Notre Dame de France Sacraments

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SACRAMENTS

Baptism

Eucharist

Matrimony

Penance and Reconciliation

The Anointing of the Sick

BAPTISM

Baptism of infants

A Christian is a child of God. Christian parents who have transmitted life to their child, and who thus are part of the creative work of God, if they find joy in being Christians, will have one urgent desire: to make of their child a child of God. Baptism is the first of the sacraments. It initiates into the people of God, into the great family of Christians, and it opens the way to all the other sacraments..
It is by an act of confidence in parents, godparents, in building upon their faith, that the Church confers baptism on small children.
The parents firmly commit themselves, then, to offer a Christian education to their child: this will mean that the child, once he or she is of age, will need to be catechised. Later, in adolescence, the child will make his or her own this baptism in making his/her “Profession of Faith”. He will then say for him or herself the “I believe” of the Christian..
If you wish to baptise a child in Notre Dame de France or abroad, and one of the parents at least is french-speaking, click here for further information.

Registration
You can down-load the registration form
or you can get in touch with the secretariat of the parish by e-mail: notredamechurch@btconnect.com
or by telephone: 020 7437 9363

Baptism of school-going children and adolescents
Following the rite of baptism from school-going children preparation for baptism occurs in a series of stages. These stages allow for an approach that progresses gradually. It is a way of Christian initiation for the children and also for the parents.
At the first stage the child expresses his or her request for baptism with the agreement of his/her parents, and he/she is signed with the sign of the cross.
The second stage is the “entry into the catechumenate”; it is the stage of welcoming the Word of God and the handing over of the Gospels.
The third stage is the “penitential rite”, with the laying on of hands, where the candidate recognises how difficult it is to follow Jesus.
Finally, there is the celebration of baptism with the confession of faith, the rite of water, the rite of anointing, the handing over of the white garment and of the baptismal candle. Normally baptism takes place in the course of the Mass of Easter Sunday.

Registration
Preparing a child for baptism takes place in the context of the parish, either in Sunday School or at the chaplaincy.

Baptism of adults
If you wish to discover the Christian faith, receive the sacrament of baptism, become part of the Church, or … you are baptised for many years, and you wish to begin again a path of christian initiation, prepare yourself for 1st Communion … we have a catechumenate for you.
It takes place over a period of two academic years to prepare for baptism, a shorter programme is offered to those already baptised.

To prepare for adult baptism
Preparation for baptism and for 1st Communion occurs over two years, with a rhythm of twice monthly meetings: either on Saturday between 14.30 and 16.30 or on a week-day evening between 19.30 and 21h. (currently a Thursday evening) at Notre Dame de France, in Maison Pierre Chanel, room Marie Houdin.

Contact: Father Jean Marie Bloqueau
Tel: 020 7440 2650
E-mail: jmbloqueau@wanadoo.fr

COMMUNION
Preparatioin for 1st Communion takes place :
Either at the parish, in Sunday School (during the Mass in Notre Dame de France).
Contact: Ms Muriel Akahi
Tel: 079 5683 3212
E-mail: muriel_ci@yahoo.fr

Or at the chaplaincy : from CE1 on, the chaplaincy welcomes children going to school in London. A structured instruction in the Christian faith is offered.
After two years of catechism children can prepare for 1st Communion. For them it is both a great joy and a serious commitment: to respond to the call of the Lord who, every Sunday, invites them to Mass. .
Contact : aumonerie
Tel: 020 7584 3006

Adults can also receive Communion once they are baptized. Preparation for these two sacraments takes place at Notre Dame de France.
Contact: Father Jean Marie Bloqueau
Tel: 020 7440 2650
E-mail: jmbloqueau@wanadoo.fr

eucharist

"The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life'. The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."

(Catechism of the Catholic Church,

para. 1324)

CONFIRMATION
"Together with baptism and Eucahrist, the sacrament of Confirmation constitutes the completion of the “sacraments of christian initiation” whose unity needs to be respected”.

It is, then, necessary to explain to the Faithful that the reception of this sacrament is necessary for the fullness of the grace of baptism. In fact, by the sacrament of Confirmation, the link of the baptized with the Church is made more perfect, they are enriched by a special strength from the Holy Spirit and so more strictly bound to spread and defend the faith in word and deed as true witnesses of Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Confirmation is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in our life as a child of God, to unite us more firmly to Christ, to make our link with the Church more solid, and to associate us even more with his mission and to help us to give witness to the Christian church by our words and our actions. “Be signed with the Holy Spirit, the gift of God”.

