Faith Education and Sacramental Programmes

Sacramental Programmes for Children

First Confession, First Holy Communion and Confirmation

St Joseph's school provides a Catholic ethos in which the children develop their faith and are prepared during year 3 for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion (Eucharist) and First Reconciliation. Children who already regularly receive these Sacraments by Year 6 are prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The staff at the school and Parish Catechist and formation teachers have worked closely to ensure children receive similar preparation.

Children attending non-Catholic schools receive instruction from Catechists and voluntary help who are all CRB cleared in groups broadly the same peer group as the school cohorts and indeed both groups of families meet during the preparation periods for combined sessions and receive the Holy Sacraments at the same time.

Children's preparation for First Holy Communion and First Reconciliation commences in January each year with weekly classes where children and their parents meet with the parish catechist, and attend Sunday Mass together. Older children receiving Confirmation instruction and their parents meet weekly beginning in July with a break for August with "home study" and continuing in September to further explore their faith again joining with the school group for combined sessions. The Confirmation service is usually held in December.

Missed sacraments: it is possible for young people who have missed the usual age for these Sacraments to be catechized at different times just speak to our Parish Priest or Catechist if you would like to know more.

Contacts: Parish Priest; Headteacher of St. Joseph’s School.

Deepening Understanding of Faith as an Adult

Finding out about our faith shouldn’t stop at 11 so there are often programmes organised both within the parish  following set schemes such as CaFe, Evangellium, Echoes, The Lord's Prayer a study of Take and Read Gospels, or group inspired studies of papal writings e.g. Joy of the Gospel. All these areas have been studied in lively and friendly groups in the past more courses are in the pipeline and we are always open to new ideas that could interest fellow parishioners. Faith formation is a lifelong learning experience opportunities to enrich and deepen our faith together.

Becoming a Catholic as an Adult

Journey in Faith and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)

We often have people making enquiries about what it means to be catholic, people who want to know just what does the Catholic Church stand for. Sometimes spouses or friends of Catholics want to find out more about what draws their spouse or friend to worship regularly, what does it all mean? We offer courses that aim to answer or address these issues mostly within small groups sometimes individually if necessary but always given and received with no obligation on the enquirers behalf to take things further if they don’t want to, should and enquirer feel called to become a catholic, the course is just the same but with an added depth for the individual concerned  and reception into the church normally happens as in the apostolic era, at the Easter Vigil.

Some years are quieter than others but there are always people on hand to help and encourage parents, children young people and the not so young who want to find out more. We worship a Living and Loving God and have a Loving and Living Faith to share.

Contact the Parish Priest at the Presbytery or after any Mass or Parish Catechist.

Other Sacraments

Baptisms, Marriages, and Funerals

When You are Sick or Housebound: Being Cared for by the Church Family

 Mass and Liturgy Times

Contacts