Retreat and Reconciliation

Last weekend, Elizabeth, Lee and I attended a retreat to prepare Elizabeth for receiving first holy communion.  It was a wonderful program in which we learned about the eucharist, the church and how things are done, and prepared as a family for this major, upcoming event in Elizabeth's spiritual life.  As some of you know, her grade in Religion slipped in the last marking period, and together with her teacher, we made a concerted effort to get her to refocus - and her hard work paid off.  Lee and I were proud of how intensely she paid attention, how much she knew and how seriously she took the final part of the retreat, the sacrament of reconciliation.  After the retreat, we went out to celebrate at Elizabeth's new favorite restaurant (other than Brown's), Longhorn Steak House.  What a treat!

Sharing bread together was a large part of the focus of the retreat. 

Each of the children made a banner, which will hang in the church during their First Communion celebration. 

This is the bread that Elizabeth made.  She fashioned her dough into a braid, with our help, symbolizing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as well as Lee, Elizabeth and myself. 

Elizabeth and her BFF, with the bread that they made. 

After she made her reconciliation, Lee and I placed this medallion around her neck.

This song is a favorite of the school priest and the children.