The Church of Today...and of Tomorrow

For Christians a special gratitude is due to those from whom they have received the grace of faith, the grace of Baptism and life in the Church. These may include parents, grandparents, other members of the family, pastors, catechists, and other teachers or friends.

from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

A Shared Privilege

Children and young people are the Church’s great treasure. Through their Baptism they are incorporated into the Body of Christ - the Church. They become part of the community, and the community is eager to assist each child’s parents in supporting them in their growth in faith as part of the Church. At St. Piran’s the parish carries out that support and care in a variety of ways at various stages as each young person grows from infancy to maturity.

Sacramental Preparation

The Sacraments are God’s great gifts to the Church and of great importance in the life of the individual and the parish. They are never lightly undertaken, and the parish clergy, in liaison with the Catechists should normally be approached for preparation of the sacraments. The parish recognises its role in helping parents to prepare their children for the celebration of the Sacraments of the Church. Each year children are prepared for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. These are great celebrations of the whole parish, when the community celebrated God’s gifts to the Church given through its young people.

We normally expect children to have been attending Catechetic sessions for a year before they are enrolled in preparation for First Holy Communion.

Confirmation is celebrated by the Bishop in the parish every couple of years, and the preparation for this Sacrament normally lasts for most of the preceding year.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Every Sunday at the morning Mass, the younger children of the parish have a Liturgy of the Word - the first part of the Mass - adapted to meet their needs. This is a real time for prayer and worship when they can hear the Word of God in a form they can understand, and respond to it. Parents are always welcome to accompany their children if they wish, and volunteers to help - even in the simplest way - are always welcome.

Baptism and Confirmation

Catechists help the children to grow in their awareness of God and knowledge of the Catholic faith. The children also get involved in all sorts of parish activities, to help them realise that they too are part of the Church.

Young People

Young people are very important to the parish. We seek to support them in any way we can. The parish is particularly grateful to all those members who are so committed and dedicated to serving our young people in all aspects of ministry. There are always opportunities for others in the parish to be involved in this most important ministry, from those who would like to take a very simple part, to those who have other skills to offer.

If you would like to be more involved, please contact us.