Our children’s sacraments can be moments of God’s grace for parents
as surely as they are moments of grace for children. For parents who
didn’t pay too much attention the first time around, children’s
sacraments also offer a second chance to learn, listen, and be open to
the movement of God.Carol, a director of religious education for her parish and mother of four, sees many parents who reconnect with their own faith as their children are preparing for a particular sacrament. “Sacramental preparation for children can be a re-awakening for parents,” Carol says.
“Especially when the materials used for preparation are to be done as a family, the parents are able to appreciate the sacraments more deeply. It gives them an opportunity to really reflect on what they believe.”
Some parents say they weren’t ready to hear about sacramental grace when they were preparing for the sacraments themselves, but now, with more life experience, they see value where before they saw tedium.
“In the 30 years between my own first reconciliation and my son’s first reconciliation, I didn’t go to reconciliation at all,” says Jeff, father of two. “I felt like, why should I confess my sins to a priest? I can say I’m sorry to God directly. But as I’ve seen how sin breaks relationships and tears apart families, I understand that there is something powerful about naming my sin out loud. Reconciliation changes me in a way that a private prayer cannot. I didn’t understand that when I was younger.”
—by Annemarie Scobey, from the pages of At Home with Our Faith, Claretian Publications’