carrington
Jaxson
Daisy
Savannah
Christina
Aiden
Augusta
On Sunday, September 14, 2025, we also explored the Circle of Grace lesson, a program taught across all CCE classes in the Archdiocese.
Together, we learned about respecting the personal space God gives each of us. The children practiced identifying their own “circle” and were reminded that they have the right to say, “I feel uncomfortable” or “please step back.” They know that every caring adult, especially their teacher, will always protect their sacred circle of grace.
As always, parents were welcomed in at the end of CCE class for a summary of the lesson, the assignment for next Sunday, and a reminder of important dates.
A PDF of today's handout is also available through TalkingPoints application and the most significant information has also been posted below.
Jesus was a real person that was born, lived and died right here on planet earth. His life story is has been chronicled in the Holy Bible which is divided into two major parts: Old Testament & New Testament.
Old Testament details the world before Jesus was born. It details the history of His cultural ancestors and provides instructions of how to live a good and blessed life during that time. We still use this framework to help order our lives today.
New Testament details the life of Jesus, His teachings, and Sacrifice. We learn about the struggles of the early Christian church as it builds on the Biblical culture foundation and expands the message of love and salvation inviting all people to join the church lead by His apostles. We are members of that same Catholic (Universal) Church family today.
🌿 Grandparents’ Day in Our CCE Class 🌿
Thank you to all the grandparents who joined us in class on Sunday, September 7, 2025. The children were so proud to introduce you and share stories from your childhood. We loved learning about how you grew up, the games you played, and the memories you treasure. Your presence made our lesson truly special. We are grateful for your wisdom, love, and example. May God bless and keep you until we gather again for First Communion in May 2026!
Addy's grandmother's told us her favorite song is, "This Little Light of Mine". She was blessed to be born after schools were integrated.
Avé's grandfather was born in Germany and she had two amazing great-grandparents! Her great-grandmother was a member of the Great 2888
Savannah's grandmother was born on the beautiful Island of St. Lucia and loves to play Cricket!
Dallas' grandmother grew-up without her grandparents, so she has dedicated her life to being the best grandmother! 🥰
Parents are always welcome to visit or join our CCE classroom; whether for a single Sunday or every week! There will be occasional opportunities to help with activities, such as distributing treats or assisting during lively lessons, but you are invited to sit in anytime.
We understand that Faith is a journey. As CCE teachers, we are entrusted with teaching Church doctrine using age-appropriate language, encouraging questions, and providing thoughtful answers about the Catholic Faith. We also honor the diverse faith traditions in your family. Please feel free to share these with me so we can help your child understand and integrate their learning respectfully, without placing them in opposition to their family’s beliefs.
All families are expected to attend the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Youth Mass. These early services include opportunities for our parish children to participate as readers, ushers, altar servers, choir members, and as honored members of Jr. Knights or Jr. Daughters. However, our 2nd grade Sacrament candidates may only begin these roles after receiving First Communion.
Our 2nd grade candidates & their families may be selected to bring up the gifts during Mass. Attending Mass regularly helps reinforce prayers and responses, allowing your child to learn the flow of the liturgy.
A few of the things we do as a CCE class include Christmas Eve performance, Up close Sanctuary Field lessons, and Stations of the Cross with Mardi Gras bead rewards for answering questions!
All Reconciliation & First Communion Sacrament candidates must attend the mandatory sacrament retreats.
St Mary's Parish children who also attend the parish school and are taught by Sister Josephine or a different Catholic school that has been communicated to the Mrs. Valier Harrison, DRE. are excused from weekly CCE classes with Mrs. Gabriel
Weekly CCE classes with Mrs. Gabriel does include interesting and extra-curricular activates that your child may want to participate in such as field lessons in the sanctuary, preparation for seasonal performances, and focused preparation for:
First Reconciliation during the CCE Day of Penance March 19,2026 during the Lenten season
First Eucharist celebration May 3, 2026
All candidates must provide a copy of their Baptism certificate. If you need assistance obtaining this, please contact our DRE, Ms. Valerie Harrison, for guidance.
Father Jaison requires that each candidate receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before First Communion. If your child cannot complete the Sacrament with the class during the CCE Day of Penance, Thursday, March 19, 2026, please coordinate with Ms. Valerie Harrison for guidance.
Our projected dates and times for classes, retreats, and Sacrament celebrations are currently under review with Father Jaison. Once approved, dates may still change due to unforeseen circumstances such as weddings, funeral services, or school functions. We coordinate with all ministries as best we can, and we thank you for your patience and flexibility if adjustments are necessary.
