St. Columba ParishReceiving Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time is one of the great days of a Catholic childhood. Preparation is a partnership: the parish provides the sessions and the celebration, the Catholic school reinforces it in class, and parents — the first teachers of the faith — do the most important part at home and at Sunday Mass.
| Stage | When | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | September 1 – October 15 | Online or at the office; bring a copy of the baptism certificate |
| Parent meeting | Wednesday, October 21, 7:00 PM | Parish hall; one parent required |
| Enrolment Mass | Sunday, November 8, 11:00 AM | Children presented to the parish |
| Family sessions | One Sunday a month, 12:15–1:30 PM | November to April, after the 11:00 Mass, with lunch |
| First Reconciliation | Saturday, March 6, 2027, 10:00 AM | Short service, then individual confessions |
| Retreat morning | Saturday, April 24, 2027 | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, with the children's choir |
| First Communion | Sundays May 2 and May 9, 2027, 11:00 AM | Two groups; families choose a date at registration |
Who can register
Children in Grade 2 or older who have been baptized. Children attending St. Columba Catholic School register with the parish as well as the school; children in public or other schools are fully welcome and receive the same sessions. Older children and teenagers who missed First Communion prepare in a small group with Sr. Agnes — please call rather than register online.
What families do at home
- Come to Sunday Mass together — every week, not just during the program.
- Work through the family book, a chapter a month (about twenty minutes).
- Pray together at meals and bedtime; learn the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be and the Act of Contrition.
- Talk about your own First Communion and why the Eucharist matters to you.
The celebrations
First Reconciliation is gentle and short. The children gather with their families for a reading and an examination of conscience, then go one by one to a priest, face to face, while the others sing. Parents are encouraged to go to confession the same morning. First Communion is celebrated within the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass. Children sit together at the front with their families behind; each child receives Communion from the pastor, and there is a blessing of parents at the end. A photographer records the Mass so that families can be present rather than behind a phone; portraits are taken afterwards on the front steps.
Dress and guests
Girls traditionally wear white dresses and boys a white shirt with dark trousers, but anything neat and modest is fine; nobody is judged by a dress. Each family may invite as many guests as they like — reserved seating is for the child and two adults. A reception with cake in the hall follows.
Questions
Our child was baptized in another parish or country.
Bring a copy of the baptism certificate — any language is fine. If it is lost, tell us the parish and year and we will help you request it.
We cannot attend the Sunday sessions.
Speak to Sr. Agnes; a Tuesday evening group runs for families who work Sundays.
Is there a fee?
A contribution of $40 covers the family book, the retreat and the reception. It is waived on request, no questions asked.
My child has a food allergy or coeliac disease.
Low-gluten hosts are available for children with coeliac disease, and Communion may be received from the chalice alone. Tell us at registration.
Coordinator: Sr. Agnes Ibeh, SSND — ext. 25, faith@stcolumbatoronto.ca.