Not only is it an important year in the life of your child, it is also an important year for their class, their teachers, and also for you the parents/guardians. It is also a special time too for the parish community. Your child’s faith journey began the day you brought your child to the Church to be baptised. And what a special day that was for you and the family. Now, that child has grown, they are about to take another step in their faith journey, as they prepare for First Holy Communion. And we all have a part to play.

While the Home is the primary learning place, each parent/guardian will be asked to take on a special role over the next few months, to journey with your child as they prepare to receive the sacraments, as there is only so much that can be taught in school. Our teachers do a wonderful job in preparing the children for their special day, but ‘home is where the heart is’. And the home is the domestic Church, where our children are influenced by what they see and learn.

As part of our preparation for First Penance and First Holy Communion, we run in tandem a parish based programme, ‘Grow in Love’. This programme is a continuous programme, connecting the classroom with the home and the parish. As part of the programme, there is an Information Night, (where we meet the parents), an Enrolment Ceremony for you and your child, and there are 8 Sundays set aside where you and your child will have some participation in the Sunday Mass. It is also hoped that you and your child will frequent mass regularly as your child prepares for this special day.

**First Holy Communion 2024**

Greetings to all our pupils, families, and schools as you settle down for a new school year. Please God it will be a safe one, where everyone will grow in education, and look out for each other.

 

To all the families who will celebrate First Holy Communion in 2024. We are very much looking forward to the year ahead. The dates for First Holy Communion are as follows:

St. Aidan’s National School – Friday May 17th at 11am in SS John and Paul Church.

St. Conaire’s National School – Saturday April 20th at 11am in SS John and Paul Church.

Gaelscoil Donncha Rua – Saturday April 27th at 1.30pm in SS John and Paul Church.

St. John’s and St. Senan’s National School – Saturday May 11th at 11am in Mary Immaculate Church.

St. Tola’s National School – Saturday April 27th at 11am in Mary Immaculate Church.

Finally, we wish you a wonderful school year ahead, and may God bless you and your family.

Fr. Michael Geraghty Co-PP

Fr. Tom Whelan Co-PP