Dear Parents,
We would like to wish you and your family every blessing and happiness in the new year. As our preparation for your child's first Holy Communion continues, the next Do This in Memory Mass will take place on Saturday 25th January, 2014 at the 6.30pm Mass in St. John the Baptist Church. This week is also the start of Catholic School Week, when we celebrate the great gift of Catholic Schools in our parish and the tremendous work being done there. The theme this year: Catholic Schools-Places of Faith and Learning, reminds us that a school is not just a place where lessons are taught, but that it is a place of faith and plays a very public part of the ministry of the Church in Ireland.
You might like to take the following suggestions into account to prepare your child for this Mass:
Read pages 22-25 in the Thumb Book. Remember to bring the Thumb book with you to mass
Encourage your child to join in the prayers and responses -Your child might like to follow the prayers in the mass leaflet which can be picked up as you enter the Church
Encourage your child to learn the prayers before and after Communion that you will find at the end of The Alive O Religion Book.
As Baptism is the theme of this Mass you might like to share your thoughts with your child about their own Baptism and the promise you made that day to raise your child to grow in the Catholic Faith
Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the start of Mass and take your place towards the front of the Church. We would ask each child to sit with their family until the Priest invites them to stand at the altar for the Gospel. The children will return to sit with their family after the homily. We observe silence during parts of the Mass as a mark of respect for Jesus, to listen to the Word of God and to create a prayerful atmosphere for all those attending Mass.
At the end of Mass the children will be asked to collect and take home a small plastic bottle of Holy Water at the altar. Also, please remind your child to collect their copy of the Grapevine at the altar after Mass.
We look forward to meeting you there.
The Parent Representatives Group
Fr. Robert