Mass & Sacraments
Mass
We have Mases on Sundays and weekdays in both our churches. For full listings see the newsletter.
Both our 11am Masses at St Joseph’s and St John the Baptist churches have children’s liturgies and are very family friendly.
11am Mass at St Joseph’s is a great place for students and young adults to get involved.
Sacraments
Confession
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is generally available from 11.00 – 11.45 on Saturday mornings at St Joseph’s and after 9:30am Mass on Saturday at St John the Baptist – this can sometimes change – so please check the newsletter. Confession can always be arranged at other times by appointment or after Mass. For those who have limited mobility or who are housebound, a visit from the priest for Confession can always be arranged on an individual basis.
Baptism
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the Christian community. If you would like to be baptised yourself, we would love to invite you on a journey through our preparation programme for Adult Baptism. If you would like to have your child baptised, then we will guide and support you in preparing for your role as a Christian parent. Please register your interest through our online form here, or email families.eastbrighton@abdiocese.org.uk for more information.
First Holy Communion
The most important preparation for receiving Holy Communion is to attend Mass as a family. For this reason, we encourage all families to attend regular Sunday masses, and we support families to attend by offering weekly children’s liturgies in both churches at the 11 am mass each Sunday.
In addition, we invite all families to our ongoing “Family of Faith” sessions which prepare young children for a life of faith and full communion with the Body of Christ. In the sessions, the children will learn more about Jesus in order to develop a deeper relationship with Him through the Mass and the sacraments, and the children will experience different ways of praying together as a family.
“Family of Faith” sessions are “parent-led”, in which parents and carers are supported and guided, by a team of catechists, to prepare their children themselves for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion at a time when the child is ready. This approach emphasizes the key role of parents as the first teachers of the Christian faith, and the importance of the family bond.
Children need to be baptized and in Year 3 or over to be able to receive their First Holy Communion. We can also prepare children for the sacrament of Baptism.
Please register your interest through our online form here, or email families.eastbrighton@abdiocese.org.uk for more information.
Confirmation
Just as bodies and minds grow, Catholics believe that the soul also needs to grow in the life of grace. The Sacrament of Confirmation builds on the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Holy Communion, completing the process of initiation into the Catholic community.
During your Baptism, your parents and Godparents make promises to renounce Satan and believe in God and the Church on your behalf. At Confirmation, you renew those same promises, this time speaking for yourself, and publicly confirming your commitment to be active followers of Jesus Christ.
During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles at Pentecost and gave them courage to practise their faith. The same Holy Spirit confirms us during the Sacrament of Confirmation and gives us the same gifts.
The first step in preparing for Confirmation is to join a Youth Alpha course, which we run each year through our Proclaim youth group starting in the autumn. This can be done at any time from Year 7 onwards.
When you feel ready to make the commitment of becoming more active in your faith, then you will be invited to work with our catechists to commit yourself to developing a prayer life and to some service within the parish.
The final stage of preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation is participation in two full-day retreats.
You can register your interest for your young person on our online form here or email families.eastbrighton@abdiocese.org.uk for more information.
Marriage
In this Diocese couples are required to give twelve months’ notice of a marriage to allow plenty of time for preparation. This applies to both marriages which are to be celebrated in the Parish and those that are to take place elsewhere, but where the couple are resident in the Parish. If you are intending to get married then it is best to contact the Parish Priest as soon as possible, so that he can arrange a meeting to explain the process and help with the preparation and paperwork.
Anointing Of The Sick
The sacrament of anointing is for anyone who is very unwell, either physically or mentally. It is a powerful sign of God’s healing grace and should be given generously to those who are in need and not only to those who are close to death.
The sacrament is celebrated on demand for those who request it, usually in individuals’ homes, but occasionally (typically once a year) we have a communal celebration during Mass – this will be advertised in the newsletter.
If you would like to receive the Sacrament of Anointing or need a visit from a priest for any other reason, please contact Fr Kieron, Fr Aidan or Fr Gabriel directly or via the Parish Office.