On 2nd October in the Chapel at Hinsley Hall, Bishop Marcus formally launched the new diocesan resource for children preparing for First Holy Communion. The resource has been prepared by the Vicariate for Education and will be used in Family Catechesis and by Parish Catechists throughout the Diocese of Leeds in coming months.
Called Heart Speaks to Heart: the Gift of Holy Communion, the diocesan resource seeks to engage children with the life of the Catholic Church through an exploration of the richness and beauty of our churches and the Catholic liturgy.
The children are helped to encounter Christ (present in Holy Communion) by listening carefully to a variety of stories from the Bible and to teachings handed down to us by the Church from Jesus Himself; there are treasure hunts and other activities to complete, stunning illustrations by Si Smith and the children are invited to share the experience of members of an imaginary family (of a grandfather and his twin grandchildren) on their journey towards First Holy Communion.
In addition, children in the Diocese will discover in the pages of Heart Speaks to Heart more about the virtues (virtues like love and gratitude and courage) which characterise the life of Christ and of His disciples; in this way the work the children do in preparation for First Holy Communion will complement the nationally innovative work in character education which is currently taking place across schools in the Diocese of Leeds.
Following the launch, a series of information sessions have been planned and preparation for a new First Reconciliation (Confession) resource is underway. This is an exciting time for sacramental preparation in the Diocese of Leeds: seeking to fulfil the Bishop’s vision to complete sacramental initiation by the end of primary school and find new ways to put our young people’s faith into action as they begin their lives in secondary education.
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