The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. ‘Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace they signify…because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1127) Even so, the fruits of the sacraments depend on the disposition of the one who receives them, which means that those who wish to do so should be properly prepared.
Baptism
Baptism
The door to life and to the kingdom of God, is the first sacrament of the New Law which Christ offered to all, that we might have eternal life.
This first sacrament pardons all our sins, rescues us from the power of darkness, and brings us to the dignity of God’s adopted children. It makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and forms us into God’s people, a new creation through water and the Holy Spirit. So we are called, and are indeed, the children of God.
The Church encourages parents to see to it that their children are baptised with in the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the birth of their child, indeed even before it, parents living in the parish are invited to contact the Parish Priest to request the sacrament and to be themselves prepared for it.
In the celebration of Baptism, the part of godparents is, together with the parents, to profess the Church’s faith, in which the child is baptised. Those asked to be godparents must be qualified to do so:
i) they must have the capability and intention of carrying out the responsibility of a godparent, and be mature enough to do so;
ii) they must have received the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist) and be living a life consistent with the faith and with the responsibility of a godparent;
iii) they must be members of the Catholic Church and be free to carry out this office.
At the request of parents, a baptised and believing Christian who is not a Catholic may act as a Christian witness along with a Catholic godparent.
If you wish to book a baptism, please see Deacon Jim after 11.00am mass any Sunday.
Eucharist/Reconciliation
The Sacraments of The Eucharist (Holy Communion) and Reconciliation (Confession) are accepted for the first time by children in Year 4 at primary school. Preparation is done in the parish and coordinated by a team of sacramental catechists lead by Angela Corcoran and Pat Carter. Celebration services and masses take place each Spring.
Confirmation
Confirmations are offered by application on the “Liverpool called” website (https://liverpoolcalled.co.uk/ ) between January and March each year to High school students in year 8 or above. Deacon Jim Byrne works closely with Maria Ruane, Chaplain at St Edmund Arrowsmith RC High School, a team of local parish catechists and the school RE teaching staff. Confirmations normally take place in the summer term in church by Bishop Tom Neylon.
