God's Gift 2016: Core English Director Guide Sample

Primary

God’s Gift

Reconciliation and Eucharist

Director Guide

Contents Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Your Role as Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Program Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 How to Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

STEP 1: Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Reconciliation: Theology and History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Eucharist: Theology and History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

STEP 2: Implementation Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 At-Home Catechesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

STEP 3: Get Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Catechist Retreat for Reconciliation and Eucharist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

STEP 4: Introduce Program to Parents and Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Parent/Child Retreat for Reconciliation and Eucharist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 At-Home Sacramental Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

STEP 5: Gatherings for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 First Reconciliation Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 First Eucharist Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Planning First Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Blackline Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Web Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

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The Director Guide provides all the tools that directors need to help children grow in their relationship with God as they prepare to celebrate for the first time the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

The God’s Gift Director Guide has multiple program models for parishes of any size and configuration.

The guide includes background information on each of the sacraments and specific retreats and meetings so that program directors can confidently introduce catechists, parents, and children to the catechetical program God’s Gift.

God’s Gift has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Visit

www.loyolapress.com/godsgift for more information and resources.

ISBN-13: 978-0-8294-4130-7 ISBN-10: 0-8294-4130-1