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    Saint Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church

Office of Religious Education

1691 North Oatman Road

Bullhead City, AZ 86442

(928) 758-2695

   Reverend Dan Vollmer                                                                                                      Deacon John DelQuadro

           Pastor                                                                                                                            R. E. Coordinator

March 2024

Dear Parents,

This correspondence is to tell you how we will be ending this year’s religious education classes. Please pay close attention to the class referenced (Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, etc) and the dates when we will be meeting.

If your child is receiving First Reconciliation, there will be no class for Wednesday 3/27/24 for Holy Week. Classes will resume on Wednesday 4/3/24 at their regular times.  On Wednesday 4/10/24, there will be a session for parents in the hall to review the final testing that your child will need to pass in order to receive First Reconciliation this year. Please mark your calendar, or in your phone and plan on attending that meeting on 4/10/24. As for the date when the students will receive this Sacrament, that will announced at the parent meeting.

If your child is receiving First Holy Communion and/or Confirmation there will be no class on Wednesday 3/27/24 for Holy Week.  Classes will resume on Wednesday 4/3/24 at their regular times. On Saturday, 4/6/24, we will have a rehearsal for your child and their Confirmation sponsor in the church at 10 AM. All children who will be receiving the Sacraments and their sponsors are required to attend the rehearsal, which will start right at 10AM. Please be on time. There is no dress code for the rehearsal. Students and sponsors will then report back to the church at 12:15 to celebrate Mass and receive the sacrament administered by Bishop Navarez.  Classes are then continued on the following Wednesdays until May 1 per posted schedule on classroom windows. *Students will need to go to Confession prior to receiving these Sacraments.   The Confession schedule and procedures are on the reverse side of this notice.

Dress code for First Holy Communion/ Confirmation Mass is as follows:

           Boys-  White dress shirt (long sleeves), black dress pants, red tie, black shoes

           Girls-   White dress, white shoes, veil is optional

Christ’s peace, 

Confession Schedule-   Wed:  11am- Noon

                        Thur:   6pm- 7pm

                        Fri:       8:30am- 9am

                        Sat:      3:30pm- 4:45pm

How to go to Confession-

1.      Examine your conscience so you know what you want to say

2.      Go into confessional and sit or kneel

         Child makes the sign of the cross

         Child says-   Bless me Father, for I have sinned

                      It has been _______ since my last confession

                      These are my sins

                      (Tell Father your sins, and end by saying the following)

                        For these and all the sins I can not remember, I am sorry

3.    After hearing your sins, Father will usually give you some advice and tell you a “penance” you have to do.                   This will usually be a few prayers

 4.    Father will ask you to say the Act of Contrition. You can say this from memory or read it.                                              When confession is over, you should thank Father before you leave.

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Registration for this year's religious education classes will begin on the weekend of August 3. At that time, we will be registering children and adults who need their Sacraments. This will take place in the religious education office (Rm 102) after each of the scheduled weekend Masses. We will be registering children on all the following weekends of August. Registration ends on the weekend of August 31.

If your child is new to religious education, then you will need to provide a birth certificate at the time of registration. If they attended last year and received First Reconciliation, then please recall the end of year meeting where you were told what documentation will be needed for the child's Confirmation sponsor. Children will not be permitted to start classes until all documentation is submitted. There is no charge for classes, which will begin on Wednesday, September 11.

Adults who are thinking about becoming Catholic and would like to explore that possibility further as well as adults, who are already Catholic, but still need some Sacraments are welcome to sign up at the above times as well. For further questions, please see Deacon John or Rose Gilbert.