It's all About Loving Jesus!Sacramental preparation needs to teach children details about their faith, but we also need to help them (and their parents!) fall deeper in love with Jesus.
A Personal RelationshipAs Pope Francis continues to remind us, Christianity is first and foremost about a relationship with Jesus. Everything we do flows from that. This is why we include prayer celebrations in our sessions and encourage children (and their parents!) to write prayer intentions and letters to Jesus.
PrayerPrayer is key to loving Jesus, so we encourage different ways to pray. We need to help families make prayer part of the rhythm of their lives. Traditional memorized prayers are one way we help introduce prayer to children. We also share many other fun and creative ways to pray that can really engage children and their parents.
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Knowing Jesus Through ScriptureOne of the best ways to know and love Jesus better is through Scripture. This is why Scripture is a key component of all of our sessions, but it's also the reason we put so much emphasis on reading the Bible and bringing it to life at home.
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Parents, Too!We are not just trying to get children to love Jesus, but also their parents. Many complain that we see so few families return to the parish after they complete sacramental preparation. Cramming more facts in their heads is unlikely to change that, but encouraging an active relationship with Jesus will make a difference. Remember, children can't drive themselves to Mass!
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