Preparation is done in a group.

For young people from the age of 14 years

The preparation can be done either in the context of the school chaplaincy.
Or at Notre Dame de France, in the Sunday School.

For preparation of Confirmation for adults:
It takes place on Saturday mornings, once per month, from 10 a.m. to 12.30 in the room Marie Houdin of Maison Pierre Chanel.

Contact:   Father Jean Marie Bloqueau
Tel:          020 7440 2650
E-mail:     jmbloqueau@wanadoo.fr
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MARIAGE
If you wish to get married in Notre Dame de France, or prepare for a marriage in France or elsewhere abroad, contact from September on, if possible by e-mail, the parish secretariat:
Tél:      020 7437 9363
E-mail: notredamechurch@btconnect.com

In your e-mail, indicate::
   Your first and second names, dates and places of birth
   Addresses in England
   Telephone numbers
   Religion
   Language in which you wish to make the preparation
   Date fixed for your marriage

You may also add some quick words introducing yourselves.

If you are baptized in the Catholic Church, it is important from the first meeting to provide:
   The first names of your parents
   The maiden name of your mother
   The date of your baptism
   The name and exact postal address of the parish of baptism

The birth certificates that you will need to provide should have been issued within 6 months of the date of marriage.

N.B.

The priest preparing you will apply himself for your baptismal certificates if you were baptized as a Catholic in France. Otherwise, it is upto you to provide us with your certificate of baptism.

Form of preparation
   At least two interviews with a priest
   A meeting in a group with other couples on a Saturday between 9.30 and 5 p.m. (ten couples will meet with two accompanying couples who have been trained for this task). The session can be followed in french with Notre Dame de France or in english with Marriage Care.
   Another meeting focused on the sacrament (either a week-day evening or a Saturday afternoon) with one of the priests and a couple.

You will normally need to ensure 6 months for this preparation, but if you give us 10 or 12 months so much the better!

Registering for the different group-sessions

We invite you to register for one session from each of these categories through contact with the parish via e-mail.
You will find the dates fixed for the sessions by clicking here

SACRAMENT OF THE SICK
The sacrament of the sick is offered to very sick people through the anointing of their forehead and their hands with consecrated oil, accompanied by the words:
"By this holy anointing, may the Lord, in his great goodness, comfort you by the grace of the Holy Spirit. By freeing you from your sins, may he save you and raise you up"

If you wish to receive the sacrament of the sick or if you know some member of your family or around you who may wish to receive it, please contact the presbytery.
One of the priests will go to you.

"By the holy anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priest, it is the whole Church that commends the sick to the suffering and glorified Lord, so that he may comfort and save them; even more, the Church encourages them, by associating themselves freely with the passion and death of Christ, to contribute their part for the good of God’s People.”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Contacts:
Father Jean Marie Bloqueau
Father Paul Walsh
Father Rafael Ramila
Father Martin McAnaney
Father Edmund Duffy

Tel: 020 7437 9363
E-mail: notredamechurch@btconnect.com

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RECONCILIATION
The forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is given in the sacrament called of conversion, of confession, of penance, or reconciliation.

To return to communion with God through conversion is a movement elicited by the grace of God, who is full of mercy and desiring to save all people.

Here is an encouraging text to help prepare for reconciliation, a move that is both a sharing and a stage of inner healing. This text is proposed by Cardinal Martini, former archbishop of Milan: Confession-Martini Fr.pdf

You may make an appointment with one of the priests of note Dame de France by making contact with the secretariat. You may also come to the reception or to the welcoming room in the church where the person who receives you will call for a priest.

Contact:   Secretariat
Tél:          020 7437 9363
E-mail:     notredamechurch@btconnect.com

"the sacrament of reconciliation realises sacramentally the call of Jesus to conversion, the step to return to the Father from whom one has distanced oneself through sin. It consecrates a personal and ecclesial step of conversion, or repentance and of satisfaction on the part of the Christian who is a sinner”
(Catechism of the CatholicChurch)