Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation

The three sacraments are the foundation of every Christian life. This page examines each in turn.

Baptism

Baptism Preparation Course.

We are delighted that you are thinking about having your child Baptised. Baptism is the gateway Sacrament and therefore is a significant event in the life of your child and family. This page will hopefully answer any questions you have and lead you through the process of preparation, booking and planning this important milestone in the Christian life of your child.

Baptism Preparation – Frequently asked questions:

Is my child eligible to be baptised at this Church?

Any Catholic parent can request that their child be baptised in our parishes. Usually, you will already be a member of our congregation and attend Mass regularly.

If you live outside of the Parish, you are also very welcome to apply to have your child baptised here, but you will need the written permission of the Parish Priest in your Parish of residence.

What preparation is required?

At least one parent must attend a Baptism Preparation course, although you only need to do this once as it covers any subsequent children.

We run this course bi-monthly, varying the venues between both parish halls. Details are in the parish newsletter, or from the Parish Secretary. It is a single session, usually on the 2nd Tuesday of the relevant month at 7-8pm. There is no need to book, just turn up on the night

We will lead you through the spiritual aspects of the commitment you are undertaking but also be able to assist with some of the planning requirements and answer any questions.

How do I book the date?

Once you have attended the Baptism Preparation course run by the parish you may make an application for Baptism. There is a form to be completed which we will hand out at the Preparation Course, or you can obtain it from the Parish Office. You can request a date by contacting the Parish Secretary. Contact details are: 0191 2851370 or katie.mcdonald@diocesehn.org.uk. Please note that your date is not confirmed until you have had confirmation from us.

Baptisms are celebrated on a Sunday, either during Mass or in a separate ceremony at 12.00 noon in both parishes.

We have a lot of demand for Baptisms. We will do our best to accommodate your preferred date but please give good notice if you have a key date in mind as the slots get booked up quickly. Due to demand you may find there is a child from another family being baptised at the same ceremony.

Who can be a Godparent?

One of your important decisions is to choose suitable Godparents to help support you and your child on their Christian journey.

There are a few rules to follow, so you may need to think about this before you complete the application form.

At least one Godparent must be a minimum of 16 years old and be a practicing Catholic who has made their First Holy Communion and been Confirmed.

Usually you would have two Godparents, but you can have just one, or up to four if you wish. Other Godparents must be baptised Christians, but they don’t all need to be Catholics.

How much does it cost to have my child baptised?

Running our Churches is expensive so we do ask for a donation to offset the building upkeep and administration for your Baptism. It is also customary to pay a stole fee to the member of the clergy who conducts the service. We charge £100 for a Baptism service, half of which goes towards Church upkeep and administration, and half to the priest.

You should plan to pay your fee on confirmation of booking your date.There are various ways to do this:

Cash given to priest in an envelope
Pay by card on the DONA machine at the back of Church (option Baptism)
BACS transfer to HSBC, DH&N Gosforth St Charles, 91164147, 40-34-18. (Ref baptism)

What happens on the day?

Depending on the timing of your Baptism (during Mass or at 12 noon) the arrangements will be slightly different, but the actual Baptism service will follow the same format.

If you’ve chosen a Baptism during Mass, we will reserve the front pews for your family and guests. Please ensure you turn up around twenty minutes before the start time of Mass so that Father can meet you and ensure he has all the information he needs. If you are having the Baptism at 12 noon, please also arrive twenty minutes early. You and your guests will be provided with Baptism service leaflets containing the format of the ceremony, and all responses required from the congregation.

Your child can wear whatever is comfortable for them. Traditionally children wear white clothing, but this is not obligatory. However, you should bring a white shawl which will be used during the ceremony. If you don’t have anything suitable, we can provide one, just let us know on the day.

NB During the ceremony your child will be blessed with Holy Oils, including on the chest. It is only a small amount, but the child’s clothing should be able to be easily loosened at the neck for the application of the Holy Oil.

The Church will provide a Baptismal Candle which is also a key part of the service.

We will also give you the Baptism Certificate and the Baptism will be recorded in the parish records.

Thank you for your commitment to bringing up your child in the Catholic Faith. We will keep you and your family in our prayers.

First Holy Communion

First Holy Communions and First Sacrament of Penance at Sacred Heart Church

The Sacramental Preparation is for children from Year 4 upwards from the parish. It is led by the Parish Priest and parish catechists. St Oswald’s School also encourages the children to be involved if they are pupils in the school.

The programme starts in September each year and the First Holy Communion Mass is usually in June.

