SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION
When the announcement of 50 persons to be allowed in church was made our immediate thoughts were with the young people preparing for Confirmation and those, too, who missed out last year on their first celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Would it be possible to see those celebrations through before the young people in 6th class, particularly, leave primary school at the end of June? The answer is ‘not yet’. If matters improve the Government and its advisors may see a possibility in June but there’s no guarantee. First Communion celebrations will not take place now until Autumn but whenever the restriction on sacramental celebrations is lifted the priority attention will be given to Confirmation candidates and to those awaiting First Reconciliation celebrations since last year. We hope also that by September we will somehow be able to continue a programme of preparation towards the sacraments for children not attending a Catholic school. Their two year programme towards each sacrament was curtailed necessarily under Covid restrictions this year.
We celebrated a webcam commitment ceremony with Confirmation candidates last week and we hope to continue in a link between candidates, parents and the parish in coming weeks, preparing now so that whenever the opportunity comes we will be ready.
We celebrated a webcam commitment ceremony with Confirmation candidates last week and we hope to continue in a link between candidates, parents and the parish in coming weeks, preparing now so that whenever the opportunity comes we will be ready.
A Diocesan Video Link Programme with Confirmation families.
The diocese is currently inviting parish participation in a zoom and video link (30 mins duration per session) with parents and candidates over three sessions. In relation to that programme, entitled ‘Walking with Families’, 3 volunteers from a parish are asked to engage in a preparation. Two volunteers will be trained as facilitators for these zoom sessions and a third will be trained to technically support the zoom sessions. Training sessions for volunteers begin this coming Thurs, May 13th (5pm or 7.30pm), or on Monday May 17th (5pm or 7.30pm). The next session for the second step of the programme will be on the use of zoom and will be on Thurs, May 20th (5pm or 7.30pm) and then following a practice run at local level, the final training session will be on Mon 31st May or on Thurs June 3rd (both evenings again offering 5pm or 7.30pm). It is necessary for us to register the three volunteers so that they can indicate time preferences and be invited into the zoom training sessions.
Word of this programme came today, Thursday May 6th, so time is very short. But should a parishioner like to get involved in this programme please let Fr John or Fr Cormac know. Meanwhile we’ll be on the look out ourselves to see if we can locate interested volunteers and if the programme is possible for our parish.
Word of this programme came today, Thursday May 6th, so time is very short. But should a parishioner like to get involved in this programme please let Fr John or Fr Cormac know. Meanwhile we’ll be on the look out ourselves to see if we can locate interested volunteers and if the programme is possible for our parish.
First Communion Registration (ongoing)
We are currently inviting parents in both Scoil Mhuire and Star of the Sea Schools to register a boy or girl in 2nd class who may wish to celebrate First Communion this year. It’s important to note that the child should be baptised in the Catholic Church and a copy presented of the child’s baptism certificate. It is out of respect for another Christian tradition in which a child may have been baptised that this principle is upheld just as it would cause offence to us as a Church if a baptised Catholic child were to receive sacraments in another Church tradition without prior consultation and understanding. If you’re sure that the child was baptised in Star of the Sea Parish, it will be sufficient to share the date of birth with us and possibly an indication in that case of when baptism took place. We’ll then trace the detail ourselves in the parish office. Some parents registered before Easter and others are still doing so. When the list is complete we will be in further touch with parents. It is diocesan policy now that children who wish to celebrate the sacraments must register with the parish. It is not enough to presume registration on the basis of school attendance.
We are very grateful indeed to the teachers in our schools who teach the ‘Grow in Love Programme’ to the children and thereby, as well as by their personal witness of faith, play such an important part in the children’s faith development and preparation for the sacraments.
We are very grateful indeed to the teachers in our schools who teach the ‘Grow in Love Programme’ to the children and thereby, as well as by their personal witness of faith, play such an important part in the children’s faith development and preparation for the sacraments.