Sacramental Program

INTRODUCTION

Holy Family Catholic Primary School engages students in a contemporary and meaningful Religious Education Program. The RE Program especially seeks to help students grow in recognising the link between ‘faith’ and ‘life’. As a school, we especially recognize the following aims of our Religious Education program.

  • Develop in the students a love of God and others.
  • Encourage and assist students in their growth to Christian Maturity – a growth that will culminate in their free commitment, in faith, to Jesus, within the Church.
  • Assist parents in the education in faith of their children.
  • Explore the “Languages of Faith” (Scripture, Doctrine, Liturgy and Life Experience) to describe the ways in which God is revealed.
  • Use student life experiences to develop understanding of the Mystery of God.
  • Reflect on the Word of God given to us in Sacred Scripture.
  • Study the Word of God given to us in the Tradition.
  • Help students understand the teachings of the Church.
  • Assist students in celebrating, understanding and reflecting on the Sacraments.
  • Celebrate liturgy.
  • Develop the prayer life of students.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS

Holy Family Catholic Primary School participates in the Cathedral Parish Sacramental Program. This is a co-operative program involving the Parish and our Parish Schools. The Sacramental Program is a good example of the Catholic Schools, Parish Priest and Parish staff working closely together. Sacramental grades include:

  • Confirmation - Year 6
  • First Holy Communion - Year 3
  • Penance - Year 2

The Sacramental preparation takes place through a Parish-School based program, one that seeks to include the parents (who are the prime educators in faith) and the wider church community.

The in-class Sacramental teaching program is based on the Bathurst Diocesan RE Program and is implemented prior to the reception of the Sacrament. The St’s Michael and John’s Cathedral (William Street) is the main venue for the celebration of the reception of Sacraments.

The Cathedral Parish holds parent information meetings prior to the time of Sacramental reception. It is vitally important that parents attend these evening meetings. Following the meeting for each Sacrament, parents are invited to take their child to an ‘Enrolment Ceremony’, which is held within all Parish Masses on two set weekends. The parish community supports the children preparing for each Sacrament.

The Sacramental Program is an excellent example of the link between school and parish.

Each Sacramental liturgy is planned and acted upon by the Sacramental teachers and the Religious Education Co-ordinators in consultation with the Parish Priest.

A Sacramental Calendar is published early in the year.