Sacraments

Adoration

Tue-Thur 8pm-10pm Thur 10.30-7.15pm, 8pm-10pm Sunday 6-7pm

Baptism:

2nd Saturday of the month at 4pm When you present your child for Baptism, you are asking the church to receive your child as a member of the Body of Christ here on earth. You are also making a commitment to your child to help him or her to become an active part of this community of faith. Many dioceses in the Ireland require parents to participate in some preparation before the baptism of their children; a member of the baptism team from the parish will visit you (ideally with the godparent(s) present) usually the week before your child’s baptism is to take place. During this short visit they will explain the ceremony and relevance of it so that it does not come as a surprise and you can enjoy the day more. It is a great way to answer any questions you may have as we will discuss the theology of the sacrament of baptism, as well as practical aspects of the ceremony itself. A meeting takes place monthly in conjuction with Good Shepherd Parish to prepare for the celebration of Baptism. Contact Parish Office for dates.

First Communion

The celebration of First Holy Communion within the Diocese is organised on a parochial basis where every parish and school organise their own dates. Normally this happens during the Easter Season – during the months of April or May. The date for the celebration of First Communion is normally circulated by the school early in the school year. See the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for diocesan policy. .

Confirmation

The Sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated by the Bishop in the different parishes of the Diocese. The dates are set by the Diocese and are published and circulated in September for the following year. The preparation for the sacrament is organised on a parochial level by the schools in a parish. Further information is available from the parish. Adult Confirmation is organised by the RCIA programme which operates in the Diocese. Further information from the Diocesan Pastoral Centre.

Devotions

Rosary: Mon-Sat before 10.00am mass.

Confessions

7.00-7.30pm Sat.  & Tuesday morning from 9.30am – 9.50am or  any  time by request

Marriage

Congrats on your upcoming wedding -  a real milestone in your life! “We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.”-Sam Keen The following information is provided as a general guide in the preparation for Christian marriage. Please consult your local priest when arranging your wedding.

Church requirements for Christian marriage

• A minimum of three months’ notice to the church
• A recent certificate of baptism
• A recent certificate of confirmation
• Letter of freedom (where applicable)
• Attendance at a Catholic pre-marriage course
• Completed pre-nuptial enquiry form
• Relevant dispensations (where applicable)
• All civil requirements satisfied

Certificate of baptism explained

This document records the fact of your baptism into the Christian faith, and indicates the venue and date of the celebration of the sacrament. Evidence of Christian baptism is required before the celebration of most sacraments, since baptism marks the beginning of the process of initiation into the church. For the purpose of preparing for Christian marriage, your baptism certificate should be obtained from the church where you were baptised within the six month period prior to your wedding. Persons who are not of the Christian faith are not required to provide a baptism certificate.

Certificate of confirmation explained

When you are confirmed in the Christian faith some time after your baptism, you receive a confirmation certificate. Like your baptism certificate it too provides the specific details of your confirmation and serves as evidence of your full membership of the Christian church. Persons who for whatever reason were baptised but not confirmed are strongly encouraged to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation before their marriage. The local priest can arrange this if given sufficient notice.

Letter of freedom explained

A letter of freedom is a statement from the parish priest of the parishes where you may have lived for six months or more since the age of 16 stating that you did not get married while living in that parish and that you are, therefore, free to marry now. They are necessary for both the bride and the groom. Your local priest can help you obtain the necessary letters of freedom.

Pre-marriage course explained

The Catholic Church desires that all who wish to marry prepare adequately for the celebration of the Rite of Marriage. The pre-marriage course is part of the outreach of the church to those preparing for their wedding. These courses are run by ACCORD and by other approved catholic centres around the country. Attendance at an approved pre-marriage course is obligatory for all persons. Courses are eight hours in length and are held over weekends or during the week.

Pre-nuptial enquiry form explained

When you decide to get married your first task should be contacting the priest of the parish in which you currently reside to let him know of your intention to marry. This may not necessarily be the same priest who celebrates your wedding with you. Your local priest will make an appointment with you and discuss all relevant necessities appropriate to your own personal circumstances. Part of the documentation required for Christian marriage is a pre-nuptial enquiry form (not to be confused with a pre-nuptial civil agreement) which details the specifics of your wedding. It is your local priest who fills out this form with you.

