The Sacrament of Baptism

The parish run four Baptismal courses each year, they are usually held in January, March/April (depending upon Easter), July and September. Each course consists of three evening sessions held on a Thursday evening between 8:00pm and 9:30pm in the parish hall.

Attendance on a course is required before arrangements for Baptisms can be made. Why do you need a course? Baptism is a sacrament of the church, and no sacrament should be entered into without proper consideration and fore thought of what you are undertaking on behalf of your child or children.

Our course is informal, and covers the format of the sacrament, which may involve a welcome within mass followed at a later date with the Baptism outside of mass, or as a single service within one of our regular Sunday masses, including the Vigil Mass on Saturday evening.

All enquiries should be made via the Parish Office on 01483 472404 .

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)

Are you searching? Interested in exploring the Catholic Faith? Or just curious?

Who do you say that I am?

Then Come and See Thursday 10th September 2009 at 20.15 in the Parish Hall

"Come and See" is a group process offered by a team from the parish, for anyone interested in exploring the Catholic faith - what is involved in becoming a Catholic - what it means to be part of a Catholic community?

The Catholic Church was sent into the world by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the gospel that provides the framework for human life. If you wish to explore this unbroken tradition dating back to Christ & the Apostles, come to our meetings that are informal, friendly and those attending are free to withdraw at any time. The meetings are initially held on Thursdays during School term time and start at 20.15 and finish at 21.45.

The first meeting will be on Thursday 10th September 2009 at 20.15 in the Parish Hall.

For further details please ring Fr Jeff Scott on 01483-472404 or Teresa Brooks on 01483-481245.

The RCIA is the process by which adults who are not Catholics are welcomed into the Christian family in the Catholic Church. Becoming a Catholic is not just a matter of learning and accepting a number of beliefs. It is a process of growth or conversion. It involves personal growth, as well as growing into a particular Catholic community or parish. For this reason each parish in the Catholic Church is responsible for its own RCIA process.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

The sacrament of First Holy Communion can be taken up from children in their 8th year and above.

In our parish we follow a programme by Bernadette Wilson called God’s Greatest Gift. The programme follows ten chapters, exploring the different gifts God has given us. Within the course we also cover First Reconciliation.

The course begins in September with our First Communion masses happening in June. Parents and children attend an evening session on Tuesday’s between 6.30 and 8.00pm, this is followed by a Sunday Eucharistic celebration at our 11.30am mass.

Parents and children with explore the themes with their own peers and then will continue at home with their workbook with the family.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

This sacrament is above all an act of God’s love. It is a personal moment to be lived in a relationship of love with god. It is not routine, nor an ordeal to be gone through, but is very much part if the personal renewal which takes place in each person. You are invited, in the light of God’s love, to recognise the sinfulness of your life, to have true sorrow for your sins, and a firm intention to avoid them in future.

To prepare well to receive this sacrament, we should:

• Pray first, asking God to help us.
• Make a sincere examination of conscience to see how we have sinned.
• Confess our sins simply, with humility and honesty.
• Make an act of contrition and have a firm purpose of amendment.
• Carry out the penance and pray in thanksgiving to God for his overflowing love.

The Sacrament Of Marriage

The Church requires that a marriage in which one of the parties is a baptised member of the Catholic Church should be celebrated before a duly authorised bishop, priest or deacon, and two witnesses. Where this does not take place the parties will not, in the sight of God, be husband and wife, even though there may be a binding contract under Civil Law.

A Catholic should choose a partner who is free to marry and not bound by a previous marriage. In this context, a Catholic means anyone baptised into the Catholic Church and a baptised person who has become a Catholic.

The parties should give six months notice to the parish priest before the date of the proposed wedding. This is to enable the necessary documents, dispensations and other formalities to be dealt with. During this notice period the couple must attend an engaged couples course.

The Church permits a Catholic to marry a Christian of another denomination, and in certain circumstances to marry in the church of the non-Catholic party.

As the Church’s regulation on Marriage can seem quite complicated it is highly recommended that couples seeking to marry should arrange to see their Parish Priest as early as possible in the planning process to discuss their individual circumstances.

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

This Sacrament gives the grace of the Holy Spirit to those who are sick. By this grace the whole person is helped and saved, sustained by God, strengthened against temptation and against anxiety over death. If necessary, the Sacrament also provides the sick person with the forgiveness of sins.

The Sacrament is available to those whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age. The sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after being anointed and then again falls ill or if during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious.

A sick person may be anointed before surgery whenever serious illness is the reason for the surgery. Elderly people may be anointed if they have become weakened even though no serious illness is present.

Sick children may be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament.

Parishioners, and those who look after the elderly and sick, should not hesitate to contact the parish priest if they feel that someone is in need of the Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament should not be left until the person is near the point of death.

The Sacrament of Ordination (Holy Orders)

Enquirers into the vocation to the priesthood should contact Fr Paul Turner after first speaking to their parish priest or a priest who has known them for a period of time.