Sacrament of Reconciliation
Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is provided to students at St. John's/Holy Rosary in the second grade.  The Diocese of Duluth requires that the following curriculum standards be taught in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation:
1. God gives us the freedom to make choices.
2. The Holy Spirit helps us to make right choices.
3. If we are sorry, God will always forgive us when we make
wrong choices.
4. Sin is a break in our relationship with God.
5. God wants us to forgive others.
6. God forgives us in many ways.
7. We can say we are sorry to God with an Act of Contrition.
8. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the ordinary means of forgiveness.
9. There are other times we ask forgiveness such as the penitential rite in the Mass.
10. Jesus gave us the gift of the forgiveness of sins when He appeared to the Apostles at the resurrection.
11. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing and a sign of God's mercy and love.
12.The sacrament of Penance celebrates our conversion and God's
love and forgiveness.
13.The sacrament of Penance welcomes us back to close
friendship with God and the community.
14.Reconciliation frees us from sin and gives us grace, God's own
life.
15. The priest is our friend and stands in place of Jesus in the sacraments.
16.  Reconciliation is necessary for the forgiveness of mortal sin and helpful for the forgiveness of venial sin and the strengthening of virtue.
17.  Jesus gave the priest the power to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
18.  Regular confession is a way to grow in faith.
19. We examine our conscience to prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
20. The Ten Commandments are good guides for the examination of conscience.
21.  The penance given to us by the priest is a good way to make up for our sins.
22. The steps in the rite of reconciliation are:

• Confessing our sins.
• Accepting a penance
• Praying an Act of Contrition
• Receiving absolution
• Practicing penance

Students should be familiar with the following prayers:
Sign of the Cross
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Angel of God
Act of Contrition


First Eucharist
Eucharistic preparation is provided to students at St. John's/Holy Rosary in the second grade.  The Diocese of Duluth requires that the following curriculum standards be taught in preparation for First Eucharist:
1. We bless food in our families.
2. Jesus blessed food before He gave it to people.
3. At the last supper, Jesus changed bread and wine into His body and blood.
4.  We call the sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus the Eucharist.
5.  The Mass is the most important prayer of the Catholic Church.
6.  In celebrating the Mass, Jesus shows His care for the people of God.
7.  The Eucharist is our celebration of unity, reconciliation, and peace.
8.  In the Liturgy of the Word, we hear the gospel stories about Jesus.
9.  In the Scriptures, Jesus teaches us that He is the Bread of Life.
10.  In the Liturgy of the Euchariast, we remember and give thanks for Jesus death and resurrection.
11.  At Mass, Jesus is present in the Word of God and the Eucharist.
12.  The bread and wine of the Eucharist are consecrated by the priest; through the power of the Holy Spirit, these gifts of bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Jesus.
13.  The priest repeats Jesus' words and actions through the Eucharistic Prayer.
14.  The Mass commemorates Jesus' sacrifice.
15.  The Mass is both meal and sacrifice.
16.  At Mass we remember the last supper;  we share the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion.
17.  Jesus gives Himself to us as food at every Mass.
18.  We should receive Him often and worthily.
19.  Jesus is truly present in the Blessed sacrament.
20.Our Church celebrates advent, Christmas, lent, holy week, Easter and special holy days and honors Mary, the Mother of God and saints.
21.The parts of the Mass are:
• The gathering in which we come together to pray as one family.
• The readings through which we listen to God's Word.
• The presentation and preparation of the gifts in which we get ready to
thank God and offer ourselves with Jesus to the Father.
• The Eucharistic Prayer in which, at the consecration the bread and wine
become the body and blood of Jesus.
• The reception of communion in which we receive Jesus.
• The dismissal in which we are blessed to go out and help others.

Students should be familiar with the following prayers:
Sign of the Cross
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Responses of the Mass
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament


For complete information regarding preparation for Reconciliation and First Eucharist go to Duluth Diocese website