UPDATE – Please see update below for a change to the date of Confirmation from the original date given – UPDATE
For all Sacraments, children should be domiciled in the Parish or attend St. Barbara’s Parish on a regular basis. Dates for 2022-23 are set.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
All children looking to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation must be Baptised. Parents will be required to complete an Enrolment form for their child. This form will have a similar declaration to the Baptismal registration form – “I confirm that I will bring my child up in the Catholic faith and bring them along to Sunday Mass”.
When completing the enrolment form a copy of the child’s baptism certificate or an extract from the baptismal register of the parish in which the child was baptised must be exhibited. For children baptised in St. Barbara’s parish, this will not be necessary as we will hold confirmation in our own records.
It is important to note that no children will be put forward for the Sacrament of Reconciliation until they have been baptised and met the requirements for Baptism.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation – Children in St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s primary schools will be prepared for the Sacrament via the school. For children in non-denominational schools, the Parish Priest will allocate a Catechist for the preparation of the child. Pupils/children will not be put forward for the Sacrament until they have been fully prepared.
Children in course of preparation for the Sacrament will require to attend the Rite of Illumination and the Signing of the Cross – both Rites will take place during the Sunday Mass.
Children in course of preparation for the Sacrament will require to attend mass each Sunday. If the child does not attend Sunday Mass then they will not be put forward for the Sacrament. Exceptional circumstances where the child is not able to attend Mass on a regular basis will be considered by the Parish Priest.
Parents will be required to attend the preparation of the child’s Sacrament meeting(s).
The dates are as follows:
First confession;
- Enrolment meeting for parents – Wednesday 19th October 2022 at 7pm
- Rite of Illumination – Sunday Mass 6th November 2022.
- Parents meeting 11th January 2023 at 7pm.
- Rite of the Cross Sunday Mass 22nd January 2023.
- First Confession & Parent’s confession – 22nd March 2023 at St. Joseph’s, Whitburn at 6.30pm
First Holy Communion.
Children being put forward for their First Holy Communion must be Baptised and have completed their Sacrament of Reconciliation. Parents will be required to complete an enrolment form for their child. This form will have a similar declaration to the Baptismal registration form – “I confirm that I will bring my child up in the Catholic faith and bring them along to Sunday Mass”.
When completing the enrolment form a copy of the child’s baptism certificate or an extract from the baptismal register of the parish in which the child was baptised must be exhibited. For children baptised in St. Barbara’s parish this will not be necessary as we will hold confirmation in our own records.
It is important to note that no children will be put forward for their First Holy Communion until they have made their Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Preparation for the child’s First Holy Communion – Children in St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s primary schools will be prepared for the Sacrament via the school. For children in non-denominational schools, the Parish Priest will allocate a Catechist for the preparation of the child. The child will not be put forward for the Sacrament until they have been fully prepared.
Children in course of preparation for the Sacrament will require to attend mass each Sunday. If the child does not attend Sunday Mass then they will not be put forward for the Sacrament. Exceptional circumstances where the child is not able to attend Mass on a regular basis will be considered by the Parish Priest.
Parents will be required to attend the preparation of the child’s Sacrament meeting(s).
Note that any child not yet Baptised will not be able to complete the three Sacraments in the same year.
The dates are as follows:
First Holy Communion
- Enrolment meeting for parents Thursday 27th October 2022 at 6.30pm
- Presentation of the Gospel Sunday Masses 11th
- Parents meeting Wednesday 18th January 2023 at 7pm.
- Presentation of the Creed – Sunday Masses 12th March 2023.
- Confession of children making their First Communion 24th May 2023 at 6.30pm
- First Holy Communion – St Joseph’s children Saturday 3rd June 2023 at 10am.
- First Holy Communion – St. Anthony’s children Saturday 10th June 2023 at 10am in Whitburn.
Sacrament of Confirmation
This is normally administered by the Archbishop and will take place on 11th May 2023 at 7pm in St. Joseph’s Church, Whitburn. The Sacrament normally is administered when the child is in primary 7.
Children being put forward for the Sacrament must be Baptised, Completed their Sacrament of Reconciliation and made their first Holy Communion.
Parents will be required to complete an enrolment form for their child. This form will have a similar declaration to the Baptismal registration form – “I confirm that I will bring my child up in the Catholic faith and bring them along to Sunday Mass”.
When completing the enrolment form a copy of the child’s baptism certificate or an extract from the baptismal register of the parish in which the child was baptised must be exhibited. For children baptised in St. Barbara’s parish, this will not be necessary as we will hold confirmation in our own records. The parish where the child has been Baptised will be notified of their Confirmation.
Preparation for the child’s Sacrament of Confirmation – Children in St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s primary schools will be prepared for the Sacrament via the school. For children in non-denominational schools, the Parish Priest will allocate a Catechist for the preparation of the child. The child will not be put forward for the Sacrament until they have been fully prepared.
Children in course of preparation for the Sacrament, as an obligation, will require to attend mass each Sunday. Parents will be required to attend the preparation of the child’s Sacrament meeting(s).
The dates are as follows:
Sacrament of Confirmation
Will take place in St. Joseph’s Church Whitburn for both schools on 11th May 2023 at 7pm. Sponsors must be a practising Catholic.
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
We have just received an email from the Archbishop’s secretary advising us that the Confirmations in 2023 will be on Thursday 15th June 2023 at 7pm in St. Joseph’s Church Whitburn, as he has to attend a meeting on the previously agreed date. We apologise for the inconvenience caused in this change. (13/10/2022)
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
Sacramental Preparation
All parent’s meetings will take place in St. Joseph’s Church, Whitburn as we have no access to the Church in Armadale. The various Rites will take place at the Sunday Masses. The Mass in St Joseph’s Church takes place at 10.00 am. The Mass in Armadale takes place on a Sunday at 11.30am in St. Anthony’s primary school hall.
As in previous years, a register of children’s attendance at Sunday Mass in preparation of the Sacraments would be taken.
Deacon Ronnie Macaulay
