Important Note: Please do not try to read and absorb this entire section at once. I recommend looking at one of these paragraphs each week or two as you work with your child(ren) to prepare for the sacraments.
Introduction / Summary Becoming Catholic is an adventure of love that fills life with meaning, joy, and the grace to become who God made you to be. As parents, you’re inviting your child into a relationship with Jesus that will transform their lives, now and for eternity. This is not merely a one-time ceremony or a cultural tradition. It requires regular Mass attendance, living by the Church’s teachings, and actively practicing the faith through prayer, moral decisions, and service to God and neighbor.
For parents, this means shouldering the responsibility of raising children in the faith by teaching them prayers, bringing them to Mass, and modeling Catholic values as well as you can. The Church provides clear expectations that are meant to teach us how to love through its precepts and teachings, including regular Mass attendance, annual confession, and supporting the parish community. These commitments draw us closer to Christ and foster authentic love for God and neighbor.
Please read this entire document carefully for details about this beautiful journey and the responsibilities of Catholic life. This journey will ask much of your family—but it will give you far more because we can never outdo God in generosity. Thank you for saying ‘yes’ to the greatest gift you could ever give your child.
Being Catholic – A Lifelong Commitment Receiving a sacrament in the Catholic Church is not just a one-day event or a cultural tradition—it’s a promise to live as a Catholic for the rest of your life. The Church teaches that when someone is baptized, they receive an indelible mark on their soul that identifies them as a Christian forever. This means you or your child are making a lifelong commitment to be part of the Catholic community, and follow the teachings of the Church, and live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Baptism brings a person into the Church. From that day on, they are considered Catholic. This identity isn’t erased if someone stops practicing. It remains part of who they are. Being Catholic involves so much more than attending a ceremony. It requires active participation in the Mass, ongoing learning about the faith, and living out Christian values in everyday life.
As parents, you’re committing to raise your children in the faith—helping them pray, teaching them to love God and neighbor, and setting an example through your own actions. This lifelong commitment means that every aspect of our lives should reflect our faith: how we treat one another, how we spend our time, and even the decisions we make about our careers, relationships, and moral choices. We want their faith to guide who they are and what they do.
If your child is baptized, confirmed, or receives First Communion, we ask you to understand it is not a “try-it-and-see” arrangement. These sacraments bind us to Christ and His Church permanently. Of course, we all grow and change with time, but the sacrament itself leaves a lasting imprint that calls us to be faithful Catholics for our entire lives. Because this is a serious, lifelong choice, the Church provides resources to help you and your child grow in understanding and commitment. We want you to be able to make an informed decision, so we expect genuine effort in learning and living the faith.
By choosing to receive a sacrament, you and your child are saying “yes” to a life shaped by Christ in His Church. It’s a joyful path, but also a serious responsibility. We invite you to consider it prayerfully, ask questions, and take advantage of every opportunity to deepen your understanding. The goal is that this commitment will lead to a vibrant, lifelong relationship with God and His Church.
Why It’s Worth It Jesus said, “I came so that you might have life—and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Through the sacraments, God pours His own life into us, showing us that we were made to love as He loves. When your child is baptized, confirmed, or receives First Communion, they aren’t simply going through a ceremony—they’re entering a friendship with God, who made them to love and be loved. This love is the true source of our joy, for as Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete” (John 15:11). Though the world can be harsh, the sacraments anchor us in the promise that “one day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (Psalm 84:10). In this divine friendship, God guides our children when they feel lost, lifts them up when they’re overwhelmed, and sets them free to become the people they’re meant to be. Embracing the faith is discovering the “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:46)—a treasure so precious that it makes every part of the journey worth it.
Your Role as Parents or Guardians Young children cannot fully practice the Catholic faith on their own. They need your help. They rely on you to bring them to Mass, teach them prayers, and show them—by word and example—what it means to follow Jesus every day. By choosing to have your child receive a sacrament, you are accepting the responsibility of guiding them as they grow in their faith. This includes explaining the teachings of the Church (or finding people who can), encouraging them to pray, helping them make moral decisions, and bringing them to Mass each Sunday (and on Holy Days of Obligation).
Your example at home profoundly influences your child. When you model virtues like kindness, patience, honesty, and love, you reveal how the Gospel is lived out in everyday life. If you feel uncertain about any areas of the faith, remember that it’s never too late to learn more—you can grow alongside your child. The most important thing is that you remain actively involved and committed to helping your child follow Christ. By staying engaged, you provide the support they need to develop a lasting, personal relationship with God and the Church. Until they are mature enough to live the faith on their own, your child relies on you for guidance. With your help, your child can carry these values into adulthood and beyond.
Regular Mass Attendance Mass is at the center of Catholic life. We gather each Sunday (and on Holy Days of Obligation) to worship God, listen to His Word, and receive the Eucharist (if we are able to and spiritually prepared to do so). This isn’t just a tradition or cultural practice—it’s an essential part of growing in grace and worshiping God together as a community of faith. At Mass, we receive spiritual nourishment that helps us live our faith throughout the week. By coming to Mass each week, you aren’t just fulfilling a duty—you and your child receive strength from God’s Word and the Eucharist to face life’s challenges with peace.
