The First Friday devotion means receiving Holy Communion on the first Friday of the month, nine months in a row, out of love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. To begin, pick the next first Friday, check the Mass time at your parish, and set aside a few quiet minutes to prepare. If you have a serious sin on your conscience, plan to go to confession first.
It's a voluntary devotion, not a checklist, and it never replaces Sunday Mass. Here's how to start and what to do each month.
What is the First Friday devotion?
It's a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a sign of how much Jesus loves you. The best known form is simple: receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of nine months in a row. Catholics usually offer it in reparation for sin and to thank Jesus for his mercy.
Reparation simply means telling Jesus you're sorry and showing him your love, even for the times you or others have hurt him.
How can you begin the First Friday devotion?
Starting takes very little. Follow these steps:
- Choose the next first Friday that gives you enough time to prepare.
- Call or check the website of a parish to confirm the times for Mass and confession.
- Read a little about the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist, like the short sections at the end of this guide.
- Write down all nine first Friday dates. For example, if you start in November, your ninth first Friday falls in July.
- Pick a short intention for your prayer: to love Jesus more, to thank him, to turn away from sin, and to make reparation.
- After Communion, stay a few quiet minutes to thank Jesus and ask him how to live his love during the month.
What do you do for the nine First Fridays?
The main thing is simple: receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of nine months in a row. It's part of normal parish life, so you go to Mass and prepare for Communion like any other time.
- Before the first Friday, check the Mass times at your parish or at another Catholic church.
- Prepare with a short prayer and an honest examination of conscience: a few quiet minutes to look back at how you have been living.
- Don't eat or drink anything except water for one hour before Communion. Medicine is fine.
- If you have a serious sin on your conscience, go to confession first.
- Go to Mass on the first Friday and receive Holy Communion.
- Offer your Communion out of love for Jesus and in reparation for sin. You can say it in your own words, something like: “Jesus, I offer you this Communion out of love for you and in reparation for sin.”
- Repeat it on the first Friday of each of the next eight months.
If you like, spend some quiet time in prayer before or after Mass. Some parishes offer a Holy Hour (an hour of quiet prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament) on Thursday evening or on Friday. It can help, but each parish does it a little differently, so take those ideas as encouragement, not as rules. If your parish has adoration, our guide to what to do during Eucharistic adoration can help.
Do the nine Fridays have to be consecutive?
Yes, the traditional practice is nine first Fridays in a row. Going every month helps you build a steady habit instead of having one special day. Mark the dates ahead of time and check Mass times, especially around holidays or when your parish changes its schedule.
If illness, caring for a family member, travel, bad weather, or another serious reason keeps you from going, don't panic. This is a voluntary devotion, not a sacrament or a commandment. Ask your priest how to continue in your situation. You can keep praying and pick the devotion back up in peace.
Is confession required for the First Friday devotion?
You need confession before Communion when you have a serious sin on your conscience. Going to confession regularly is also a good habit for anyone who wants to grow closer to God. But if you are otherwise ready to receive Communion, you don't have to go to confession on the first Friday itself.
Before each first Friday, take a few minutes to examine your conscience. If you need confession, check the parish schedule early; don't assume a priest will be available right before Mass. If you're not sure about your situation, talk to a priest. He can help you better than a general answer on the internet.
What prayers should you say on First Friday?
There's no one required prayer. What matters most is receiving Communion with love and a sincere heart.
You can keep your prayer simple:
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, help me receive your love with gratitude. Forgive my sins, repair what sin has wounded, and teach me to love you and my neighbor faithfully.
You can also pray a decade of the Rosary or read a passage from the Gospel. Another option is an act of contrition, a short prayer to say you're sorry that often begins: “O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee.” Or simply stay in silence for a few minutes after Communion to say thank you. If you'd like a guided way to pray with Mary, see our guide on how to pray the Rosary step by step.
Does First Friday replace Sunday Mass?
No. First Friday is an optional devotion. Sunday is the Lord's Day, and it has a place no devotion can take. Going to Mass on a Friday doesn't fulfill your Sunday obligation.
Sunday always comes first. A good devotion supports your parish life; it never competes with it. If your schedule makes you choose between an extra devotion and Sunday Mass, choose Sunday Mass.
Why is the devotion connected with the Sacred Heart?
The Heart of Jesus stands for all of Jesus and his love, both human and divine. His pierced Heart shows a love that gives everything and waits for your answer.
That's why the devotion isn't mainly about completing nine dates. It's about letting Jesus love you and answering with trust, sorrow for sin, worship, and service. Lived this way, the First Fridays help you stay close to the Eucharist. Our guide to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Catholic home devotion tells you more about this image and its place in prayer.
Where did the First Friday devotion come from?
It grew out of devotion to the Sacred Heart, especially after the private revelations that Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque reported in the 1600s. She described being invited to receive Communion on first Fridays and to make reparation to the Heart of Jesus.
The Church allows Catholics to embrace her story as a help to faith, as long as it brings you closer to Jesus and the sacraments.
Communion on first Fridays caught on at a time when some Catholics rarely received the Eucharist. Going regularly helped people trust God's mercy and live closer to the sacraments. That's still the goal today: come to Jesus with reverence and trust, not with fear or superstition.
For your nine First Fridays
A Bible for the Gospel, a rosary for your prayer and a Sacred Heart candle for your home altar.
Arrives in 2 to 4 days. Free shipping on orders over $35.
Does the First Friday devotion guarantee salvation?
Old accounts mention a special promise for those who complete the nine first Fridays. It's a beautiful sign of how much Jesus wants to be close to you, but it isn't a contract. What matters is that you keep living close to him with faith and a sincere heart.
The devotion has to stay connected to a living faith. Its purpose is to help you love Jesus and live close to the Eucharist, not to give you certainty because you finished a sequence. Its value is in helping you live the Gospel more fully.
The best sign that the devotion is bearing fruit isn't a finished calendar. It's receiving the Eucharist with more gratitude, saying sorry more honestly, trusting the mercy of Jesus more, and loving the people around you more generously. Start there, and let the nine first Fridays become your steady answer to the love of Jesus.
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