Cathedral of St Mary & St Helen |
Ingrave Road Brentwood |
CM15 8AT |
Tel 01277 265235 |
Copyright © 2010 |
Jesus’ final command to his followers
‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded to you’ – Matthew 28:19
The Sacrament of Baptism is the sacred moment when an individual is drawn into the life of God and begins to share in His life, through the community of the Church.
Most baptisms are of infants and therefore it is important that parents, who are responsible for nurturing the faith of their children and their relationship with the Church, understand what this sacrament means.
Supported by the parish community, parents have a special role in ensuring that the light of faith given to their child on the day of their baptism is kept burning brightly afterwards.
In order to help parents reflect on the meaning of baptism, our present baptismal programme is going to be slightly altered.
From now on there will be four stages for parents who want their children to receive the sacrament of baptism:
Stage 1 ... A meeting with Father Martin
Stage 2 ... Attending the two sessions of the baptismal programme
which are led by Quentin and Valerie Hall.
Stage 3 ... Booking a time and date for the baptism itself.
Stage 4 ... A member of the parish clergy will meet and contact
the family personally.
Please Note that Stages 1, 2 and 3 must be done in the above order.
Stage 1 ~ Meeting with Fr Martin: Parents need to contact the parish secretary, Lorna Harper, (office hours please on 01277-265235), to book a meeting with Father Martin. The meetings will take place in the parish hall on Sundays, will begin promptly at 5.00 p.m. and last for about an hour.
The dates for these meetings in 2010 are:
7th February; 7th March; 18th
April; 9th May; 13th June; 4th July; 1st August; 19th September; 3rd
October; 7th November; 5th December.
Stage 2 ~ Sessions for Parents: The Baptismal Programme is comprised of two sessions for
parents. These take place on Wednesdays in the small parish hall at 8.00
p.m. The dates for these meetings for the first half of 2010 are: March
17th and 24th; April 14th and 21st; May 19th and 26th; June 23rd and
30th; July 21st and 28th;
Stage 3 ~ Book Date of Baptism: Only on completing stage 1 and stage 2 can parents contact the parish secretary and book a date for their child’s baptism.
Stage 4 ~ Contact the Family: The member of the parish clergy who is to perform the sacrament will make contact with the family before the baptism itself.
The First Holy Communion programme, for children in Year 3 and above, begins in September and runs until June the following year. Sessions for the children occur once a month on Saturday mornings. Parents also have sessions to assist them both in developing and deepening their own understanding of the faith, and in helping them to instruct their children.
Couples wishing to get married in either the Cathedral or Holy Cross should, in the first instance, arrange to see the Dean of the Cathedral at Clergy House. At least six months notice is required in order to allow sufficient time for the preparation of couples. For all those getting married, a group meeting is held at the beginning of the year, followed by four sessions with one of the Parish Team, and culminating in a one-day course offered by ‘Catholic Marriage Care’.
This Sacrament is available to anyone who is either unwell or is going into hospital. Please contact the Parish Office to arrange a suitable date and time.
In addition, those parishioners, who through sickness or infirmity are unable to get to Mass, are welcome to receive communion at home from one of our Ministers of Communion. Please contact the Parish Office for more details.
If either you, or a relative or friend, is going into hospital and would like to be visited during your stay, please contact our Parish Co-ordinator who will ensure that the chaplain of the parish, which serves the particular hospital, is notified.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated every Saturday morning in the Cathedral from 11:00 am until 12:00 noon.
At Holy Cross it is available on request after the 6:30 pm Saturday evening Mass.
Our Confirmation programme is open to young people from both parishes who are aged 16 and over, and who have completed their G.C.S.E.s. The course begins in September and continues through the year until Pentecost Sunday, at which time the Bishop confirms the candidates at the 11:30 Mass in the Cathedral.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place in the Cathedral from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on the third Thursday of each month. Parishoners are invited to devote a spare hour to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
This course is open to any adult who is interested in becoming a member of the Catholic Church. It is also open to existing Catholics who might wish to deepen or renew their faith. The course normally runs from September through until the following Easter.
For more information please contact the Parish Office or pick up a leaflet in the narthex.