Over this preparation period the children meet on seven Saturday morning sessions in the Parish Hall, with seven specially themed Sunday Masses specifically for the First Communion children during the preparation period. The children and parents are asked to attend their usual Sunday Mass on other Sundays, but to attend these special Masses at the Sacred Heart after the Saturday sessions, when the children are given opportunities to read and participate in other ways in the Mass

Parents are invited to three evening meetings during the programme: one before the programme starts, one before the First Penance/Confession Service in February, and one before the First Holy Communion Mass in June.

The sessions are adapted from the ‘I Belong’ book and the Diocesan Sacramental Programme. The book is provided at the start of the programme and parents are asked to pay for it. The book is filled in during the sessions and as part of the ‘homework’ which is given after each session. Parents can help the children with this to reinforce the work done with the catechists. As well as working through the book, the children watch videos, join in discussions, act out stories from the Bible, have tastes of different types of bread and juice and write and share group prayers. We aim to make the sessions fun times for everyone.

At the beginning of the programme we ask parents for information about any specific needs they wish to share about their children, including any food allergies. We try hard to meet the needs of, and to include children with learning or other difficulties.

We recognise that some of the children have sports and other clubs on Saturday mornings, but hope that the First Communion programme will be given priority.

Safeguarding

All of the catechists are DBS checked and follow diocesan safeguarding guidelines. This includes all children being registered each week and only collected by a parent or adult nominated by the parents.

Application forms for First Holy Communions are distributed at the first parents’ meeting or by contacting the parish office

Confirmation

Confirmation is normally celebrated as the third sacrament of initiation. Originally it was the second. Candidates were baptised and then confirmed. Indeed baptism and confirmation were often celebrated at the same service. A priest anointed the candidate in baptism and then the bishop anointed the newly baptised with the oil of confirmation. Only when you had been confirmed could you make you First Holy Communion.

As infant baptism became more common and the availability of bishops more difficult, the two sacraments were separated. When Pius X moved First Communion to the age of seven, Confirmation began to be celebrated regularly after First Communion. Thus it has become a sacrament for adolescents or adults. It is seen as an opportunity for a person to confirm the choice made on their behalf at baptism. While there is much to be said for this, in reality it is a sacrament that confirms the choice God made at baptism. In the sacrament of Confirmation God bestows his Spirit on the baptised Christian. They are given the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen them for their role as mature members of the Christian Church. This gift is bestowed via the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These ancient gifts are mentioned as early as in Isaiah, “A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Lord.” (Isaiah 11:1-2)

The importance of Confirmation was summed up by Monsignor Lawrence McReavy in a talk on the lay priesthood, given in Wallsend in April 1939. His words still seem apt today:

“Confirmation is so much in need of emphasis today. It is, as it were, the layman’s ordination. In Confirmation, as in Holy Orders, there is a laying on of hands, there is an infusion of the Holy Spirit, there is an anointing with chrism, and there is the conferment of a special character. Don’t mistake me. Confirmation is not a lesser form of Holy Orders: it does not make sacrificing priests in the unique Christian sense of that word. But, by completing the work of baptism, it consecrates you as Saint Peter says, “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

You are not anointed as disciples, but as apostle, and it is your mission to preach your faith, to bear witness to it, to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:16) Listen to the words of the heroic Cardinal champion* of the persecuted Church in Germany, “through baptism we become Children of God, through Confirmation we become apostles of Christ, through Baptism we become stones in the city of God, through Confirmation we receive the summons to be workers and builders of that city. It is not enough for us to be fishes in the net of the apostles, we must be fishers and apostles ourselves. You have had your Pentecost. You have been strengthened from on high by the gift of the Holy Ghost in Confirmation, and equipped with the graces and gifts needed for your work. You are ready to start.”

* Mgr McReavy does not name this Cardinal

Taken from “Vatican II As I Saw It”, Cuthbert Peter Johnson OSB, p 26-27

Confirmation preparation is becoming the responsibility of the whole east partnership of Newcastle parishes.

Confirmation will take place annually.

Candidates must be baptised.

In the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle you must be in Year 9 or above to be confirmed.

While candidates are normally confirmed by their bishop, the bishop can give power to priests to confirm.

All candidates are expected to attend a number of preparation sessions.

Candidates are encouraged be confirmed using their baptismal name but may choose a new name. It should be the name of a saint.

Each candidate needs at least one sponsor to support them. They are encouraged to choose their baptismal godparents. However, most candidates like to choose one person who means a great deal to them. The sponsor should be a baptised Catholic.

There is no dress code for Confirmation.

There is no fee for Confirmation.