A child's readiness for the celebration of the sacrament of First Reconciliation (Confession) will be judged using the following criteria:

1. A trust in God's forgiving love
2. A sense of self-worth, a self-image based on a good relationship with God
3. A sense of belonging to the Church community
4. An understanding of forgiveness, a desire to receive and give forgiveness
5. A sense of right and wrong and of the reality of evil
6. Knowledge of sin, an ability to describe wrong doings in his/her own words
7. A desire for reparation, to make amends for wrongs done to God, to others
8. An ability to make a good examination of conscience
9. Knowledge of how to confess sins to a priest
10. An ability to say "I'm sorry," to express a sense of repentance, contrition, metanoia (change of heart)
11. Awareness of God's gift of grace
12. Ability to pray an Act of Contrition
13. Understanding of the need for continual conversion and renewal
14. Knowledge of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Rite of Penance, individual and communal

• Child must be at least 7 years old to begin preparation process.
• Child must be baptized in the Catholic Church.
• Child must have attended and completed one full year of CCE or Catholic school during the 2011-2012 school year.
• Child must be currently enrolled in CCE.
• Child must attend CCE weekly. (More than 3 unexcused absences will result in postponement of sacrament.)
• Family must attend ALL required First Reconciliation preparation classes.
• Family must attend Saturday Vigil or Sunday Mass every week.