Therefore, if the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to be important to children, then it means children see it as important to themselves. Put simply, the faith formation program is successful when parents, by the example and words, show the practice of the faith is important.
Our faith formation program views the parents as essential partners. What we attempt to teach the children is most likely to be effective when the lessons taught by catechists are reinforced by you, the parents. In fact, we view the role of parents as being so important, that our formation program relies heavily on lessons taught by you, the parents.
The goal of the MEND program is to form your children in the experience of forgiveness. This is accomplished by first asking parents to reflect on their own experiences of forgiveness, especially their experiences of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Was it pleasant? Frightening? Stressful? Or, was it comforting? Peaceful? Calming? Loving?
Table of Contents
The parts of MEND
The MEND program relies on family sessions of instruction and formation. It is good to begin each time together with a prayer. there is a prayer in the box to assist you, but you can also choose to use a prayer in your own words. The prayer is directed to God, but can also be a way to witness to what you believe about God, and what you want your children to believe about God.
The Video: Lights
You are invited to watch a video which is a modern retelling of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The goal is to consider your own relationship with your children. No doubt, even at their young age, you have had to forgive them. This may be easier when they are little, and might become more challenging as they get older. Is there anything your children could do that you think you would not be able to forgive?
Family Meetings
Inside your box you will receive everything you need to enjoy 7 Family Meetings together. Each Family Meeting will begin with a gathering ritual and opening prayer. You will then discuss the check-in question, enjoy an experiential activity that connects to a teaching, and close in a prayer read by the child preparing for first Reconciliation. You may also wish to share a special snack at the end of each meeting. Try to get your children as involved as possible. The box includes all of the essential supplies you need for each meeting. You will need to fill your Holy Water bottle at church. Occasionally you will need to collect common household items for an activity. Each Family Meeting is designed to take an average of 20-40 minutes.
The gathering ritual will include having all family members come together in a shared space, praying the Our Father together, and concluding with a parent asking God’s blessing for each of he other family members. The blessing will be a simple gesture of tracing the Sign of the Cross on the other’s foreheads using Holy Water, saying: “May the Lord bless and keep you.”
Why Holy Water?
In the Bible, anytime we encounter water, we should think about our own baptism. We know that water is a symbol of life, but can also be a cause of death, by drowning, for example. Baptism is a celebration of the new life we receive from Jesus, and a dying to our own sinfulness.
The life we were given is powerful. Of course, there is our physical life, marvelous indeed, but more importantly there is the spiritual life that baptism gives to those baptized. This is a life without end, and a call to live with God forever by following Jesus as a disciple. By signing your child with holy water, you are reminding you and your child about the power of their own baptism and the grace that is constantly poured out to us from it.
A space for family prayer and meetings
The Catholic Church is a church of the tangible. We use water for baptism. The Eucharist is bread and wine. Our church buildings shape our faith and our worship. It can be important to find a space in your home that is dedicated to prayer. Having this type of space, regardless of size or what it is, helps serve as a physical way to be called to prayer.
For the whole family
While it may be the case that you have only one child who is preparing for the sacrament of reconciliation, it is good for your whole family to pray together. It is a great witness to your children about your relationship with God, and helps them to develop their own relationship with God as well.
What you need to produce for each family session
Family Follow Throughs
Family Meeting 1
Email a picture of what your family created out of the creation dough.
Family Meeting 2
After completion of the Teaching and Activity presented in Meeting 2, email a picture of your family’s apples.
Family Meeting 3
Email a picture of where you found the lost sheep, with the sheep in place.
Family Meeting 4
Share one memory from your child’s Baptism that you recalled today. Email a short response.\
Family Meeting 5
Share your child’s reflection and thoughts on the teaching and activity in this family meeting. Email a short response.
Family Meeting 6
Email a picture of your completed Act of Contrition card.
Family Meeting 7
Share your child’s reflection and thoughts on the teaching and activity in this family meeting. Email a short response.
The Objectives for each At Church Session
Below find the materials for at-church sessions.
November 13, 2025
The Objectives for the At Home Sessions
Objectives are simply what we hope to accomplish. Each at-home session has an objective. to help make each at-home session more fruitful, the objectives for each at-home session are listed below.
On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update. You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
