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FIRST PENANCE
- The policy of the Erie Catholic School System mandates that students receiving the Sacrament of First Penance must do so at the parish where the family is registered. All exceptions to this policy must be granted in writing by the child’s official pastor and sent to Fr. McCormick prior to December 15. In these cases, the child’s guardian is still required to attend the parent meeting held at St. James Church.
- Diocesan Policy mandates the following:
A. Parents are required to attend a preparation meeting for each sacrament. At. St. James, these gatherings are scheduled well in advance. The dates can be found on the calendar on the parish website.
B. Students are required to attend a preparation retreat specific to the sacrament he or she is scheduled to receive. St. James Parish retreats are held at St. James Place. The dates can be found on the parish calendar on the parish website. - To be eligible to receive First Penance with the large group, each child is required to attend ALL the mandatory practices. These practices prepare the children for their special day and enable them to understand what will happen and to rehearse their roles in the ceremony. For families unable to commit to the practices, arrangements for a private ceremony should be made with Fr. McCormick.