Sacraments are means which God uses to show His grace and help us achieve salvation. The word sacrament means “a sign of the sacred,” which is fitting as they are all outwards signs from God to us. Sacraments are celebrations of a continued journey and relationship with God, teachings to help live out His word and ceremonies to show devotion to Him.
WHERE DID THE SACRAMENTS ORIGINATE?
In the Bible, Christ gives His followers clear instructions on how to administer and receive each of the sacraments. This is seen through His work with the Apostles, healing the sick, parables, giving His body and blood to nourish our souls and forgiving sinners. The Church administers these holy sacraments as instructed, for all to worship God and receive His salvation.
THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION
The three sacraments of initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. Each is meant to strengthen your faith and forge a deeper relationship with God. Baptism frees you from original sin, Confirmation strengthens your faith and the Eucharist allows you to taste the body and blood of eternal life and be reminded of Christ’s love and sacrifice.
THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING
The two sacraments of healing are Penance and Anointing of the Sick. Penance allows for spiritual healing and absolution for people who have distanced themselves from God through sin. Anointing the Sick allows for both physical and spiritual healing. When one falls seriously ill, a minister anoints them and prays over them, calling on Christ to strengthen and heal.
THE SACRAMENTS OF SERVICE
Through Marriage and the Holy Orders, couples and the clergy promise to serve and build up the church community.
BAPTISM
The sacrament in which, by pouring water upon a person, or immersing in water, and using the words “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”, the one baptised is cleansed of Original Sin and (in the case of one who has reached the age of reason) of actual sins, is incorporated into Christ and made a member of His Body the Church; he/she is infused with the sanctifying grace and receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.
BAPTISM REGISTRATION AND PREPARATION
Please contact the parish office to pick up the necessary forms.
- You will be given a document to read to help you understand what it means to have your child baptised into the Catholic Church.
- You will also receive an attendance form to be signed by a priest for the following 6 weeks of Sunday masses before the baptism can take place.
- We will then make an appointment for you to meet with one of the priests and book a date for the baptism.
NAMING CEREMONY
On the Sunday usually before the Baptism your Child will be named and anointed with the oil of catechumens at one of the Sunday Masses (that you normally attend). This is the first part of the Rite of Baptism. You will need to arrange with the parish office which Mass you will be attending. It is nice if the Godparents can attend but it is not compulsory for them.
GODPARENTS
You need at least ONE Confirmed Catholic Godparent (Sponsor) who has received the Blessed Eucharist and who is a practicing Catholic. A Christian from another denomination can act as a witness to the Baptism so long as there is also the Catholic Sponsor for the child. The role of a Godparent is to accept the responsibility of instructing the child in the faith, by supporting the child and their family but especially if the parents fail in this duty.
ON THE DAY OF THE BAPTISM
Please ensure that you are seated at least 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. We provide a baptism candle for your child, but you are also welcome to provide your own if you have a special one. The candle is lit from the Paschal (Easter) candle, symbolic of the light of Christ, to shine forth in the life of the baptised.
WHAT THE CHILD SHOULD WEAR
It is important that you bring a white garment with you (a baby shawl or white blanket will suffice), which is placed over the child at the appropriate moment in the ceremony. The white garment symbolises that your Child has ‘put on Christ’. It is symbolic of new life in Christ, to be worn throughout our lives.
CHURCH OFFERING
It is customary to make an offering to the Church on these occasions although there is no charge to receive a sacrament.
WELCOMING/GOING FORTH MASS
At the Sunday mass after the baptism, the child will be presented with their Baptismal Certificate and be welcomed as an official member of the Church and the parish community.
RECONCILIATION
The Sacrament of Confession is also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance. This sacrament can set us free from our sins, and from the burden of guilt that comes along with our sins. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are brought back into union with God. Our sins separate and damage our relationship with our Lord, and it is through this most powerful sacrament that our relationship with the Lord is repaired and strengthened. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we can walk more closely with the Lord once again, without the burden of our sins weighing us down and distancing our relationship with God.
