FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

If you wish to register your child for FIRST HOLY COMMUNION in 2026 please read this letter and fill out the online REGISTRATION form (details below).
God’s blessings on you and your family as you prepare your child for two important sacraments-First Confession and First Holy Communion-in the coming months.

Dates of First Holy Communion Ceremonies: [2.5.26 Grange] [2.5.26 St Joseph’s in Queen of Peace church] [9.5.26 Bishop Murphy] [9.5.26 Clondulane in Queen of Peace church] [16.5.26 Gaelscoil] [16.5.26 Araglen] [23.5.26 St Martin’s Kilworth] [23.5.26 Presentation]. Fermoy schools will use St Patrick’s church, Fermoy, except for those indicated. Kilworth and Araglen schools will use their own local churches. Time: 11am.

Dates of First Confession Ceremonies: [Thu 5.2.26 Grange in St Patrick’s Church] [Tue 10.2.26 Kilworth in Kilworth Church] [Wed 11.2.26 St Joseph’s and Clondulane in St Patrick’s Church] [Thu 12.2.26 Araglen in Araglen Church] [Mon 16.2.26 Gaelscoil in St Patrick’s Church] [Tue 17.2.26 Presentation and Bishop Murphy in St Patrick’s Church]. All times: 7.30pm. If the date of your own school does not suit you may attend the date of another school.

The task of preparing your child for receiving these sacraments is divided in the following three ways:
1. You the parents – you are the first teachers of your child in the ways of faith,
2. The child’s school teachers,
3. The parish, as led by the clergy.
The role of the school teacher (No. 2 above) is ongoing and we are grateful to our schools for the support that they give. However, in order that No. 1 (the role of the parent) and No. 3 (the role of the parish) are aided, Fermoy/Kilworth/Araglen Parishes are running a series of PREPARATORY SESSIONS that we would like you and your child to engage with.

Those baptised outside of Fermoy/Kilworth/Araglen will need to contact the parish of baptism and request a baptismal certificate. Please post a copy of this certificate to Fermoy Parish Centre, Monument Hill, Fermoy, Co Cork, P61PT68, or the Parish Office Kilworth (Parochial House, P61DE28). If this applies to you, please go about obtaining the certificate as soon as possible e.g in the next few weeks. When you have obtained the baptismal certificate, it be sent to info@fermoyparish.ie. You may proceed with the online registration (see link below) even while you are waiting for the certificate to arrive.

Please see the table below which indicates the dates on which CLERGY, PARENT(S) and CHILDREN will meet for sacramental preparation.

Details of Preparatory Sessions:

Sunday 9th Nov: ICON SUNDAY NUMBER 1 at any of our churches
Monday 10th Nov at Fermoy Community Youth Centre, Ashe Quay, Fermoy (P61 TK73) 7.30pm
– – –
Sunday 30th Nov: ICON SUNDAY NUMBER 2 at any of our churches
Monday 1st Dec at Fermoy Community Youth Centre, Ashe Quay, Fermoy (P61 TK73) 7.30pm
– – –
Sunday 18th Jan: ICON SUNDAY NUMBER 3 at any of our churches
Monday 19th Jan at Fermoy Community Youth Centre, Ashe Quay, Fermoy (P61 TK73) 7.30pm
– – –
Sunday 8th Mar: ICON SUNDAY NUMBER 4 at any of our churches
Monday 9th Mar at Fermoy Community Youth Centre, Ashe Quay, Fermoy (P61 TK73) 7.30pm
– – –
Monday 27th April at 7:30pm (All Schools in Fermoy/Kilworth/Araglen will do an in-church session at St Patrick’s Church Fermoy….everyone together in the same church)

ICON SUNDAY: When you attend Mass in any of the churches in Fermoy/Kilworth/ Araglen on that Sunday morning (or vigil the evening before) you will collect a gift for your child, a beautiful icon. There will be a set of 4 icons given as gifts over the four Sundays.

In the Youth Centre sessions, we will provide you, the parents, with instruction and guidelines related to your child’s preparation for the sacraments.

This COURSE also involves equipping you with a beautifully illustrated book called “My First Holy Communion” – see photos below – which will help you, as parent(s), to engage in “home-activity” with your child between the preparatory sessions and in preparation for the sacraments. We will also supply a parent guidebook. We will deliver the materials to you when you attend the Monday 11^th Nov (see table above). The overall cost of the programme is 10 Euro, covering all materials which you may bring to the first Youth Centre session (see date above).

Yours in Christ, Frs Boyle, Roche, Biletskyy, Rev McCarthy.

——-

This registration form is for those who live in Fermoy/Kilworth/Araglen or for those schooled in these parishes.