Dispensions explained

A dispensation is a permit granted by the local bishop which removes an otherwise obligatory condition for the celebration of Christian Marriage. A typical example of where a dispensation would be required is when a Catholic person wishes to marry a person who is not Christian. In this example the dispensation removes the obligation for baptism and confirmation of the non-Christian person. In all cases where a dispensation is required, it is the local priest assisting in your preparation who will obtain it for you by petitioning the bishop.

Bringing your own priest

It may so happen that you know a particular priest well or that a priest is a family friend or relative and you would like him to celebrate your wedding with you. In Galway diocese we very much welcome visiting priests to celebrate weddings and make every effort to accommodate them. Priests who do not normally minister in Galway diocese require special permission from both the Church and the State. Your local priest will take care of that for you but you must let him know well in advance so that the necessary permissions can be obtained.

Music at Christian weddings

Getting married is a hugely significant step in life and a profoundly sacred moment. The rite of Christian marriage should be celebrated with dignity and honour. As a sacrament of the Church marriage is a personal commitment lived out in a faith community. The purpose of music at any act of worship is to direct our minds and hearts towards God and assist in creating a sacred atmosphere. It is not merely to entertain the congregation. Mindful that couples sometimes seek to personalise their wedding ceremony with the use of music the Church encourages couples to reflect carefully on their choice of music and to be conscious of the liturgical guidelines in existence. As a matter of policy in our diocese music of a religious nature only – in text and style – is to be used at weddings. The Director of Music at Galway Cathedral is happy to provide assistance and advice by appointment.

Civil requirements explained

Marriage is a solemn legal contract and it is vital that all the necessary preliminaries for a marriage be completed in order that the marriage is legally valid. The marriage provisions of the Civil Registration Act, 2004 became law on 5th November 2007. The General Register Office is the statutory body which administers the relevant legislation. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is the local point of contact where a minimum three months notice of intention to marry is required. The list of Registrars will help you locate your local office.

Getting married abroad

A fee of €50 is applicable when you are getting married abroad. It is advisable that you organise all paperwork both with your priest and with the state well in advance. Contact the priest 3 months notice is necessary for any wedding. www.gettingmarried.ie – Register of Marriages, Galway. www.groireland.ie/getting_married.htm

SACRAMENT OF ANOINTING

Monthly to the housebound and at  7.30 pm mass on the First Friday The anointing of the sick is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness, especially near the time of death. It is most likely one of the last sacraments one will receive. A sacrament is an outward sign established by Jesus Christ to confer inward grace. In more basic terms, it is a rite that is performed to convey God’s grace to the recipient, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Sacrament’s Institution

Like all the sacraments, holy anointing was instituted by Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. The Catechism explains, “This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord” (CCC 1511; Mark 6:13; Jas. 5:14-15). The anointing of the sick conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace and fortitude (CCC 1520). These graces flow from the atoning death of Jesus Christ, for “this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases’” (Matt. 8:17). “The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life” (CCC 1532). Does a person have to be dying to receive this sacrament? No. The Catechism says, “The anointing of the sick is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived” (CCC 1514).

VOCATIONS TO PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE

COME FOLLOW ME! Speak to a priest who will put you in touch with the relevant contacts. The vocations director for the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora is Fr Diarmuid Hogan. Diarmuid is there to help you in whatever way he can. Bishop Drennan wants to help you discover whether or not priesthood is for you. If priesthood is your calling, the diocese will help you in whatever way it can to fullfil it. Priesthood is not for everyone, but it could be for you… why not contact Fr Diarmuid? Website: http://www.galwaypriesthood.ie Email:     galwaypriesthood@gmail.com

Events – Getting involved

If you would like to get involved in the parish there are various possibilities. Please talk to one of our priests.  (Reading, Eucharistic Ministers, Cleaners, Ushers, Children’s liturgy)