Baptism and Preparation at St. Vincent’s.

 

"And when Jesus had been baptised he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him. And there was a voice from heaven: This is my Son, the Beloved." (cf. Mt 3:16-17).

 

Baptism is the first of the sacraments of the Catholic Church. What are Sacraments? They are symbolic actions, celebrations and signs of God's love. Through baptism we enter into the life of Jesus and the life of the Church; that is why we call baptism a sacrament of initiation. 

Baptism is a new beginning in a person's life, a second birth. We profess our faith and reject what is evil. We express our will to live according to the values of the Kingdom of God. At baptism God pours his Spirit, his life, his love into our hearts and we become God's beloved children. At baptism we become part of a much wider family, the community of all the baptised, of all those who call God their Father, the Church. We become part of a Parish, a local community in whose life we share and contribute.

Preparation:

 

The first step will be to contact the Parish by phone or e-mail. You will be invited for an initial conversation during which the dates for the preparation will be fixed. The preparation of parents for the baptism of their 

child differs from the preparation of adults who wish to be baptised. The preparation of parents for the baptism of their child consists of 3 meetings of 1 hour on 3 subsequent Saturdays. During the second meeting the date for the baptism will be fixed.

 

First Communion and Confirmation

 

These are the other two Sacraments of Initiation. The preparation of children for their First Holy Communion is done in collaboration with St Vincent's Primary

School. If your child is in Year 4 of a non-Catholic Primary School and you want your child to make their First Holy Communion, you can contact St Vincent's Primary School at the beginning of the School Year and he or she will join the children of the school for their preparation.

 

Candidates for confirmation generally receive this sacrament in Year 8. The preparation for this sacrament is a shared task between the home, the school and the Parish.