First Holy Communion

First Holy Communion is a very special milestone in your child’s faith journey. It is the first time they will receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. For us as Catholics, the Eucharist is at the heart of our faith and how we are spiritually nourished and grow closer to Jesus.

When your child was baptized, they became part of God’s family. Now, through First Communion, they are invited to the Lord’s Table in a new and deeper way. It’s a joyful step not only for your child, but also for your whole family and our parish community.

First Communion is one of the Sacraments of Initiation, along with Baptism and Confirmation. These sacraments lay the foundation for a lifelong relationship with God and the Church. Each one helps your child grow in faith, grace, and their identity as a Catholic Christian.

We are honored to walk with your family during this important time and look forward to preparing your child to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

Children must be at least seven years old to begin preparation for First Communion. In addition, our parish—following Archdiocesan guidelines—requires that children complete one full year of faith formation before entering our First Communion Prep classes. This means children must have participated in faith formation classes the year prior to enrolling.

In our experience, we strongly recommend that children receive First Communion in third grade, as they are typically more developmentally ready to understand the significance of the Eucharist at that age. However, if your child is in second grade, attends Mass regularly, and has been enrolled in faith formation, they may register for First Communion Prep if you feel they are ready.

Please Note: If your child did not attend any elementary faith formation classes last year, they are not eligible to enroll in First Communion preparation this year. Please contact our office if you have any questions on which class to enroll in.

If your child is in the 5th grade and has not received their First Communion, please contact our office for additional information. 

• Registration for all Elementary Faith Formation programs will open online on August 6th, 2025. Classes begin the week of September 22nd, 2025. 

• A physical/digital copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate MUST be provided for First Communion enrollment. If you do not have a copy to send us, but they were baptized at Holy Trinity, we can look it up for you if you provide the month and year your child was Baptized. Baptism certificates may be uploaded when completing our online registration form or submitted to the Faith Formation Office. Deadline to submit your child’s Baptism Certificate is October 17th, 2025. 

• Payment for class registration may be paid online or in person at the Faith Formation office. 

• Deadline to register for First Communion is October 17th, 2025. Students who miss this deadline will need to wait until the following year to enroll. 

• Regular attendance at Sunday Mass is required. 

If your child was baptized at a different parish and you don’t have a copy of the baptism certificate, you’ll need to contact that parish directly. They can issue a new certificate for you.

Please note that this process can sometimes take a few weeks, so we strongly recommend reaching out as soon as possible to avoid any delays in enrollment. Deadline to register for First Communion is October 17th, 2025. 

During the fall semester, students in the First Communion program will prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Confession). Receiving Reconciliation is a necessary step before receiving First Communion.

Children will begin going to Confession at the end of the fall semester and are encouraged to continue going as needed before their First Communion in the spring.

After your child completes their First Communion, they should continue to enroll in our grade level Faith Formation classes (3rd – 5th grade) or our Good Shepherd classes (Level II or Level III). These classes will continue to foster your child’s faith formation journey as they approach middle school. 

Middle School students should enroll in our EDGE program. Please click here for more information.

Children (age 7 or older) not baptized in the Catholic Church, need to enroll in our OCIA program (Order of Christian for Adults/Children) to properly prepare them for the Sacraments. Please click here to learn more about Holy Trinity’s OCIA program for adults and children. 

We look forward to journeying with your child as they prepare for their First Communion. Please feel free to email Cristina Hodde or call the office if you have any further questions or concerns!