Reconciliation Retreat: January 2026 (date TBD)
CCE Day of Penance: March 19, 2026
Eucharist Retreat: March 2026 (date TBD)
Banner Deadline: April 12, 2026
Easter Vigil (OCIC Children): April 4, 2026
First Communion Rehearsal: Saturday, May 2, 2026
First Communion 11:00 a.m. Mass: Sunday, May 3, 2026 – Families arrive at 9:30 a.m. for photos
October 26, 2025 – St. Mary’s Bazaar/Fall Festival
November 30, 2025 – Thanksgiving (First Sunday Advent)
December 28, 2025 – Feast of the Holy Family
January 25, 2026 – Catholic Schools Week
March 29, 2026 – Palm Sunday
April 5, 2026 – Easter Sunday
April 19, 2026 – Final CCE Class & Family Day
Officially CCE classes will end on April 19th.
Our class will meet one final time for a rehearsal on Saturday, May 2nd.
The day before our First Holy Eucharist ceremony!
Your child is responsible for learning the "Sign of the Cross" as part of their CCE Second Grade Sacrament Class curriculum.
This is fundamental to your child's life as a Catholics. This is a verbal and physical profession of faith in God as He has revealed Himself. It serves as an abbreviated form of the Apostles Creed.
As we declare our faith in the Gather, Son, and Holy Spirit we also "make the sign of the cross" by touching our forehead, chest, and shoulders. Please make sure you practice this most fundamental declaration of faith with your child.
Nightly prayer is a wonderful way to end your day showing gratitude to God!
Your child is responsible for learning the standard "The Lord's Prayer" (Our Father prayer) as part of their CCE Second Grade Sacrament Class curriculum.
This prayer is fundamental to your child's life as a Christian. As Catholics we believe this prayer was given to us by Jesus during his Sermon on the Mount. This payer can be found in the New Testament the Gospel according to Luke chapter 11 verses 2 - 4, and the longer version in the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 6 verses 9 - 13.
We find making this prayer a part of our night time routine prior to getting into bed to be very effective. It is a lovely way to help your child end his/her evening in thanksgiving for the blessing of the day.
Your child is responsible for learning the standard "Glory Be" prayer as part of their CCE Second Grade Sacrament Class curriculum.
This prayer is fundamental to your child's life as a Christian. As Catholics we believe this prayer is part of our religious tradition that comes from the Jewish synagogues. St. Paul would often use doxologies similar to the Glory Be in his letters. For Example, he referred to "the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be honor forever and ever".
This short prayer is typically used as a way of ending longer petition prayers. So when your child has prayed from their heart asking for help, support, or a matter of concern they can wrap up the prayer with a "Glory Be", prior to making the sign of the cross and ending the prayer completely.
Your child is responsible for learning the standard "Hail Mary" prayer as part of their CCE Second Grade Sacrament Class curriculum.
This prayer is fundamental to your child's life as a Catholic. We believe this prayer serves as a reminder of the special sacrifice Mary gave willingly as a faithful servant of God.
The words of the prayer are from the Gospel according to Luke in chapter 1 verses 1 - 28 the angel Gabriel was sent to Mary by God, the Father. Angel Gabriel greets her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you".
Additionally when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth according to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1 verses 41 - 42, Elizabeth exclaimed, "Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb".
Creating a routine during morning prayers asking Mary to pray for us during the day can help reinforce this fundamental prayer of our faith.
May we will always say "YES to GOD" as Mary did when she said yes to becoming the mother of Jesus.
To reinforce this prayer you can have your child recite it whenever they would require correction or redirecting for actions deserving of an apology. For example:
Your child's actions result in another child crying. In addition to apologizing with an "I'm sorry" you can use this opportunity to recite the words of the Act of Contrition.
This prayer helps your child hold themselves accountable for their actions against others.
Your child is responsible for learning the standard "The Act of Contrition" prayer as part of their CCE Second Grade Sacrament Class curriculum.
This prayer is fundamental to your child's life as a Catholic. Our faith teaches us it is essential to reaffirm the truth, express our sincere sorrow for past sins, and declare our earnest hope that God's grace will triumph within us and we will avoid sin in the future.
Your child will make their First Reconciliation during the Lenten Season. Please practice this prayer with them daily so they are prepared when seeking absolution of sin.
The daily news is alarming, and sometimes it feels there is no end in sight, but as Christians we believe in the promise of the Psalm chapter 27 verse 1:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
We will get through this as a country, community, and church. For children and adults this can be very difficult and scary, but as Catholics we know we can find comfort in traditional prayers.
Adoration & Exaltation Prayers