Youths learn about confession at an early age

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Father Sabastian Mundackal, OSB, bestowed the forgiveness of Christ to Rebecca Rushman, who was receiving her First Reconciliation Dec. 5 at St. Paul Parish in Fenton.

There's an excitement in Barb Yoffie's voice when she thinks about children who make their First Reconciliation.

"They have no fear whatsoever," said Yoffie, a coordinator of religious education at St. Clement of Rome School in Des Peres for 16 years. "They're excited when they're about to make their First Reconciliation. They're beaming afterward ... it's like they've been filled with the grace of the sacrament."

Hundreds of children across the archdiocese generally make their First Reconciliation as second-graders, sometime in the late fall semester, and well before they make their First Communion.

St. Clement Parish celebrated the sacrament for 72 second-graders in the day school, Parish School of Religion and for one home school student on Dec. 7. And the sacrament is stressed as just that — a celebration for the entire parish.

"It's kind of neat," said Yoffie. "You're looking around in church, everyone is in their assigned pews, and you're seeing people you see in church all the time, or the same people you're playing (parish CYC) sports with."

The children were just as excited about their special day.

"When I went to First Reconciliation, I felt so close to God that I felt like I was touching Him," said day school student Adam Sommer.

"I felt very happy and excited because Jesus forgave all my sins and I felt good about it," said PSR student Catherine Widowski.

"At first I was nervous, I thought I might mess up!" said day school student Rose Reiker. "Afterwards I was so happy! It was so fun!"

And Maria Adamitis, a PSR student, said, "I felt happy that my soul was clean."

Following archdiocesan guidelines, parishes generally prepare children for the sacrament using a special program that lasts several weeks. Parents also are asked to attend a meeting to learn what their children will go through. Families also are encouraged to receive the sacrament with their children.

Yoffie said the parish priests have an important role in the formation of the children, too.

"Our priests are very soft-spoken," she said. "They listen and help encourage them."

The priests also use the children's First Reconciliation as an opportunity to invite parents to come back to the sacrament.

If St. John Vianney were still alive, "he would be just as excited" to see the children's positive response to going to Confession, said Yoffie.

"Everything I have read on St. John Vianney, he could read into people's hearts. And that's something I think our priests try to do. These kids feel so comfortable with our priests. They know they're meeting Jesus through the sacrament. That's what St. John Vianney must have done, when he sat in the confessional for 16 or 18 hours."

More than 80 second-graders at St. Paul Parish in Fenton were all smiles when they made their First Reconciliation Dec. 5. The special day included students from the day school and PSR.

Day school student Billy McCaslin said, "I felt a little nervous, but I was excited, too. It made you feel a lot better because then you could be friends with Jesus again."

"It was fun, because God forgave me of my sins," said PSR student Ellie Volansky.

"Our souls got clean and shiny, just like the old penny that we dipped in a bowl and it came out all shiny and clean," said day school student Luke Valentine.

"I was nervous, but I did it anyway," said PSR student Maeve Coulter. "I was excited after."

At All Saints Parish in St. Peters, some 80 second-graders are preparing to receive the sacrament next month. The celebration was slightly delayed because of ongoing renovations at the church, said pastoral minister Marya Pohlmeier.

Pohlmeier explained that the children are taught that "what we do wrong affects the Body of Christ. So we have to reconcile not only with God but with others.

"We model this message on how do they reconcile in their own families? What families do or do not do to reconcile speaks longer and more deeply to children than what they are taught. Children are led to understand what's the difference between a mistake and a sin."

Pohlmeier said that while children may first receive the sacrament at such a young age, "like all things, once we get into the habit of doing this, it becomes home for us."

Read more:

Making a good confession, a practical guide.

St. John Vianney, a 'hospital for souls."