RECONCILIATION REGISTRATION AND PREPARATION
This is a parish-based programme and is generally taught as part of the programme of those children preparing for First Holy Communion [hyperlink] (usually for children in Year 3 or above). For your first reconciliation please register through the First Holy Communion programme if you are a child or through the RCIA programme if you are an adult.
Current Notice: Applications are now closed for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion 2023. For next year please keep an eye in the Autumn term for an announcement in the newsletter.
HOW TO MAKE A CONFESSION
- Go to the priest and begin by saying, “Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was ___________ (say when)”.
- Tell the priest about the things you feel sorry for or things you know you have done wrong.
- Finish by saying “For these and other sins I have forgotten, I am sorry”.
- The priest will tell you to do something special; to make up for the wrong things you have done. This is called Penance. He might tell you to do an act of kindness or to say a prayer.
- The priest will tell you to say “I am sorry to God” by saying an Act of Contrition. You say:
“Oh my God, I am sorry for all my sins, for not loving others and not loving you. Help me to live like Jesus and not sin again. Amen.”
or
“Oh my God, because you are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you. And with the help of your grace, I will try not to sin again. Amen.”
- The priest will tell you that God our Father forgives us when we are sorry and will say a special prayer which is when your sins will be forgiven. This is called absolution.
- You have now made your Confession. The priest will tell you that your sins are forgiven and that you have been reconciled with God.
Current Notice: Priests will be available in the Confessional on Saturdays 6:20pm to 6:50pm. Weekdays: Tuesday to Friday from 9:15am to 9:55am. You can also book an appointment with the priest for confession for a time that is convenient to you.
CONFIRMATION
Confirmation is a continuance of what has begun at our Baptism: a continuance of the developing awareness of the reality of faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. At our Baptism faith was conceived: we became part of Christ’s Body, part of His Church. Our Confirmation is the gentle unfolding of what our Baptism means.
CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION AND PREPARATION
This is a parish-based programme – registration usually takes place in Autumn with the course running from January through to May when the celebration will take place. Forms and details about the classes will be available around that time. A copy of your baptism will need to be provided.
CONFIRMATION NAME
In the Bible we read that God gave a new name to a person when they were given a special task to fulfil. For example, when God called Abram away from his tribe and promised to make his descendants into a great nation, he renamed him Abraham. When Jesus gave special authority to Simon, he renamed him Peter. In the Acts of Apostles, we read that Saul was called Paul after his conversion. When we receive the Holy Spirit at Confirmation we are making a decision to offer our lives to God. The Gifts of the Spirit will help us to do this. To mark this important decision, you take a new name. You should choose a Recognised saint, someone you admire.
SPONSOR
The task of a Sponsor is to support you in your decision to be confirmed through their prayers, to be a public witness of your decision and, where possible, to present you to the Bishop on the day of your Confirmation. They are also expected to be there to help and support you in your journey through life as you mature in your faith. The ideal is for one of your Baptismal Godparents to be your Confirmation Sponsor, but this is not always possible. Parents do not usually sponsor their children. An older family member – including a brother or sister, aunt or uncle – could be your Sponsor or you could ask a family friend.
A Sponsor must be:
● A person over 16, who is a baptised and confirmed member of the Catholic Church
● A practising member of the Church
● Someone who knows you well
ON THE DAY
Please arrive 20 minutes before the ceremony and sit in your allocated spot. We usually try to reserve a bench for each family. The service may last around 1-2 hours.
WHAT TO WEAR
Candidates are asked to dress smartly and appropriately for a church ceremony.
CHURCH OFFERING/COST
Parents will be asked to pay for a ticket to “THE FLAME CONGRESS” that they will attend during their preparation. There is no charge to receive the sacrament.
WELCOMING/GOING FORTH MASS
In the following weeks there will be “Going Forth” masses where the candidates will be presented with their Confirmation Certificates and congratulated by the Church and the parish community.