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Betsy
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| Posted: July 22 2006 at 8:18pm | IP Logged
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I will be preparing my son for First Communion and First Confession next year. I have quite the list of activities for First Communion prep but nothing really for confession. I would like to know what others have done for preparation for First Confession. Thanks!
Betsy Shamine
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Maddie
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| Posted: July 22 2006 at 9:41pm | IP Logged
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A dear elderly lady who helped me prepare my children for Confession had them make a Sacrament of Penance Treasure Box.
She used brown paper cut and folded in the shape of a treasure chest. Then she glued gold ribbon on the treasure box cut out to make it look like the straps on a chest. A minature lock was glued on the front, this can be found in the jewlery section (I think they're called minature charms) at Michaels. The words "Sacrament of Penance" was typed in a fancy ancient looking font and glued to the front on the treasure chest.
On the inside of the chest were pieces of paper (cardstock or poster quality) cut into jewel shapes like diamonds for example. On the pieces of paper she glued "jewels". (They can be bought by the bag full at craft stores.)On each piece of paper she wrote the "treasures" of Confession:
Increases my treasures in heaven
Helps me say no to sin
Makes my soul more beautiful
Takes away my sins
Restores grace to my soul
Helps me to be good
My children loved the craft and referred to it often while preparing for Confession.
"My Confession Book" by Sister M. Andrine Welters, O.S.B. is my favorite little preparation book for children. Tan sells them for about $2.
Not sure this craft explaination makes sense. I wish I could take a picture of it for you!
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~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: July 22 2006 at 11:29pm | IP Logged
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Oh How beautiful! Please take a picture of it for me! I am sure we all want to see! It is ALMOST as good as touching it ourselves. I know this idea will help my very hands-on large motor boy as he prepares for his First Penance. Please keep sharing such "treasures"! THANK YOU!!  
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God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 9dc!!
Finding Elegant Simplicity
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 23 2006 at 2:26am | IP Logged
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Love the idea of the treasure box. I'll remember that one for my next one. Can I print it out for saving?
We also made a booklet of the 10 commandments - really it was rather simple and since none of us were artists it wasn't all that beautiful, but served a purpose. As we talked about each commandment, I wrote it in big block print on the bottom of a piece of construction paper (this could be used as copywork but since mine really resisted the actual physical aspect of writing, I did that for them on this project to make it more enjoyable). My dc then found pictures to glue on as illustrations of what the commandment said to do, and then we found illustrations of what the commandment said not to do and crossed out these glued on pictures of what it said not to do. Obviously, we kept this at a level appropriate for the child and didn't sweat if we didn't have something for every single thing it said not to do, but appropriate and meaningful ones for that dc. We bound it together and my dc used it to review the commandments (and with the pictures, every time he reviewed the words, he was reviewing what it meant).
We also went to the church and went into the confessional and gave the child a chance to see where the priest would sit and where he would be. We let him do some dry runs - without the actual confession of sins of course.
We felt a really good retreat preparation was to go to the church and pray the stations of the cross.
We got to the church extra early for First Confession so that the child would have time to really prepare - and they often asked for some help with this (not me telling them sins - but whispered review of the Ten Commandments which they knew but usually liked my going over them again) and some time to pray and think about Jesus dying for our sins.
We wanted to mark First Confession as a very special moment, so we did have a special plan for afterwards and a small, religious gift (rosary or sacrifice beads or crucifix). We generally go out to eat as a family after we have all been to confession on our child's First Confession Day. We almost never eat out, so this is pretty special for us.
Janet
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Taffy
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| Posted: July 23 2006 at 9:43am | IP Logged
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I love this treasure box idea! Thanks for posting it!
And the idea for the ten commandments is great too - another post to print...
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Susan
Mom to 5 on earth and 1 in heaven
Susan's Soliloquy
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Betsy
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| Posted: July 23 2006 at 12:40pm | IP Logged
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Thanks so much for the Treasure Box idea, we will definately do that.
Are there any suggestions for good literature to go with First Confession or Special Saints?
Betsy
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Maddie
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| Posted: July 23 2006 at 2:49pm | IP Logged
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I'm so pleased you all liked the craft. I can't take credit for it, this elderly lady is a gem and is full of faith inspiring ideas.
Just a quick note on the treasure box idea. You could easily bypass making the box with brown construction paper and buy those $1 wooden boxes Michaels sells and decorate that instead.
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~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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Jen L.
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| Posted: July 23 2006 at 9:11pm | IP Logged
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I really like the readings that come with the 2nd grade CHC curriculum. I know several people who bought it simply for the 1st Communion and 1st Confession prep.
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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MaryMary
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| Posted: July 23 2006 at 11:27pm | IP Logged
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I love, love, love the treasure box idea, as well!
Another idea, emphasizing the cleansing and healing aspect of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to draw an image of a girl or boy on white poster board. It will need to be a good size, maybe two feet tall by one foot wide. Colour in the eyes, hair, shoes, etc., but leave the clothing the colour of the white board. Cut out and laminate the drawing.
When presenting the lesson, begin by talking about your child's baptism, specifically mention the significance of the white garment that they wore on that day. In the baptismal rite, that white garment is a symbol that the baptized has been clothed in Christ, making them a new creation. The priest charges the parents and godparents to ensure that this baptismal garment is brought "unstained to the judgement seat of our Lord Jesus Christ" so that they may have everlasting life.
Really emphasize that this garment is also representative of our souls, which we must "bring unstained to the judgement seat" on the day that we die.
Having explained this, turn toward the laminated drawing of the child and point out the "white garments" that he/she is wearing. Then explain how our white garments are stained by sin. Using a black wipe-off marker, write the names of certain sins on the white garment part of the boy/girl, such as "lying" "disobeyed parents" etc. (This pre-supposes some kind of talk about sin and the ten commandments)
Then tell them that God in his loving mercy has given us a way to CLEAN OUR GARMENTS! Because He loves us so deeply He gives us a way to wash away our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation!! At that point, using a nice white cloth, lovingly rub away the black stains,(or have your child do it) put on some bright lipstick (beforehand)and kiss the spots where the black marks had been, leaving bright kiss marks where the "sins" once were. Show your child that, not only is the garment white and beautiful again, but God has given us something in return, the grace to help us not repeat those sins again (represented by the kiss marks).
You may want to break this lesson up a bit, maybe by discussing the white garment one day (even looking at pictures of that child's baptism), and then on another day discussing sins, etc. You may need to elaborate on certain parts depending on the previous knowledge of your child. I saw this lesson done by our school DRE with my second grade class and the visual impact of her writing and erasing the sins was very powerful for them.
Also, when drawing the image of the boy or girl, ensure that it is not drawn in the likeness of your child, with any distinctive marks that your child would possess. You don't want your child to feel implicated of any of this sins that you write on the cardboard character! You may avoid this by giving the character a name that is not related to anyone in your close circle of family or friends!
It's late and I'm so sorry if this is getting incoherent. I hope this was clear and helpful enough to all of you!
Mary
Mom 2 3 [:)] [:)] [:)]
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: FIrst Confession Preparation
