Becoming a Christian
Christian Initiation (Baptism and Confirmation) at All Saints
All who live in our parish or who have a longstanding connection with All Saints are welcome for Baptism. The Sacrament of Baptism is the first step on the lifelong journey of Christian Pilgrimage, when a child or adult becomes a member of the Universal Church, the Body of Christ. As a general rule, adults are usually baptised and confirmed at the same time, following the practice of the early church. At All Saints, Baptism takes place during the Solemn Mass at 10.30am on a Sunday. The Sacrament of Confirmation is when young people or adults, usually baptised as infants, wish to make a conscious decision to affirm their faith, and which includes re-affirming the vows and promises made at baptism, with the laying-on of hands and anointing with the Oil of Chrism by the Bishop.
A first step for parents seeking to have their child baptized is to come along one Sunday morning to meet Father David and other members of our community, and to chat about the arrangements for a Baptism.
A warm welcome is extended to anyone enquiring and wishing to explore the Christian Faith. Please contact the parish priest, Father David Lawrence-March (fatherdlm@icloud.com) for further information.
The Holy Eucharist
At the heart of the life of our parish, as Christians within the Catholic tradition, is the celebration of the Mass, in which we proclaim the presence of the Risen Lord in his Church, in the Bread and Wine – his Body and Blood – in the Holy Eucharist. Our principal celebration every week is the Solemn Mass at 10.30am on Sunday morning (there is also, on most Sundays, a simple, said celebration of the Mass at 8.00am) which, as another sign of our communion one with another as the Body of Christ, is followed by a time of fellowship over ‘coffee and conversation’ (and often something a little more celebratory!). Those who have been baptised in the name of the Trinity and usually receive Holy Communion in their own church are welcome at the altar at All Saints. The Mass is also celebrated on at least three days in the week (check the weekly notice to confirm timings) and often more frequently. On special feast days there is a Solemn Mass at 6.30pm, a time designed to enable as many of the faithful as possible to be present.
Reconciliation and Forgiveness
As Christians we acknowledge our constant need for forgiveness for those times when we know we have fallen short of the ideal that God-in-Christ sets before us. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (also called the Sacrament of Confession) is a means by which we can be assured of God’s reconciling love for us, and is available for those who wish to take advantage of this particularly precious gift of God. Regular times are advertised, or an appointment can be made with the Parish Priest for either the sacrament, or just a chat.
Bereavement
The love of God extends over the whole of creation. It is the firm Christian belief that every life is precious to God. As Christians, we believe that there is hope in death as in life, and that after death there is the Easter promise of new life in Christ.
Whatever the circumstances may be, the death of a loved one is immensley painful. Even those with the strongest belief in the resurrection will experience a sense of loss that is very real. Those who mourn need the utmost sensitivity, support and consolation. Each of us will have had our own experiences of the life and death of those we have loved, each with our own memories of love, grief and respect.
In a funeral service, we come to express our feelings as we gather to pay our respects and to say farewell. We gather to remember our loved one before God, to give thanks for their life, to commend them to God’s infinite mercy, and to comfort one another in our grief.
A funeral service may take place in church, in a cemetery or in a crematorium. To arrange the funeral service of a loved one please contact your local funeral director.
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