Half Moon Lane 

Offerton 

Stockport 

Cheshire 

SK2 5LB 

Sacraments

 

 

Baptism

Arranging a Baptism:

Infant or Child Baptism

We have a simple form to be filled in when a child's baptism is being arranged. The forms are available in the porch of the church. Just fill in the form and hand it to the parish clergy who will then arrange a meeting to discuss all that is involved in your child's baptism.

Baptism can be celebrated during a Sunday Mass or at another time on Sunday  -  usually 12.30pm.

 

Adult Baptism

Adults who wish to be baptised take part in a process called The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA for short. RCIA includes instruction in the Catholic faith and  Liturgies which mark the various stages of the process which usually takes about 1 year. Those who persevere in RCIA are usually baptised at the Easter Vigil Service which is the principal Service of the whole year and takes place on Holy Saturday (the eve of Easter Sunday) night.

Joining RCIA does not commit the person to being baptised unless that is what is really desired, so it gives a good length of time to make a proper decdision.

RCIA is also the way in which anyone wishing to become a Catholic from another Christian tradition is initiated.

Confirmation

Confirmation is the completion of Baptism and is the way, together with Holy Communion, a person is fully initiated into the Church. For this reason all Catholics should be Confirmed. The minimum age in our Diocese for the reception of Confirmation is,at the moment, the third year of secondary school i.e. about 14 years of age.

We will be celebrating Confirmation in the Parish in the late autumn this year and so anyone wishing to be Confirmed (including adults)should contact us as soon as possible so that suitable preparations may be made.

 

Marriage

Marriage is probably the most important decision anyone takes in  their life and it requires considerable preparation. This must include the Sacramental preparation too. Come and see us as soon as you have decided to marry and we will explain all that is involved from the Church's point of view. It is not just a matter of filling in the inevitable forms (although that is required) but of being helped to understand how the Church understands marriage.

Initially though the main thing as to contact us as soon as you decide to marry - or even earlier if you want to discuss what might be involved in such a decision.

 

Sacrament of the Sick

This Sacrament used to be called Extreme Unction and was associated with impending death.For that reason some people avoid sending for the Priest when a relative or friend is ill in case the sick person is frightened by the appearance of the Priest with the Holy Oils. This should not be so. The anointing of a sick person is a sign of God's, and the Church's, love and concern for the person in their particular need and so when someone is ill then please send for the Priest so that he can come and celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick with the sick person for their comfort and strengthening.

From time to time we celebrate this Sacrament publicly in the church and in the context of Mass, which in itself underlines that this is not some dramatic last minute affair. It is the right (and duty) of Catholics to receive this Sacrament so please don't hesitate to send for the Priest in appropriate circumstances.