SACRAMENTS

Baptism

Baptism is one of the three sacraments of initiation by which we become members of Christ’s Church.

Parishioners who wish to have their child baptised should contact Fr Paul to talk about attending the Baptismal Preparation Course run by one of our Catechists. Once the course has been undertaken a date can be booked for the baptism ceremony. Baptisms at Our Lady & St Joseph Church usually take place at 12.30 on Sundays following the 11am Mass.

Confirmation

The sacrament of Confirmation is the second of the sacraments of initiation and enabling the candidate to accept the commitments made at Baptism and take their place as a full member of the Church.

At Our Lady and St Joseph we run a programme to prepare candidates to receive the sacrament. Adults and young people in Year 8 or above wishing to be confirmed are asked to submit an application to Father Paul. Adults who wish to be confirmed may be prepared by Father Paul or take part in the RCIA programme (See below).

The Sacrament of Confirmation is conferred for adults at the Easter Vigil and for younger candidates when the Bishop makes his pastoral visit.

First Reconciliation / First Holy Communion Programme

The Holy Eucharist is the great gift by which we experience the ultimate sign of Christ’s presence. The Eucharist is the only one of the three Sacraments of Initiation that can be received more than once. Frequent reception of Holy Communion helps us to live the Christian life by deepening our relationship with Christ and allowing Him to strengthen us if a very special way.

At Our Lady & St Joseph there is a preparation course every year to prepare children to receive their First Holy Communion. The dates of the preparation course are advertised in the parish newsletter and parents of children from Year 3 (and who are 7 by September 1^st) are asked to submit an application form. The course is run by a team of catechists and most of the sessions take place on a Saturday morning.

The preparation usually begins in the autumn and the First Holy Communion Mass is held on a Saturday in May.

 RCIA

For those who would like to find out more about becoming a Catholic or who perhaps have not practiced their faith for a number of years and would like to deepen the understanding of their faith, there is a The RCIA Group which meets on a weekday evening in the Presbytery of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Tilbury . RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and refers to a set of ceremonies through which an individual becomes a full member of the Catholic Church.

There are talks and discussions that focus on explaining the Catholic faith and what it means to be a Catholic Christian in today’s world.

The RCIA course aims towards baptism or reception in to the Church at the Easter Vigil.

( The application form to join the RCIA course can be found in the next section under the heading "Becoming a Catholic" )

Marriage

The sacrament of Matrimony acknowledges a couple’s commitment to share their life together and to reveal God’s love to themselves and those around them through the witness of their married lives.

Those who live in the parish or who have a strong link to the parish may marry at Our Lady & St Joseph. All those wishing to marry are required to give at least six months’ notice and to attend a course of preparation.

The first stage is to meet with Fr Paul this should be done before any other arrangements are made or venues booked.