St Joseph's Catholic Church: Sacraments

Sacraments: Vehicles of Grace

The sacraments are Christ's own gift that provide us with his grace. They are the divine helps which God gives us to enable us to:

Believe the truths of His faith
Live according to His moral code
Grow in His gift of divine life

The seven sacrements are a fundamental part of the Catholic faith.

Sacramental Preparation

We aim to ensure training, support and resources, preparing both children and parents for the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation. We aim to prepare couples for marriage.

Baptism

One of the Seven Sacraments of the Christian Church; frequently called the "first sacrament", the "door of the sacraments", and the "door of the Church".

Holy Communion

The First Holy Communion programme usually starts in September/October for those children who have just started in Year 3 at school There are 8 monthly sessions, including a Reconciliation service and a celebratory Mass at the end of the programme. Meetings are held on Saturday afternoons for children and parents to encourage a sense of belonging to the Church community. Parents are asked to register their interest in the course from August. For more information contact the Parish Office.

Confirmation

Confirmation is a sacrament which completes the Christian's initiation and begins their journey as an adult member of the Catholic Church. In this diocese the preparation takes place when the young person is in year 10 at school. All schools in the area are represented. Here we expect the young person to make the initial enquiry as this is part of their taking responsibility for their own faith journey. The preparation consists of several sessions, after which the young person makes a commitment to the course and to the group.

Marriage Preparation

Couples wishing to marry must give 6 months notice to the priest and undertake a course of Marriage Preparation. Getting married is one of the most important steps you will take in life and the aim of the course is to give you time, during what can be a very busy period, to focus on your relationship with one another, to explore your hopes and fears for the future and to look at models for communication and problem solving, which can be of help in a lasting relationship. The course also covers the understanding of the Christian and Catholic view of marriage as a sacrament and a lifelong commitment.