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Christian Formation Work
Youth on the Altar
The Parish has a constantly growing number of altar girls and boys.
To a large extent these altar servers form the basis of a Parish Youth
Group. At certain Masses one may see as many as 20 of them serving and
sorting our their tasks and functions. They are recruited every year
from the First Communion Group and have regular training sessions. Socially
they arrange their own activities in the Parish Centre.
Baptism Preparation
In our Parish we like to keep the number of baptisms to two per Sunday
so that we can give the families individual attention. The baptism usually
takes place at 12 noon on Sunday, but can be done during Mass. Baptism preparation
for parents and godparents takes place on the first two Saturdays of each month, at 11.00am in the Parish Centre.
Confirmation
Confirmation is usually administered every two or three years to young
people from the age of 16 upwards. The preparation takes place over
a period of six months during which time the candidates experience in
various ways what the Parish community is about and how they themselves
fit into the life of the Church. We actively encourage youngsters to
help whenever possible.
First Sacraments
Children are prepared annually for the sacraments of Reconciliation (Confession)
and the Holy Eucharist (First Holy Communion) during their first year
in Junior School. This preparation is shared between the family, Church
and school and the preparation by the Church takes place during the 9.30am
Mass on Sundays.
The sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated at the beginning of Advent and the sacrament of Holy Eucharist is celebrated around the Feast of Corpus Christi. Children not at St. Mary's Junior School are required to attend catechism classes held on Saturday mornings in the Parish Centre behind the Church.
Marriage Preparation
Ideally the Parish Priest with a team of married couples undertakes marriage
preparation usually in the springtime. It is for that reason that couples
who wish to get married notify the Parish Priest about a year in advance.
R.C.I.A. - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
The 'Journey in Faith', as it is often called, is an impressive development
in the Church. It is a return to the Catechumenate in the Church. The
underlying idea is that living and vibrate communities want to give birth
to new members and new communities sometimes. In the Parish we have a
strong group who every year make the journey of faith in weekly sessions
from October to Pentecost.
Tel / Fax +44 (020) 8647 0022