Celebrating Reconciliation with kids: 9 ways to get into the habit

The sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation gets a bad rap, with many people steering clear because they think it’s all about guilt and punishment, when actually the emphasis is on mercy, forgiveness, and healing. Here’s how to help your family enjoy the benefits of this sacrament more regularly.

Teaching the realities of the Eucharist

One of the words my 19-month-old son has latched onto at Mass within recent weeks is “body.” He first hears it at the consecration, then repeats it rapidly during much of the remainder of the Eucharistic prayer. This past week, though, as we walked to the car after Mass, he was saying it on repeat, intermingled with the name of Jesus.
It seems to me, by God’s grace, my toddler has latched onto what might be the two most important words that eventually will help him begin to understand the Eucharistic mystery. Let me explain.