FIRST HOLY COMMUNIONS 2025
Lent is almost upon us, which means that we will be celebrating Easter, followed by the Ascension, and then the feast of Pentecost. Other celebrations that we are looking forward to is First Holy Communions for the children within our Parish Communities, which will be taking place in the Spring. This also means that the First Holy Communion Preparation Sessions will begin soon.
I would like to invite any children within our Parish Communities who are in year 4 or above, and who wish to make their First Holy Communion this year, to come along to a registration Mass in February, and then to the First Holy Communion sessions that will follow. Reconciliation will be celebrated during the following months, with our First Holy Communions Masses taking place in May and June.
If you and your child decide that they want to receive their First Holy Communion this year, I expect you and your family to start coming to one of our weekend Masses regularly, and to also attend the Preparation Sessions (you and your child must attend all the sessions, see timetable below).
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REGISTRATION
To register on the First Holy Communion course, you and your child should come along to one of our weekend Masses on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th February (Session 1 will take place straight after the Mass has finished). There will be a number of opportunities to attend each of the following sessions, held between our Parish and School communities. It will not matter which session you decide to attend, as long as you attend one of them.
COMMUNION MASSES
As we are blessed with so many children, each class will be split up into groups of about 15 children at each Mass. Children from St. Oswald’s school, St. Cuthbert’s school, or from non-Catholic schools, would normally receive their First Holy Communion in St. Oswald’s Church, and children from St. Sebastian’s School would normally receive their First Holy Communion in St. Sebastian’s Church. (Children would normally receive First Holy Communion with their class companions.) Each Holy Communion Mass will take place on a Saturday; at either 10:00am or at 1:00pm.
To make the Communion day extra special for our children, only they will receive Communion at their First Communion Mass. Families are welcome to come along to any of our weekend Masses after the Communion Mass to receive Communion as a family together.
The Communion Mass Timetable will be confirmed
once all the information from the course registration has been collected.
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OUTFITS
I understand that some children may want to wear a special outfit, but I am also aware that there are some children who don’t. Children can wear an outfit of their choice, provided it is appropriate for the occasion. I am also acutely aware of the pressure that can be put on an already strained budget in buying Communion outfits, so please do not feel pressured into buying one. If you have any difficulties, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Parish Office.​​
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First Holy Communion is only one part of our faith journey!
In receiving First Holy Communion, we celebrate the second Sacrament of Initiation into our Christian Faith, and we are looking forward to celebrating the third Sacrament, when we celebrate Confirmation with our children in a few years’ time. As this is part of our ongoing faith journey, I would like to invite you and your family to continue to come along and attend one of our weekend Masses regularly. ​​
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Mass Timetable
Saturday evening at 4:30pm in Saint Oswald’s Church.
Sunday morning at 9:30am in Saint Oswald’s Church.
Sunday morning at 11:00am in Saint Sebastian’s Church.
I look forward to seeing you and your families at Mass over the coming weeks and months.
God bless.
Fr. Liam Collister
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PREPARATION TIMETABLE
