Sacramental Preparation
Pick the Sacrament you’re looking for your child to receive to find out more information:
Parents have to attend a couple of preparation sessions with Chief Catechist Alvaro Scrivano before the baptism. The sessions are based on a video course offering a dynamic and modern approach to baptism preparation. Throughout the sessions parents are encourage to discuss their thoughts, hopes, feelings and concerns.
If you are interested in being baptised in our parish please request an application form from the Parish Office.
The First Holy Communion Class in our Sunday School prepares children for the Sacrament of the Eucharist over the course of one school year, during which the children are also introduced to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If a child is not in a Catholic school, they are required to attend the Sunday school during the year previous to the First Holy Communion course. Classes run from September to May/June, and take place after the 10.30 Mass every Sunday.
The children enrol in September and sessions are held every Sunday after the 10.30am Mass. A high level of attendance and parental support is expected throughout the year. Parents are invited to attend three Saturday afternoon sessions with their children during the year. The First Communion celebrations normally take place on two Sundays in May during the 10.30am Mass.
Children must be baptised before sharing in the Eucharist for the first time and a copy of the Baptismal Certificate is needed for parish records. The Parish Priest should be informed if a child wishes to join the First Communion group and has not been baptised.
Juniors 1 and 2 (Age 10-11)
The courses start to prepare children for the next Sacrament which is Confirmation, emphasis is placed on their place in the Parish as the future generation, and they are encouraged to get to know one another to help create a sense of community. This is done through various activities that include reading, listening and discussion of stories from the Bible both New and Old Testament. We explore the life of Jesus and his preaching, as well as finding out about the saints. Other activities include drawing and collage, and role play. Sharing prayer and praying together are an important part of the sessions.
“We do themed puzzles, crosswords and anagrams. We read the Gospel and talk about it” (Lara, Junior 1 student)
Pre-Confirmation (Age 11-12)
The pre-confirmation class is led by Paul Ward. The teacher and the pupils share their Catholic faith. Activities include prayer, discussion, reflection, bible reading and meditation. The activities tend to follow the liturgy of a particular week. Catechism pupils are expected to offer their own insights to discussion in a thoughtful way. Pupils think about what their faith means for them and this is a preparation for their independent commitment to their faith which will follow in the sacrament of Confirmation in next year’s class.
Confirmation (Age 12-13)
The focus of the programme is to build on the first Holy Communion sacrament and to give the young adults a solid foundation upon which to build their faith, to promote a relationship and deeper knowledge of our Faith that the young adult will want to develop.
The programme is for children in Year 9 (around age 14) and above (but under 16) to prepare them for the sacrament of Confirmation. The sessions run concurrently with the school year, starting in September and usually finishing in Apr/May.
The programme consists of fewer, longer sessions spread across the year and held on Sunday mornings after the 10.30am Mass. Parents are involved in the preparation and are encouraged to attend at least one morning session per term with the candidates.
The Programme includes a day of reflection which, for the last two years, has been led by the “Ten Ten Theatre” company. During Lent the candidates take part in a sponsored 24 hour fast beginning at 9.30am on Saturday. During the afternoon they attend a workshop on development issues and the work of CAFOD. Their families are encouraged to support their children in this challenge by taking part in the fast themselves and everyone breaks the fast together on Sunday morning.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated in the summer – usually in June or early July.
Our Programmes
Most groups follow the Walk With Me catechism programme which is used widely in the Westminster Diocese and is recommended by the Conference of Bishops in England and Wales. In each session the children are helped to reflect on experience in the light of Catholic belief, Scripture, doctrine and liturgy.
Walk With Me provides a four year cycle of life/faith themes and topics. The repetition of the nine life/faith themes each year enables these key aspects of Catholic faith and practice to be deepened as the children grow and develop.
I Belong is the preparation programme for First Communion.
Introducing our Catechist, Alvaro Scrivano…
I come from Argentina so I like barbecues and football but unfortunately, I can’t tango. I have been living in London for the last 15 years. St Edward the Confessor was one of the first places I visited when I arrived to London. I am an English teacher. I have been working in Education for the last 22 years. I am currently working in a primary school in Camden Town. I am married with two children. My son is nine and attends junior classes here. My daughter is five and attends the Reception class in our Sunday School
Email: alvaroscrivano@rcdow.org.uk
Children’s Liturgy
The Children’s Liturgy takes place on Sundays during term time at the 10:30 Mass. Children’s Liturgy is the Liturgy of the Word for Children. During the first half of the Mass, children are invited to go with the catechists to the parish hall. The Gospel of the day is explained and discussed at a level the children can understand and enjoy and in an environment more suited to their age.
The catechists introduce the theme of the week and encourage interaction with the children to keep them interested and learn the message of the week. It is an opportunity for children and young people to learn more about Jesus and the Catholic religion.
Sunday School
Sunday school offers catechism classes to children from the age of 5 – when they start in Reception class- up to 14, the post-confirmation group. We are one of the few parishes in the diocese that offer classes like this to all our parish children at church on a Sunday. Sessions are held every Sunday during term time after the 10.30am mass and usually last for 45mins. Lessons take place in the hall, the sacristy annex, the bar room and the upper room where the confirmation classes are taking place at the moment.
Fr Paul McDermott
Parish Priest
St Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Church
700 Finchley Road
Golders Green
London
NW11 7NE