Sacramental Life

SACRAMENTAL LIFE

The sacraments of the Catholic Church, were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those who receive them with the proper disposition.

Baptism
We are delighted that you are considering having your child baptised. We share your joy!

We are here to support you as your baby is welcomed into the family and the life of the Church. Not all parents are Catholic and we seek to help you understand what baptism means so that when the priest asks at the beginning of the rite “Do you understand what you are undertaking?”you will be able to answer with confidence, “We do.” We seek to support Godparents as well as they agree to help you in your responsibility as Christian parents.

We offer preparation sessions four times a year for parents and Godparents. Each course consists of two consecutive Saturday morning Zoom sessions from 10.15 – 12.15. We explore the sacrament of Baptism through a dynamic range of resources. Course dates for 2024 are scheduled on the following dates: 27th Jan/3rd Feb, 20th April/27th April, 20th July/27th July and 12th October/19th October 2024.

To register your interest in joining us please complete and submit the enquiry form. We will be in touch with details of times and dates. You can also find out more information in Parish News.

Baptism enquiry form

Holy Communion and Reconciliation (Confession)
Preparing to receive the Sacraments of initiation is an exciting and challenging time for families and we will do all we can to support parents and children on your journey of faith. Parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith and we will support you by coaching and encouraging you to teach and catechise your child. This ‘Family Catechesis’ aims to draw you deeper into the life of faith and to understand the reception of the Sacraments, not as ‘one-offs’, but rather the regular nourishment we need for a faith filled life. We call this process GIFT – Growing Together In Faith – and we’d be very happy to tell you more about it. To register with GIFT and to be kept up to date please complete the form below.

GIFT registration form

Confirmation
“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:14-17)
The Church teaches that Confirmation binds the baptised person more perfectly to the Church, enriching them with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. It helps us to be true witnesses of Christ, encouraging us to defend the faith by word and deed. The sacrament is conferred by the Bishop who lays his hands on the head of the candidate and anoints their forehead with the Oil of Chrism saying: “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit”..

Matrimony
Congratulations! If you are recently engaged or have been considerign getting married for some time, we know that this time in your life is very important. We are here to help. If you are hoping to marry at Blessed Sacrament Church or you live in the parish and are getting married somewhere else, we ask that you give us at least six months notice. This can seem like a long time but there is a lot to think about, including paperwork and documentation.
Preparing to be married in the Catholic Church means preparing for your future life together. Of course it means considering the wedding ceremony; how to make it personal and significant, but, importantly, it involves thinking about what life will be like as husband and wife. What will change for you both? How will the gift of children enhance and challenge your relationship? What are your individual and shared hopes for the future? What if one of you is not a Catholic? These and other questions are discussed with the priest during the period of preparation and also during a Marriage Preparation day which is organised locally. This is an opportunity to meet other couples who are preparing.
Please contact the Parish Office on 01392 274724 or by email exeter-heavitree@prcdtr.org.uk for more information and to arrange a meeting with the Parish Priest. Unfortunately we are not able to offer dates for weddings until this meeting has taken place. We look forward to hearing from you. Here is the link to register for the marriage preparation course.

Anointing of the Sick
If you wish to be visited, receive Holy Communion and/or be anointed at home or in the hospital by a priest please contact the Parish Office or one of our priests.

Funeral Rites
Funeral rites offer Christian worship and thanksgiving to God. We pray for the deceased, and support the bereaved. The model for Catholic funerals is the Easter journey of Jesus Christ from death to resurrection. This is why we are encouraged to celebrate the funeral in three stages: prayer vigil, funeral liturgy, and committal.
Funeral practice varies considerably, and the Church provides several options from which we can choose freely. There is always flexibility here so please discuss your needs with the Parish Priest.

Becoming a Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process of formation for those who, through a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, wish to become part of the Church.  The Holy Spirit works in different ways in different people. We support those who are discerning God’s call in their lives and accompany them on their journey of faith. At the regular, informal meetings catechists and parishioners facilitate conversations about various aspects of the Catholic faith; Who is Jesus Christ? What is the Church? What does the Bible mean? What part do Mary and the saints play in the life of the Church? What is a sacrament? Why and how should we pray?
“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since ‘no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord’.”
Pope Francis, The Joy of The Gospel

Get in touch
For more information about any of the above  please contact the Parish Office on 01392 274724 or by email
exeter-heavitree@prcdtr.org.uk. We are here to help.

Blessed Sacrament Parish, 29 Fore Street, Heavitree, Exeter EX1 2QJ
Telephone: 01392 274724 Email: exeter-heavitree@prcdtr.org.uk