Becoming A Catholic
Is God calling you?
If you have questions about the Christian life and are seeking to know more about the faith, make time to ask God for guidance. Prayer, which is about speaking and listening to God, doesn't have to take a long time - 5 minutes is fine - but the key thing is to try to do it every day.
Come to Mass. The Mass is the central act of worship for Catholics and is a vital part of our community prayer. You may find it confusing to begin with but over time you will understand better what is going on.
Come along for coffee which is served in the Parish Centre after most weekend Masses at St Mary's. You can take the opportunity to introduce yourself to some of the people there and perhaps ask some of the questions that are puzzling you.
There is a rack at the back of St Mary's church with an assortment of booklets relating to the Catholic Faith. In particular you might find the Simple Prayer Book helpful, both for private prayer and for the prayers in the Mass.
Read the Bible. Concentrate initially on Part Two (the New Testament) and read one of the gospels. The Gospel of St Mark is the shortest. This will help you to get to know more about Jesus. But it is important to remember that the Jesus who walked the roads of Galilee two thousand years ago is a living person now, God the Son, who we can talk to every day in our prayers and who will help us in our lives now, if we want him to. If you feel you would like to explore further, you are welcome to attend our Journey in Faith programme, and meet other people who are asking many of the same questions you are asking.
Journey in Faith/RCIA
Journey in Faith/RCIA is a programme for adults wishing to learn more about the Catholic Faith. It runs from September each year up to the following June. The group meets in the Parish Centre from 7.00pm until 8.30pm each Monday evening during term time. People come from many different backgrounds, Christians and non-Christians, baptised and not baptised.
Catholics who may have been away from church for a long time often find the programme helpful both as a 'refresher', but also to get to know people in the parish. You are most welcome to come along and find out more. You don't need to wait until the start of the next programme - come along at any time.
Please note: some people come along for some or all of the programme but decide they do not want to become a Catholic. This is fine, there is absolutely no pressure.
Contact:
Priests or Mrs. Fran Hazel.
Catholic Enquiry Office
For more information about Catholic beliefs and life as a Catholic Christian please have a look at the Catholic Enquiry Office website: catholicfaith.org.uk/Home/Catholic-Faith