Initiation As a parent Catholic 4 min read

Catholic First Communion as a parent

What is typically asked of Catholic parents during a child's First Communion preparation year, and on the day itself.

01 The parent's role

Catholic First Communion preparation in US practice runs over a school year, with parents as partners in the preparation. The parish religious education programme handles the formal catechesis; parents reinforce the catechesis at home, support the child's spiritual practice, and arrange the family logistics around the day.

Canon law (CIC c. 914) holds that parents and pastors share the obligation to prepare children for First Communion. The parish takes the lead on the formal preparation; the family takes the lead on the home and the day.

02 Registration and the year

Registration for the parish religious education programme normally opens the summer before second grade. Most US parishes use a programme called CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) for children in public schools, or the parish school's religion class for children in Catholic school. The classes run weekly or biweekly through the school year.

Parents are typically expected to attend a small number of parent sessions, often one or two evening meetings, to walk through the rite and the family's role. The format varies by parish.

03 First Reconciliation

First Reconciliation precedes First Communion (CIC c. 914). Most US parishes celebrate First Reconciliation in Advent or Lent of the same school year as First Communion. Parents accompany the child to the rite, supporting them through what is normally the child's first individual confession with a priest.

04 The First Communion Mass

The First Communion Mass is celebrated at the parish, typically on a Saturday or Sunday in May. Parents bring the child to the Mass dressed in the customary attire (white dresses for girls and a suit for boys are typical in US Catholic practice). Family photographs after the Mass are common; many families also host a family reception at home or at a restaurant.

The child must observe the one-hour Eucharistic fast (CIC c. 919 ยง1); parents typically arrange the family's breakfast accordingly.

05 Common questions

Do parents need to attend Mass weekly during the preparation year?
Catholic teaching expects weekly Sunday Mass attendance of all Catholics; the First Communion preparation year is when this expectation is reinforced for the family. Parishes vary in how procedurally specific they are; most expect the family to attend Mass regularly through the preparation year, both to support the child's formation and to participate in the wider sacramental life of the parish.
What if the parents are not in regular sacramental life themselves?
The parish will work pastorally with the family. The child's sacramental preparation typically continues; the priest may have a pastoral conversation with the parents about their own situation. This conversation is normally non-confrontational; the priest's concern is for the family's wider sacramental life.
What if one parent is not Catholic?
The Catholic Church baptizes and prepares the child of a Catholic parent provided there is founded hope that the child will be brought up Catholic (the same standard as at baptism, per CIC c. 868). The non-Catholic parent is welcome at the parish religious education sessions and at the First Communion Mass; their support of the child's formation matters even where they themselves are not receiving the Catholic sacraments.
What about godparents?
The baptismal godparent has no canonical role specific to First Communion. Many families invite the godparent to attend the First Communion Mass and the family reception as a meaningful continuation of the relationship established at baptism, but the role at the rite belongs to the child's parents.
How much does the preparation cost?
Most US Catholic parishes charge a registration fee for the religious education programme, typically modest. Some parishes set the fee per child or per family. Catholic education is generally subsidized by the parish; the fee covers materials and (in some cases) catechist stipends. Parishes typically waive fees for families in financial hardship.

06 Pastoral note

Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026