If children (and their families) want to receive the sacraments and become active members of the Catholic faith, they need to attend Mass consistently beforehand. Regular Mass attendance is not optional for Catholics. Worshiping God at Mass forms the foundation of all sacramental preparation. Without this commitment, children will struggle to understand the beauty and significance of the sacraments and the faith generally.
By making Sunday Mass (and Holy Days of Obligation) a priority now, families show their children that they are serious about embracing the Catholic faith and supporting their children’s journey in it. They also begin forming the habit of attending Mass, which is essential because once someone becomes Catholic, they are committed to attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation unless they legitimately cannot (for example, due to illness, caring for a sick relative, or a car breakdown without alternative transportation).
Precepts of the Church The Catholic Church outlines certain “precepts,” or basic obligations, that represent the bare minimum for anyone who wishes to be a practicing Catholic. These are essential to stay on track in our faith and remind us of our fundamental duties as followers of Christ. By committing to these precepts, you demonstrate your genuine intention to live as a Catholic.
These precepts include:
Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
Receiving the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season
Confessing serious sins at least once a year
Observing days of fasting and abstinence (such as Ash Wednesday and Fridays in Lent)
Supporting the Church according to your abilities and circumstances
Think of these precepts as bare-minimum guardrails that help keep us spiritually healthy. These are analogous to eating, drinking, sleeping, and breathing for the body. They ensure we stay grounded in core Catholic practices and remain connected to the Church. By teaching children about these minimum commitments, parents help them develop habits that nurture a mature and vibrant faith. If you and/or your child wish to become Catholic—or continue living as Catholics—understanding and committing to these precepts is an essential part of that choice. These commitments keep us connected to Christ and His Church, guiding us toward the freedom and happiness God wants for us.
Living a Basic Moral Life Catholic moral teaching is rooted in the Ten Commandments, the teachings of Jesus, and the guiding principles of the Church. At the core of this morality is authentic love—willing the good of the other. Love is a choice that shapes how we treat one another. Some actions truly reflect love, while others do not. By becoming Catholic, you and your child commit to learning what love looks like in concrete situations and following God’s commandments in daily life.
We begin teaching children, at an age-appropriate level, to recognize the difference between right and wrong and to understand how their choices affect others and their relationship with God. As they grow, they will learn deeper aspects of Catholic morality—like the God-given dignity of every person, the importance of forgiveness, and the call to serve those in need. By fostering these values early on, parents help children form habits of genuine love and compassion that will guide them throughout their lives. Embracing a Catholic moral life is more than a set of rules. It’s an invitation to live out Jesus’ commandment to “love one another” in tangible, life-giving ways that help us to become the people God made us to be.
Developing a Personal Prayer Life Prayer is how we nurture and grow our relationship with God. Children should learn simple, daily prayers like the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, but we also want to encourage them to speak to God in their own words—bringing their joys, worries, and questions before Him. By offering every aspect of their lives to God in love, they begin to see prayer as a two-way conversation: not only do we speak, but we also listen for God’s voice in Scripture, in the silence of our hearts, and in the rhythms of daily life.
Teaching children to spend time each day in quiet prayer or reflection helps them form a habit that can last a lifetime. Family prayer—such as praying before meals or bedtime—reminds everyone that God is part of our everyday experiences. Over time, children can learn other forms of prayer: reading Scripture, meditating on the lives of the saints, praying the Rosary, or participating in Eucharistic Adoration. Parents who model a consistent prayer life themselves send a powerful message that prayer is essential for growing closer to God and living a truly Catholic life.
Ongoing Faith Formation & Community Involvement Our faith grows stronger when we continue to learn and stay engaged. Even after receiving a sacrament, both children and adults benefit from ongoing catechesis—whether through Catholic school, parish religious education programs, youth groups, resources like FORMED.org, or other forms of learning individually or in groups.
Encourage your child to get involved in parish events, volunteer opportunities, and social gatherings. This sense of belonging helps them see that Catholicism is meant to be lived in a community rooted in love for God and neighbor. Staying connected also means you have support from other families and parish members as we all navigate our faith journeys together. Remember that faith is communal, and by actively participating, you and your child will continue to grow and experience the richness of the Catholic tradition.
Understanding Each Sacrament Part of becoming Catholic—or receiving additional sacraments as a Catholic—is gaining a deeper appreciation for each sacrament in particular and the sacraments in general. Each sacrament is an outward sign of God’s grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. Whether it’s Baptism, Reconciliation, the Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, or Anointing of the Sick, each has its own meaning and purpose. It’s important for children and parents to know:
Why we receive it (the spiritual benefits)
How it’s celebrated (the rites and symbols)
What it does for us (how it unites us with Christ and the Church)
When children truly understand why a sacrament matters and what it does, they can approach it with both reverence and excitement. Parents can reinforce this by asking questions, sharing personal faith experiences, and encouraging children to reflect on their own encounters with God. By fostering this deeper understanding, families can more fully embrace the transformative power of the sacraments in their daily lives.