by 
 
BERNADETTE WILSON 
 

 
          Welcome to the GOD'S GREATEST GIFT First Communion Programme!  
 
          In the paragraphs below I'll explain how the programme works and how you can mould it to fit the needs of your particular parish. 
 
          The first thing you should know is that this series was designed not only to be instructional, but to be fun for both children and adults. I wanted to design a programme that could be enjoyed and entered into fully by everyone involved. And especially I wanted the children to be able to look back at their participation in the programme and remember what a good time it was. 
 
          GOD'S GREATEST GIFT is primarily a parish-based programme, one in which parents play the key role in preparing their children for First Communion. The format was born out of my experiences leading First Communion programmes here in the U.K. By taking into account the different needs, special traditions and amazing latent talent I found in the many parishes I worked in and visited, I was able to formulate a structure that would work in a variety of circumstances, one that was complete yet very flexible, one that would unleash the talents of all those involved. My own experiences in using the programme, as well as the comments I've received from others who've used it, have all been very positive. I hope the experience will be a positive one for you, too. 
 
          Now, here's how it works . . . 
 

 
          Each child is prepared for First Communion through the efforts of three different groups of people: 1) the child's own family, 2) specially designated members of the child's parish (the catechists), and 3) the parish community as a whole. The members of these groups in the faith community, each with special experiences of what the Eucharist means in his or her own life, all come together to pass on their faith and the Church's tradition on the Eucharist to their young children. It is not individuals preparing children singly and separately. Preparation - the passing on of our faith - is done by families and parish communities together. 
 
          The Eucharist - indeed, the whole of our faith - will only make sense to a child in the context of his or her own family AND community. For it is in these relationships that the children will experience first-hand the poor, the sick, the lonely, the suffering - all those whom Jesus came to serve and save. When the children receive their First Communion, they will become one with this mission of Jesus in a very special way. They need to be able to understand what that mission is. 
 

 
          A good way to help the young people of your parish  understand the mission of Jesus, and thus their own mission upon receiving First Communion, is to explore with them the many gifts that God has given to us, and to make a resolve regarding what our RESPONSE to these gifts should be. GOD'S GREATEST GIFT is based on this concept. It is not just learning ABOUT Jesus. It is the beginning of a commitment TO Jesus, and the work of the Gospel. We learn to become followers of Jesus by respecting the gifts we have been given, by taking care of them, and by sharing them with others.  
 

 
Creation 
Life 
Baptism 
God's Word 
Friendship 
Forgiveness 
Peace 
Joy 
Love 
Thankfulness 
 

 
          The programme consists of ten chapters. Nine of the chapters provide the children with an opportunity to explore a particular gift they have received from God, and what they should do with that gift. (The ninth chapter, "The Greatest Gift", focuses on Jesus in the Eucharist, the gift of Love.) The tenth chapter, which is dealt with AFTER the children have received their First Communion, focuses on what their gift to God might be. 
 
          The programme is designed to be completed in eleven sessions - the introductory session, plus one session per chapter. With each session of the programme, four different "events" take place: 
 

             1. Children's Session  

 
          The children preparing for First Communion meet together in small groups (ideally 6 to 8 per group). Each group has at least one catechist. Together they explore each theme ("gift") through art, drama, discussion and prayer.  
 
          The GGG Catechist's Guide provides a framework of activities for the catechist. Remember that these activities are just suggestions. They may trigger different ideas of your own. If they do, that's great. Use the suggestions you'll find here, along with your own ideas, to construct a session that suits both the time and the resources you have available. I would only ask that you keep the "objectives" and the "framework" in mind, both of which you will find spelled out at the beginning of each chapter. 
 

 
          It is my experience that the children do not all arrive for their scheduled  session at the same time. So I find it helpful to have an activity that the children can come straight into, one which does not need to be done as a group. In "Show and Tell", as the children arrive they are invited to show their GGG Children's Workbook to the catechist. They can also share their work with each other, or spend a few minutes working together on some pages. 
 
          A word of caution here. There will be some children who have not done much work in their book. Be sensitive to this. A child in this situation may feel very uncomfortable about showing his/her book to the other children. The GGG Children's Workbook is central to the home preparation. So if a child consistently comes in with a workbook which has no work done in it, then the parent(s) need to be approached. But it is important that this is done with care. There could be any number of reasons why parents may not be working through the book with their child - language, literacy, family problems, etc. Your approach in this situation should be finding out if any help might be needed. Never look at the workbooks as though you are "checking up." 
 

 
          This is an art project that the child can tackle right at the beginning of the session with very little supervision. It may then be brought into the Friendship Circle to initiate discussion. The artwork may then be either taken home at the end of the session or used to make a display board for the church. 
 

