During The Celebration of the Christian Mystery: Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Confession (Reconciliation), the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life:1 they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian's life of faith....The first chapter will expound the three sacraments of Christian initiation; the second, the sacraments of healing; and the third, the sacraments at the service of communion and the mission of the faithful. This order, while not the only one possible, does allow one to see that the sacraments form an organic whole in which each particular sacrament has its own vital place. In this organic whole, the Eucharist occupies a unique place as the "Sacrament of sacraments": "all the other sacraments are ordered to it as to their end." Catechism 1210-1210
Baptism Enquiry: Congratulations on the birth of your new born child. Please see Fr James after a weekend mass to discuss meeting to complete the baptism enquiry form, this would usually take place on a Wednesday or Friday morning. At least one parent must be a baptised Roman Catholic. For godparents, at least one must be baptised and confirmed as a Catholic, remaining witnesses can be from other Christian denominations but must be baptised. To request a baptism you are declaring to God your intention to raise your child in the Catholic faith and to uphold all that The Church teaches and upholds to be true. All our Weekend Masses are child friendly and the Holy Family side chapel is convenient for small children who like to vocally express themselves. The 11am Sunday Mass is very popular with families.
First Holy Communion Classes: These begin each year at the end of September and run until the Feast of Corpus Christi in May/June. The classes take place on every Saturday mornings (excluding school holidays) from 10:30am (registration) and include 15 minutes of Adoration in the church. The class concludes with a mass together at 12noon (this mass doesn't fulfil the Sunday mass obligation). Children are collected by parents at 12:30pm. The children must have already started Year 3 and have reached the age of Seven and be regarded as mature enough to understand what is being taught. Regular Weekend mass attendance is the best preparation for your child and it's where they will meet so many of their friends and peers from school, we are a great Community. Application Forms are available from Fr James after the weekend masses from late July until the end of September. Once classes have begun it is too late to apply. For information regarding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people, please see the notice boards inside the church.
Confirmation Classes: These weekly classes are for our fantastic young parishioners over the age of thirteen who have made the free decision to receive the fullness of Initiation as members of The Catholic Church. They desire to learn more about their faith and to be better equipped as young Catholics in the third millennium. The evening of the class will be decided by the majority vote taken at the first parents meetings (usually on Mon/Tues/Wed from 6:30pm-7:45pm). Keep an eye on the newsletter and listen to the announcements after mass to know when application forms are available. They will require a Sponsor (possibly their Godparent) and to think about a new patron Saint who inspires them to be an even better Catholic.
Visiting the Sick: If you have a loved one or know of someone who is too frail to make it to mass and would like a home visit please contact Fr James. Holy Communion can be brought to them by one of our Extra Ordinary ministers of Holy Communion and/or Fr James. It is better to arrange for Fr James to anoint someone before it is too late, he may not be available at the last minute.
Sacrament of Marriage: The Catechism paragraph 1601 says, "The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." Congratulations on your engagement! Couples will be expected to give six month notice to their parish priest in order to complete the popular Diocesan pre Marriage & Family Life Course and also all the paperwork. it is the couples responsibility to notify their local Registry Office and to attain the marriage licence. If you are planning to get married abroad make sure that the Bishops of that Country permit non residents to marry in their Diocese. Please contact Fr James as soon as possible to start the paper work. Phone or Email and see him after mass.
Baptism Enquiry: Congratulations on the birth of your new born child. Please see Fr James after a weekend mass to discuss meeting to complete the baptism enquiry form, this would usually take place on a Wednesday or Friday morning. At least one parent must be a baptised Roman Catholic. For godparents, at least one must be baptised and confirmed as a Catholic, remaining witnesses can be from other Christian denominations but must be baptised. To request a baptism you are declaring to God your intention to raise your child in the Catholic faith and to uphold all that The Church teaches and upholds to be true. All our Weekend Masses are child friendly and the Holy Family side chapel is convenient for small children who like to vocally express themselves. The 11am Sunday Mass is very popular with families.
First Holy Communion Classes: These begin each year at the end of September and run until the Feast of Corpus Christi in May/June. The classes take place on every Saturday mornings (excluding school holidays) from 10:30am (registration) and include 15 minutes of Adoration in the church. The class concludes with a mass together at 12noon (this mass doesn't fulfil the Sunday mass obligation). Children are collected by parents at 12:30pm. The children must have already started Year 3 and have reached the age of Seven and be regarded as mature enough to understand what is being taught. Regular Weekend mass attendance is the best preparation for your child and it's where they will meet so many of their friends and peers from school, we are a great Community. Application Forms are available from Fr James after the weekend masses from late July until the end of September. Once classes have begun it is too late to apply. For information regarding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people, please see the notice boards inside the church.
Confirmation Classes: These weekly classes are for our fantastic young parishioners over the age of thirteen who have made the free decision to receive the fullness of Initiation as members of The Catholic Church. They desire to learn more about their faith and to be better equipped as young Catholics in the third millennium. The evening of the class will be decided by the majority vote taken at the first parents meetings (usually on Mon/Tues/Wed from 6:30pm-7:45pm). Keep an eye on the newsletter and listen to the announcements after mass to know when application forms are available. They will require a Sponsor (possibly their Godparent) and to think about a new patron Saint who inspires them to be an even better Catholic.
Visiting the Sick: If you have a loved one or know of someone who is too frail to make it to mass and would like a home visit please contact Fr James. Holy Communion can be brought to them by one of our Extra Ordinary ministers of Holy Communion and/or Fr James. It is better to arrange for Fr James to anoint someone before it is too late, he may not be available at the last minute.
Sacrament of Marriage: The Catechism paragraph 1601 says, "The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." Congratulations on your engagement! Couples will be expected to give six month notice to their parish priest in order to complete the popular Diocesan pre Marriage & Family Life Course and also all the paperwork. it is the couples responsibility to notify their local Registry Office and to attain the marriage licence. If you are planning to get married abroad make sure that the Bishops of that Country permit non residents to marry in their Diocese. Please contact Fr James as soon as possible to start the paper work. Phone or Email and see him after mass.