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Applications for First Holy Communion 2026 are now closed: applications for 2027 will be open over the summer, and this will be announced in the newsletter.
Advance Notice of Parents / Carers Sessions:
Parents / Carers have the responsibility of preparing their children for First Holy Communion. To assist you in fulfilling the promises you made at your child’s baptism, there will be monthly sessions for parents which begin the First Holy Communion Sacramental Preparation. At least one parent will need to attend theses sessions. Details will follow in the acceptance letter.
[These sessions will be in St Martha’s Hall in Little Common].
Thank you for taking time to find out about the sacraments for your child(ren).
Children, usually from School Year 3, who have been baptised*, are invited to join the Parish First Holy Communion programme. The principal and best preparation for First Holy Communion is our weekly participation in the Sunday Mass and thus they will fulfil their obligation to attend Mass on Sundays.
To receive Holy Communion is to receive Our Lord and Our God, body, blood, soul and divinity. Therefore, without attendance at Holy Mass, the reception of Holy Communion will not make much sense and it remains Catholic teaching that we should not receive Holy Communion if we are not regularly attending Mass, and to go to Confession if we deliberately miss Holy Mass without reasonable excuse.
Aged 9+ in September? Most children make and receive their First Holy Communion around the age of 8 in School Year 3, but this is not always the case. Children who are a bit older (aged 9+ at the start of the programme) may now find the content of the First Holy Communion course insufficient for their needs. Therefore, the “We Journey Together Course” might be more appropriate as the material on this course is better suited for older children. Contact the Parish Office for more details.
Aged 13+ in September? It may be more appropriate that you wait until School Year 10 and join the Confirmation Programme and make and receive your First Holy Communion at the same time. For a good reason, and you can demonstrate your readiness, you might, with the permission of the bishop, be allowed to join the Confirmation course in School Year 9.
Dates for First Reconciliation / First Holy Communion: Details to follow in the welcome letter after we receive your application form.
NB: For the conferral of these sacraments, at least one parent should be a practising Catholic, as parental support is vital if the faith is to be nurtured and parents remain the first teacher of their children in the way of faith. If neither parent is Catholic, it would be appropriate for at least one parent to consider their own baptism or reception into the Catholic Faith via the RCIA programme.
By applying at least one parent agrees to attend the parent / carer sessions listed above, which are an integral part of the sacramental preparation.
Catholic Parish Of Bexhill 