Catechism for children after 9am Mass

Catechism for children is held between the 9am and 10.30am Masses on Sunday morning between about 9.50am and 10.20am. Pre-schoolers to Yr 6 are catered for in separate groups. There is also an informal Q&A session for young people of secondary school age.

Tea and coffee is provided as well so adults are welcome to come in to meet other parishioners after Mass.

Proper dispositions for Holy Communion

At this time of the feast of Corpus Christi, we should remember that to receive Holy Communion, the following are required by the Church:

1. To be a Catholic in communion with the Church and to believe in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
2. To be living in accord with the teaching of the Church and, if married, to be married according to the law of the Church.
3. To be in a state of grace, free from any deliberate grave sin that has not been forgiven through the sacrament of Confession.
4. To have fasted for at least one hour before Communion.
5. To have prepared prayerfully to receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.

Nowadays, some Catholics only come to Mass every few weeks. In such a case, it would be necessary to go to confession and form a firm resolution to attend Mass every week before receiving Holy Communion again.

A person who is unable to receive Holy Communion may still receive many graces by participating devoutly at Mass and making a “spiritual communion” at the time that others go up to receive Holy Communion. The following is one prayer that you could use when making a spiritual communion.

Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.

First Holy Communions

The parish first Holy Communion Masses will take place on the first three Saturdays in May: 5 May, 12 May and 19 May.

On those days, we are not able to have our usual confessions and adoration on Saturday morning.

All are welcome to the Masses. Please be seated in the Church by 10.15am.

Many thanks indeed to our team of catechists who have worked so hard to prepare the children for this very special day. Please remember the children and their families in your prayers.

If for any reason, your child has missed out on preparing for their first Holy Communion, do contact Fr Finigan, the parish priest. For children who are currently in Year 3 it is usually best to wait and join next year's parish programme. For older children, Ít is possible to arrange for children to receive some instruction appropriate to their age and then make their first Confession and first Holy Communion during the summer. In all cases, the children should be coming regularly to Mass every Sunday with their family. (Information about all our sacramental programmes is given out well in advance over several weeks in the parish newsletter and verbal notices at Mass.)

New page on Vocations

There is a new page on the parish website, asking the question "Is God calling you to be a priest?" and giving some hints on how to find out the answer.

New page on Controversies(including the Da Vinci Code)

Everyone is talking about the Da Vinci Code. As a Catholic you are asked all sorts of questions about it. How do you answer? Try our own parish website Controversies page.

At the Parents' Faith Group today, I gave out copies of Fr Wauck's excellent post The Da Vinci Code Catechism which is also very helpful.

The Controversies page also has links to material on "Richard Dawkins, Evolution and Atheism," and "AIDS, Condoms and the Catholic Church."

Excellent evening for engaged and married couples

Our evening for engaged and married couples was a delightful celebration of the goodness of marriage and the family. We reflected on the Holy Family and how Jesus, Mary and Joseph can help our families and our engaged couples. We prayed the Rosary and prayed for the engaged couples. The married couples said a prayer to renew the grace of the sacrament of marriage. After Benediction and the Novena, Fr Linus Clovis (pictured) gave a very informative talk on the encyclical Humanae Vitae in which Pope Paul VI spoke of the true meaning fo marriage and human life.

If you missed this one, don't miss the next one!

Parents' Faith Group

A group for parents to pray together, find out more about the Catholic faith and discuss moral and spiritual issues in a friendly and informal setting.

Meet this Friday 18 May at 2.45pm in the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary School. Finish at 3.25pm in time to collect children at the end of the school day.

Engaged and Married Couples' Evening

This Thursday, (18 May) we have one of our regular evenings for engaged and married couples. The programme is as follows:

• 7pm onwards - refreshments available in the Small Hall
• 7.30pm - talk by Fr Finigan
• 8pm - Rosary and Benediction with renewal of marriage vows
• 8.45pm - Talk by Fr Linus Clovis
  The reasons for Church's teaching regarding birth control