Age Range: 8-9 years (school Year 3)
Core Themes: Grace, sin, sacramental life, First Confession, First Communion
Primary Sources:
This is the year of sacramental initiation for many children. They’re ready to move beyond mere ritual participation to real encounter with Christ in the sacraments. The key is helping them understand sacraments not as magical rituals but as personal meetings with Jesus who loves them.
Objection 1: It seems sacraments are just symbols, like wearing a team jersey shows you support that team but doesn’t make you a player.
Objection 2: Furthermore, we can’t see anything happening during sacraments. The bread still looks like bread, the person being baptized looks the same afterward.
Objection 3: Moreover, if God is everywhere, why do we need special rituals to meet Him?
On the contrary, Jesus said “This IS my body”¹ not “This represents my body,” and “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life”².
I answer that sacraments are special meetings with Jesus that actually give us what they show. They’re not like regular symbols—they’re more like what happens when you plug your tablet into the charger. You can’t see electricity flowing, but it’s really charging the battery!
Here’s the difference:
Think of it this way: When your mom says “I love you” and gives you a hug, her words and hug don’t just show love—they really give love. You feel loved, warmed, strengthened. Sacraments are like God’s hugs—they don’t just tell us about His love, they pour His love (grace) into our souls³.
Reply to Objection 1: You’re right that symbols show something, but sacraments DO something. It’s like the difference between a picture of medicine and real medicine—one just shows, the other actually heals.
Reply to Objection 2: The most important things in life are invisible—love, courage, life itself. We can’t see the soul, but it’s more real than the body. Same with sacraments—the visible part is just the tip of the iceberg.
Reply to Objection 3: God IS everywhere, but we need physical meetings because we’re physical beings. It’s like air is everywhere, but we need to breathe it in. Sacraments are how we “breathe in” God’s grace.
Question: Whether children can commit real sins?
Objection 1: It seems children can’t really sin because they don’t fully understand what they’re doing.
Objection 2: Furthermore, children’s mistakes are just part of learning, not real sins.
Objection 3: Moreover, talking about sin might make children feel bad about themselves.
On the contrary, Jesus said “Let the little children come to me”⁴ precisely to heal and bless them, implying they need healing.
I answer that we need to understand sin properly—it’s not about being “bad” but about being spiritually sick and needing Doctor Jesus.
Everyone gets sick sometimes:
Just like physical sickness:
Types of Sin (like types of sickness):
Reply to Objection 1: Children can sin once they know the difference between right and wrong (around age 7, the “age of reason”). They might not understand everything, but they know enough—like you don’t need to understand electricity to know not to stick a fork in an outlet.
Reply to Objection 2: Mistakes (like spilling milk) aren’t sins. Sins are choices (like throwing milk at your sister). Learning involves mistakes; sin involves choosing what we know is wrong.
Reply to Objection 3: Understanding sin actually helps children feel better! Instead of thinking “I’m bad,” they learn “I’m good but I’m sick, and Jesus the Doctor can heal me.” It’s hopeful, not shameful!
Imagine you broke your mom’s favorite vase. You feel terrible. You could:
Confession is like option 3 with God:
What Happens in Confession⁵:
The priest is like a spiritual doctor. You wouldn’t be embarrassed to tell a doctor where it hurts—that’s how they help you! Same with confession.
Why Tell a Priest?
Question: Whether bread and wine truly become Jesus’ Body and Blood?
Objection 1: It seems impossible because it still looks and tastes like bread and wine.
Objection 2: Furthermore, Jesus is in heaven. How can He be in thousands of churches at once?
Objection 3: Moreover, it seems like cannibalism to eat someone’s body and blood.
On the contrary, Jesus clearly said “This IS my body… This IS my blood”⁷ and “My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink”⁸.
I answer that the Eucharist is the most amazing miracle that happens every day! It’s hard to understand, but here’s a way to think about it:
You know how water can be ice, liquid, or steam? It changes form but it’s still H₂O. In the Eucharist, something even more amazing happens—the opposite! The appearance stays the same (bread and wine) but what it IS changes completely (Body and Blood of Christ).
We call this transubstantiation⁹:
It’s like if you had a magic box that looked exactly like your toy box but was actually a doorway to another world. The Eucharist looks like bread but IS Jesus!
Reply to Objection 1: The greatest realities are often invisible. You can’t see love, but it’s real. You can’t see that bread become Jesus, but He said it does, and He can’t lie.
Reply to Objection 2: Jesus isn’t limited by space like we are. He can be fully present everywhere, like how the sun can shine in millions of places at once but it’s the same sun.
Reply to Objection 3: We’re not eating dead flesh but receiving the living, risen Jesus. It’s more like how a baby receives life from mother’s milk—it looks like food but it’s really receiving the mother’s own life and love.
Sacrament Detectives For each sacrament we’ve learned about, find:
Before and After Draw two pictures:
Eucharist Connections Connect these Bible stories to the Eucharist:
Thinking About Grace
Sacrament Reflection Journal After each sacrament preparation class:
Read: Luke 15:11-32 (in child-friendly version)
Picture It: You are the son who left home. You’re sitting with the pigs, hungry and dirty. Now imagine walking home. How do you feel? Scared? Hopeful? Now see your father running toward you…
Think:
Talk to God: “Father, when I walk away from you by sinning, help me remember…”
Do: This week, run to God quickly when you do something wrong, remembering how the father ran to his son.