 
          The "Friendship Circle" is central to each session. It is here, in a small group, that the children share with each other their experience of the gift. This section is laid out as a series of questions that the catechist can put to the children to facilitate discussion and to help the children understand some of the important points that need to be made about the gift. 
 
          The children then listen to a story from the Gospels. It is here that the children see, through the teaching and example of Jesus, how to thank God for the gift they have been given and how to share the gift with others. It is through this process that the catechist helps prepare the children for their First Communion and for their lives as followers of Jesus. This part of the session ends with a prayer, to which the children can contribute, thanking God for the gift. 
 
          After the Friendship Circle, the children could be given some refreshments before starting the next part of the session.                             

 
          In each chapter there are four activities which follow the Friendship Circle: 1) display board, 2) frieze, 3) tree of life, and 4) an action. The activity is a way for the children to explore and express their understanding of the gift through art, movement or role play. Choose one activity. 
 

 
          This section serves as a reminder to the catechist to make sure that before the children go home, they are aware of any special instructions for the forthcoming Eucharistic celebration, or anything else they need to know. 
 

 
     A song may be used to end each session. You may choose to use a song during the session, too, just to give things a boost. 
 

 
     Some ideas and suggestions are provided for the catechist on how each particular gift could be celebrated at a Eucharist following the session. 
 

             2. Parents' Session  

 
          In order for the parents to properly support their children as they prepare for First Communion, it is very important that they know about and understand the things that the children are learning. Therefore, at the same time as the children gather for their lessons, the parents also gather (in a different room) to explore the themes on an adult level, through discussion and prayer, and with the support of the other parents whose children are on the programme. Also at this time, the parents are given ideas on how to carry on with the children's preparation during their home session. 
 
          To lead the parents' sessions, you will need to choose a catechist who is experienced in facilitating adult groups, or at least willing to put their head into the lion's den! 
 

             3. Home Session  

 
          The importance of this part of the programme cannot be over-emphasized. It is the children's time at home when they most intimately EXPERIENCE the things they are learning about in their group sessions. For it is with their family that the children first see the gifts of peace, of joy, of love, etc., actually lived out as Jesus taught us. This is not to say that there aren't struggles and failings in family life. But it is the STRIVING for the ideals that is important for the child to see in a family context, and ultimately in the whole parish as well. 
 
          A child's preparation for First Communion should not, indeed CANNOT, take place without the support and involvement of his or her family. Preparation for First Communion is not just an event in the child's life, it is an event in the family's life.  
 

             4. Eucharistic Celebration  

 
          First Communion is also an important event in the life of the whole Eucharistic community. Since the children are being prepared to be further initiated into the local parish, that parish needs to be aware of and be involved in the children's preparation. Therefore each gift, as it is explored by the children, should be celebrated with the whole parish at a Sunday Eucharist.  
 
          You do need to take into account the time restrictions and particular sensitivities in your own parish, but in my experience this practice has been a beautiful opportunity for parish members to recall the gifts in their own lives and recommit themselves to following Jesus' directive to share those gifts. A First Communion programme should have a much more far-reaching effect on the parish than just preparing the children. 
 

 
          It is the members of the Christian community, the families and people of the parish, that pass on the tradition of the Eucharist, as well as their own experience of the Eucharist lived out in faith. 
 
          So, in a word, any of the faithful in the parish - parent, interested adult (don't forget young adults, too!), school teacher, etc. - can be a catechist. The catechist should be a committed Christian, able to work happily and supportively with others, and be able to spare the time needed for the sessions and for preparing for them. The catechist should be a companion, a friend, a guide for the children while on their journey. From the catechists, as well as from the parents, the children will share in the faith-experience of the "elders" in the community and hear the stories of those who have already come to know Jesus "in the breaking of the bread." 
 

 
          Of course! The children's sessions in the GGG Catechist's Guide are intentionally designed for people who've never led a First Communion session before, in order that as many as possible can be empowered. So you'll find lots of really basic instructions throughout - "Now tell the children . . .", "Now invite the children to . . .", and so on. While this makes it much easier for "first-timers" to feel comfortable leading sessions, the experienced catechists will need less direction. 
           
          So, as your catechists become more familiar with the lessons and activities in this book, they should feel free - even encouraged - to change, modify, insert and delete. They should do anything they need that will help them be more effective and more authentic in getting the message across. You'll find lots of spaces for "notes" throughout the book. Use them! Make the programme your own! 
 

