Children meet the gentle Jesus while they prepare for their first Holy Communion. Written in the engaging pastoral style of the Redemptorists, Meet the Gentle Jesus: First Communion sacrament preparation introduces the Mass and the sacrament of the Communion in ways that inspire youngsters to take a lifelong journey of knowing and loving Jesus, and to become missionary disciples.
Meet the Gentle Jesus: First Communion is a complete curriculum and it is in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The components are:
- First Communion for Children (this book)
- Catechist Guide, a comprehensive, wraparound leader guide that enables you to plan and teach your program
- Family Guide, which explains the sacrament, and provides weekly activities for the family to share their faith
- A Child’s First Communion…And So Much More!, a DVD featuring the popular Fr. Joe Kempf
- Meet the Gentle Jesus: The Mass for Children, a take-with booklet on the Mass
The eight chapters of First Communion for Children are:
- We Belong to God’s Holy Family
- We Gather in God’s House
- We Ask for God’s Mercy and Give Thanks to God
- We Listen to God’s Word
- We Prepare a Meal and a Sacrifice
- We Remember Jesus’ Sacrifice
- We Gather at the Lord’s Table
- We Go Forth to Serve God’s Family
Each fully illustrated chapter includes:
- An opening and a closing prayer
- Two Bible stories that introduce key Catechism concepts
- Reflection questions
- Growing in Faith, which helps children apply their learning
- Your Faith at Home, which asks kids to share their faith with their family
- Community Time, which asks kids to carry what they’ve learned to their community so they become the missionary disciples Pope Francis wants them to be
- Activities to reinforce classroom learning
The charming, colorful illustrations by renowned artist Jeff Albrecht engage children and help make the doctrine understandable to them. The book includes a complete glossary.
Meet the Gentle Jesus: First Communion has been reviewed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication offers content that is “Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted.” It is produced by Liguori Publications, a nonprofit corporation and an apostolate of the Redemptorists.
Jeff Albrecht has illustrated for Disney, Warner Bros., Marvel, DC Comics, and other entertainment companies. His animation has been seen on Cartoon Network. His Christian illustration credits include Master Books (A is for Adam, N is for Noah) and Living Faith Kids. He enjoys working in different styles from his studio in the St. Louis area.
