Entrance Hymn: As I kneel before you

Ceremony of Light

The Ceremony of Light for the young people receiving the sacrament of Confirmation this year will take place on Tuesday at the 10.00 Mass.

The Ceremony of Light is a pre-Confirmation ceremony and is an important event in preparing the children for Confirmation. A key part of the service is when parents hand the lighted Baptismal candle to their child, acknowledging that their child is now ready to become a responsible Christian.

Preparing your child for First Communion and Confirmation

Setting up a Prayer Space in your home:

A prayer or sacred space is a small area in which you can place symbols that help your child to sense and express that God is present in their lives. Children often use their sacred space at home as an area for the “holy objects” that they accumulate from home, school, relations and parish. It doesn’t have to be complicated. A window sill or corner of a table will do. Place a coloured cloth here with a Candle and any other sacred symbols that appeal to your child. Talk with them about the meaning of the objects & symbols they are placing in their sacred space. They can be changed with the different seasons eg. at Christmas and Easter. N.B. Always supervise children around lighting candles.

Suggestions for praying with your child

·       Use the prayers your child is learning at school

·       Ensure that they can pray the Hail Mary and the Our Father

·       Say a grace before meals when you sit down to eat as a family.

·       Encourage them to pray for friends & relatives.

·       Pray with your child before they go to sleep at night. This is a lovely time to talk over their day and to thank God for the good things in our lives and to ask God to bless all the people we love.

Confirmation ceremony 2025: Monday, 24 March

The ceremony this year will be celebrated by Bishop Fintan Gavin. This will be his first celebration of Confirmation in this parish.

Second Collection Today: The annual collection in support of our diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes will be taken up at Masses this weekend.

A Mhuire Mháthair

priest and lamb the throne is thine

king whose reign shall never cease

prince or everlasting peace

Refrain

Angels saints and nations sing

praised be Jesus Christ our king

Lord of life, earth, sky and sea

king of love on Calvary

Rule our hearts, our minds, our wills;

Till in peace, each nation rings

With thy praises, King of kings.

Refrain