First Holy Communion is one of the most important milestones in your child's faith journey. It is the first time they will receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is at the heart of our Catholic faith. At every Mass, Jesus gives Himself to us in Holy Communion, strengthening our relationship with Him and nourishing us spiritually.

Your child's First Communion is a joyful celebration for your family and our parish community. Through this sacrament, they take an important step in growing as a disciple of Jesus and living out their Catholic faith.

First Communion preparation at Holy Trinity is a two-year process designed to help children build a strong foundation in the Catholic faith before receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.

Year 1 – Faith Formation
Children enroll in the Faith Formation class for their current grade level (1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, etc.). During this year, children grow in their understanding of the Catholic faith while building friendships, developing habits of prayer and exploring scripture at an age-appropriate level.

Year 2 – First Communion Prep
After successfully completing one full year of Faith Formation, students may then enroll in our First Communion Prep class. During this year, students prepare specifically for First Reconciliation in the fall and First Holy Communion in the spring using curriculum from Ascension Press. Students are expected to have great attendance in class, and families are expected to attend required parent meetings, and complete sacramental preparation activities throughout the year.

Children typically begin this process in 1st grade and celebrate First Communion in 2nd grade. However, because children develop at different rates, we encourage families to consider completing the program in 3rd grade, when many children are better able to understand the significance of the Eucharist. Families may also begin the process at later grade levels.

• Registration for all Elementary Faith Formation programs will open online on August 5th, 2026. Classes begin the week of September 21st, 2026. 

• 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 16th, 2026. 

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

• Deadline to register for First Communion is October 16th, 2026. 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!