The Candy Store Test
You’re at the store with Grandma. She’s talking to her friend. You see your favorite candy and really want it. You have three choices:
After the Moment: Let’s say you chose #1 and took the candy. Now what?
The Confession Connection:
Practice: “Grandma, I took candy without asking. I’m sorry. Can I do extra chores to pay for it?”
Notice: Confession isn’t just saying sorry—it includes making things right when possible!
Sacraments vs. Digital “Magic”
In games and movies, magic often works like this:
How Sacraments Are Different:
Family Challenge: Find a movie with “magic” and compare:
Different Practices, Same Longing
Other religions have practices that might look like sacraments:
What to Say:
Remember: God can work outside the sacraments too. We believe sacraments are the sure ways Jesus gave us, but God isn’t limited by them¹⁰.
The Boy Who Died Protecting the Eucharist
Tarcisius was a 12-year-old boy in Rome when Christians were persecuted. One day, he volunteered to carry the Eucharist to Christians in prison. On the way, pagan boys tried to see what he was carrying. Rather than let them disrespect Jesus in the Eucharist, Tarcisius protected the Host with his life. He was beaten and died holding Jesus close.
Why This Matters:
This Week’s Challenge: When you receive Communion, remember Tarcisius and receive Jesus with extra reverence and love. How can you show you believe Jesus is really present?
Beyond sacramental preparation, you’re helping your child develop:
The goal isn’t perfect behavior but confident relationship with the God who heals and feeds us.
Ex Opere Operato The sacraments work “by the very fact of the action being performed”¹¹:
Sacramental Character Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders imprint a permanent seal¹²:
Real Presence Theology The Church teaches:
The Age of Reason Around age 7, children typically¹⁶:
“I’m scared to go to confession” “I understand! I feel nervous too sometimes. Remember, the priest is there to help, not to scold. He’s heard everything before and won’t be shocked. Jesus is so excited to forgive you that He can’t wait! The priest might even tell you how proud he is of you for coming. And remember—after you leave, you’ll feel so light and happy! It’s like taking a spiritual shower.”
“How can bread become Jesus? That’s impossible!” “You’re right that we can’t do it—it IS impossible for humans! But remember, God created the entire universe from nothing. Changing bread into Jesus’ Body is actually easier than creating everything from nothing! Jesus can do miracles we can’t understand. Think about how a tiny seed becomes a huge tree, or how your body turns food into energy—creation is full of amazing changes we can’t fully explain but know are real.”
“I forgot to confess something” “Don’t worry! If you truly forgot (didn’t hide it on purpose), it’s already forgiven. God saw your good intention to confess everything. Next time you go to confession, you can mention it if you remember, but you’re not in trouble. It’s like if you tried to clean your whole room but missed a sock under the bed—your mom sees you tried your best!”
“The Host just tastes like bread” “Yes! It keeps all the appearances of bread—taste, texture, smell. That’s part of the miracle. If it tasted like flesh and blood, would you want to receive? Jesus keeps it looking and tasting like bread so we can receive Him without being scared or grossed out. But faith tells us what our senses can’t—it’s really Jesus! It’s like when Mom says ‘I love you’—you can’t taste or see the love, but it’s real.”
“My Protestant friend says confession to a priest is wrong” “Your friend loves Jesus too, which is wonderful! Different Christians understand things differently. We believe Jesus gave the apostles special power to forgive sins when He breathed on them and said ‘Whose sins you forgive are forgiven’¹⁷. The priests continue that ministry. Your friend might confess directly to God, which is good too! We do both—we tell God we’re sorry AND we hear His forgiveness through the priest.”
❌ “If you don’t go to confession, God won’t love you” ✅ Say: “God always loves you, and confession lets His love heal you”
❌ “You have to be perfect to receive Communion” ✅ Say: “You need to be free from serious sin and trying your best”
❌ “The priest will be disappointed in you” ✅ Say: “The priest will be proud of you for being honest and seeking forgiveness”
❌ “That sin is too bad to confess” ✅ Say: “No sin is too big for God’s mercy”
❌ “If you can’t see it, it’s not real” ✅ Say: “The most important things—love, life, grace—are invisible”
Daily Preparation
Weekly Rhythms
First Confession Preparation
First Communion Preparation
Monthly Practices
Church Documents
Theological Works
Children’s Resources
As you prepare for sacraments:
Practice these prayers:
Which prayer do you most need today?
Before Confession:
Before Communion:
Draw or write:
“The hardest thing about confession is…” “But afterward I feel…”
“When I receive Jesus in Communion, I want to…”
“My favorite thing about the sacraments is…”
Check what interests you: □ Why we have 7 sacraments □ What happens to sin after confession □ How to make a good confession □ Miracles of the Eucharist □ Saints who loved the Eucharist □ How to pray after Communion □ What “grace” really means