 
          In each parish there should be one person assigned the responsibility of coordinating and monitoring the entire First Communion programme. This person is responsible for choosing the catechists, facilitating their training and supporting them throughout the programme; for scheduling the various events in the programme (children's sessions, parents' sessions, parish Eucharists, etc.); for initiating and maintaining communication between  the  various  groups  in the programme;  for coordinating session venue requirements (comfortable meeting areas, necessary equipment and materials, refreshments and hospitality, etc.) - in general, to insure the quality, effectiveness and smooth-running of the programme. While the coordinator is RESPONSIBLE for everything, he or she doesn't DO everything. The coordinator is an "enabler" and an "encourager". A team approach should be taken for all the different tasks that have to be done. 
 

 
          It is important that the coordinator gather all the catechists  together to plan each session. Sessions will run smoother and be more enjoyable if there is a "lesson plan" drawn up based on the decisions taken at the planning session. This also serves to reassure parents that the team is taking a responsible and professional approach, and that each small group of children will have the same input. Before the planning session ends, everyone must be clear about the jobs that need doing and who has volunteered for what. When someone volunteers to be a catechist on the programme it is important to make it clear that he or she will be expected to attend planning sessions. 
 

 
          As soon as a decision has been taken to use the programme, start collecting materials for the activities - art materials, photographs, magazine pictures, music, etc. (You will find a "Materials List" provided for each activity in each chapter.) If you plan ahead, you can save a lot of money on art materials by collecting and saving shoe boxes, cereal boxes, wrapping paper, etc. In two of the parishes where I work, the catechists get together (sometime before the programme begins) and spend a Saturday morning working on the resources they will need in the weeks to come. Some paint rolls of old wallpaper in a variety of different colours with powder paints. Some cut out shapes - fish, flowers, leaves, hearts, stars, etc. Someone  takes the letter stencils and prepares several sets of brightly coloured alphabets to use for making banner headings. We all bring a packed lunch which we share when we're done. Several catechists bring their children to help out.  It's always a fun morning and we all have a great time. 
 

 
          Another thing you'll need to think about well in advance is adequate publicity about the programme. The parish newsletter should be used to advertise the First Communion programme. It should also be mentioned during the announcements at the end of Mass on the Sundays during the enrollment period. Parents should be invited to put their child's name down by filling in an enrollment form. The advertisement should state a closing date for the enrollment forms to be completed and handed in. At some point, before the closing date, there should be a parents information evening. This gives parents an opportunity to find out more about the programme before committing themselves to it. 
 

 
          Plan the evening at a place and at a time that is convenient for most parents. If possible, supervised care should be provided for brothers and sisters so that parents can be on their own during the session.  
 
          At this time the programme coordinator explains how the programme works and what the benefits will be for the  parish in using this particular programme. The parents must be told clearly of the commitment that is being asked of them, i.e., attendance at the sessions for parents, doing the home preparation with their child, attending the Eucharistic celebrations, any financial contribution towards the cost of the programme, etc. They need to know that if they can't make these commitments this year, they are free to choose to wait a year. The parents should be given a list of dates for the various "events" in the programme.  
 
          Take time to introduce all the catechists. Have a break for refreshments and a time for parents to meet the catechists. 
 
          Come together again and allow time for the parents to ask questions and make comments. Some parents may want to hand in enrollment forms at the end of the session. Have one or two catechists available to help with this, and to issue receipts if any money is being collected for books or programme costs. 
 

 
          Once all the children have made their First Communion, invite the parents to comment on the programme. This could be done during the final session ("Our Gift to God") through discussion or a questionnaire. It is good to hear what the children have to say about the programme, too. A format for this has been suggested in the guidelines for the last session. 
 
          It is important that the catechists get together to review the programme. There are different ways to do this but I always try to organise a Catechist's Review Day. We all get away from the parish and spend a day looking back over the programme. We cover every aspect and try to be very honest about our feelings. The coordinator makes out a time-table for the day, allowing people to state their likes and dislikes about planning sessions, children's sessions, parents' sessions, Eucharistic celebrations, communication between the team, etc. We also discuss the comments we've received from the children and their parents. At the end of the day we write down our recommendations and prepare guidelines for next year's programme. Every year we find ways to improve. 
 

           
          Again I say, make the programme your own. My task has simply been to provide you with some strong foundation blocks upon which you can easily build YOUR parish's First Communion Programme. And as you build, as you prepare, take into account the needs and traditions of your parish community, as well as of the individual families that make it up. Take into account your particular staffing resources and time restrictions and modify your approach accordingly.  
 
          But most of all, be clear in YOURSELF about the message of the Gospel and about what must be done with the many gifts we have been given. For in the end, it is YOU, and not the programme, that will bring about in these young children the discovery of God's greatest gift.  

Bernadette Wilson  

Copyright 1995, Bernadette Wilson