SACRED HEART
CATHOLIC CHURCH EXETER

BAPTISM

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life; the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.  Through Baptism we are freed from sin, reborn as children of God and become members of the Church.  We also begin to share in God's life.  This is why the church obliges parents to have their child baptised as soon as possible.

At the beginning of the baptism ceremony, the priest or deacon speaks to the parents of the child about their important role as teachers of faith.  A special blessing is also given to the parents at the end of the ceremony.

Parents commit themselves to forming and bringing up their children in the practice of the faith.  Thus they are committing themselves to the practice of the faith.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

The preparation for First Holy Communion is based on the main parts of the Mass - to nurture in the children a love for Jesus and the Mass and to give the children a good experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Sessions are held in a relaxed, loving and fun atmosphere, where the children are encouraged to share and build on their previous knowledge. The files contain a substantial amount of material and the parents are expected to work alongside their children and to nurture the child's friendship with Jesus through example and daily prayer.

CONFIRMATION

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What is Confirmation?

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)

Baptism, the Eucharist and Confirmation are the sacraments of Christian initiation. The Church teaches that Confirmation binds the baptised more perfectly to the Church, enriching them with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. It helps us to be true witnesses of Christ, encouraging us to defend the Faith by word and deed. The essential rite of Confirmation is the anointing of the forehead with sacred chrism and the laying on of the Bishop's hands with the words: Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Who is eligible to join the programme?

Young people from Blessed Sacrament and Sacred Heart parishes in Exeter who will be 14 years or older by Easter 2014 are welcome to join the confirmation programme. Those who join the programme will be known as candidates.

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What will it involve?

The Confirmation Programme will be run on a series of Saturdays, approximately once a month, with a few additional sessions here and there. The will also be 2 overnight retreats, one at the beginning and one at the end. All the dates will be arranged in advance and will be confirmed in due course.

We are delighted to be able to provide a really engaging programme, which will include:

• an opportunity for candidates to meet other young Catholics from Exeter and to make new friends.

• space to talk about what is important to them and to share their faith.

• time to explore interesting and engaging areas of Church teaching.

• a chance to get involved in pactical social action and to experience different forms of prayer.

We also hope to be able to provide a few opportunities for parents of candidates to gather, both to obtain practical information regarding the programme and also to meet one another, socialise and have an opportunity to reflect on their experience of being a parent.

When will it start and how long is it?

The programme usually starts in the autumn of each year and continues until the celebration of Confirmation in Eastertide - the date for the celebration will be confirmed in the autumn.

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Who is running the programme?

The confirmation programme will be run by a team of catechists, all of whom are looking forward to meeting the candidates.​

Other people will also be involved during the course of the programme, including of course Fr Kieran Kirby and Fr Jonathan Stewart.

Candidates will also be invited to choose a sponsor who will be a source of spiritual support for them during and after the programme.  This might be a godparent, relative, family friend or fellow parishioner.  Help will be provided at the beginning of the programme in choosing a sponsor. Where possible the catechists will be looking to involve sponsors in the programme.

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How much will it cost?

Candidates will be asked to contribute to the costs of the 2 retreats, which the catechists will endeavour to design as cheaply as possible! For those less able to pay however, financial assistance will be available from the parishes. Cost will be confirmed in due course.

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I have some questions; whom can I ask?

If you have any questions or concerns you can speak to your parish priest, one of the catechists, or enquire at the parish office.

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How do I sign up?

Fill in a sign-up sheet and hand it in to the parish office, or email your details to: exeterconfirmation@hotmail.co.uk

MARRIAGE PREPARATION

Congratulations! We share in your joy!  This is a very special time in your lives, Just as the Church supports people preparing for baptism, first communion or confirmation, we also support couples preparing for marriage. There is more to this than organising the ceremony and reception,  Catholic Marriage Preparation Exeter (CMPE)  would like to assist in the spiritual preparedness of this Sacrament. Fully-trained facilitators provide engaged couples with the opportunity to explore relationship skills in a confidential and non-judgemental way.  The topics covered include communication, conflict, commitment and spirituality.
The half-day courses take place twice a year, in May and October.  Engaged couples should contact the priest at least 6 months before they would like to get married and apply for the preparation course immediately after their initial meeting with the priest, who will provide them with application details. For further information, please contact  the Parish Office  exeter-sacredheart@prcdtr.org.uk, or  01392 272815

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