The Congregation for Divine Worship presents the Directory as a guide for introducing baptized children, especially those preparing for or newly admitted to First Communion, into the Church’s liturgical life. Building on the Second Vatican Council and the 1969 Roman Missal, it calls for age-appropriate formation integrated with family, catechesis, parish life, and practical Christian conduct. Parents bear primary responsibility, while godparents, schools, youth associations, and the wider community assist when family support is inadequate. The Directory covers children’s participation in Masses with adults and celebrations primarily for children, with local adaptations requiring episcopal and Holy See approval.

Masses for children must remain recognisably the Roman liturgy, retaining the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, opening and closing rites, Scripture, the Lord’s Prayer, the breaking of the bread, the invitation to Communion, and the Trinitarian blessing. Adaptations may include fewer or more accessible readings, approved child-friendly translations, selected Roman Missal prayers, dialogue homilies, vernacular musical texts, processions, visual aids, and roles such as reading, singing, and presenting the gifts. Music, gesture, and children’s artwork should serve prayer rather than become distractions; silence and reverent proclamation remain essential. The Eucharistic Prayer is the summit, with the standard adult Eucharistic Prayers used, and the celebration should lead children toward joyful participation in the Eucharist and Gospel-shaped daily life.