Holy Orders is the sacrament in which a baptised man receives the authority and ability to share in the particular mission that Christ entrusted to his apostles. There are three orders of this sacrament: bishop, priest and deacon.

Holy Orders come from Jesus Christ, who chose twelve men whom he called ‘apostles’. He gave them the commission and power to govern, teach and sanctify. The apostles conferred Holy Orders on their successors, the bishops. These in turn ordained further bishops, priests and deacons through the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration according to the rite of the Church.

Bishops are the successors of the apostles and usually govern diocese. They confer Holy Orders and normally administer Confirmation. United with the Pope, they exercise an infallible teaching authority in the Church. Priests are co-workers of the bishops, particularly in the administering parishes where they also teach and sanctify the faithful through the sacraments. Deacons assist the work of the bishop and his priests. Following Christ’s example, a promise of lifelong celibacy is the normal condition for receiving Holy Orders in the West, although a permanent deacon may be married.

Jesus taught us that the call to Holy Orders is his initiative rather than ours, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). The call is discerned and freely accepted by the man who receives it. The Church tests this call and prepares the candidate for Holy Orders by means of spiritual, human, academic and pastoral formation, usually in a seminary.

Anointing of the Sick is that sacrament by which sick persons, through anointing with oil and the prayer of the priest, receive grace for the salvation of their souls and possible bodily healing.

Anyone who is sick in mind or body through illness or age may receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Anointing with the Oil of the Sick is important because it strengthens our souls and bodies during illness and at the approach of death, to die in a state of grace. God’s healing and loving presence are called upon that the sick person might be raised up and restored to health. The strengthening is a crucial help because the condition of our souls at death completes our earthly pilgrimage and fixes our state for eternity.

Scripture describes Jesus as the physician of our souls and bodies. He also promised that his disciples would lay hands on the sick, who would recover. The Letter of James bears witness to the fact that the first priests of the Church anointed the sick.

The effects of Anointing are the strengthening of the sick person, the remission of sins (even when the person is incapable of confessing their sins) and possibly also bodily healing.

Anointing is given when a person is seriously ill or in danger of death. Anointing should not be delayed until the point of death, however, and if the person subsequently recovers and relapses later, he or she can receive the sacrament again.

If someone in your family is ill and would like to receive this Sacrament please call the presbytery.

The Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation (Confession) is a sacrament of loving welcome and forgiveness on the part of God, of sorrow and joyful return on the part of the penitent, and of reconciliation through and with the community of the Church.

It is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection God has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. It is a celebration, therefore, both of the mercy of God and of the joy of the penitent and the community.

(The Place of Worship, Irish Episcopal Commission for Liturgy.)

Confession (or Penance or Reconciliation) is the sacrament by which we, repenting and confessing our sins, are absolved for sin through the ministry of a priest.

Confession is important because it is the normal way we can be forgiven our sins after our Baptism. The regular practice of Confession is important because it helps us to deal with our sins quickly, develop a mature conscience and give grace to resist temptation. The act of confession itself bestows healing and a sense of release from the burden of sin.

There are 5 stages /steps in Reconciliation

1. Examination of Conscience – I realise that I’ve done wrong and feel sorry
2. Confession – I am sorry
3. Penance – I accept my penance and pray the Act of Sorrow
4. Absolution – I am forgiven
5. Resolving to Try Again – I try again

If you feel the need or want to go to confession but have not been there in a while, don’t worry. The priest is there to be able to talk you through every step of the way and to make it a positive encounter with God for you.

Confessions are available:

After Mass on Saturday morning or On Request (please contact the priest)

THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST 

Holy Eucharist is the sacrament in which Jesus Christ gives his Body and Blood – himself – for us, so that we too might give ourselves to him in love and be united with him in Holy Communion. In this way we are joined with the one Body of Christ, the Church.

The celebration of the Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life’.

The Eucharist is a sacrifice, a presence and a food. As a sacrifice it makes present Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary for our salvation. As a presence, it is Jesus Christ himself under the appearance of bread and wine. As a food, it is the nourishment of our souls by which we share in God’s own life.

Uniquely among the sacraments, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice, the sacrifice of Christ himself. Sacrifices offer something up to God to honour him, to thank him, to gain communion with him and to make expiation for sin. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ achieves all of these perfectly.

Jesus promised to give food from heaven that would be his flesh and blood. He fulfilled this at the Last Supper, when he took the bread and said explicitly “this is my body” and when he took the wine and said “this is the cup of my blood”. This gift is also made present to us today. When the priest speaks the words of consecration in the Mass, the bread and the wine truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Church calls this change ‘transubstantiation’ because the substance of bread and wine are really changed, becoming the substance of Jesus Christ himself. Jesus also said before his Ascension to the Father: “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time” (Mt 28:20). This promise is fulfilled in the real presence of the Eucharist in the tabernacle of every Catholic church.

Following Jesus’ command, the Eucharist has always been celebrated as a sacred meal. The benefits for us are that we deepen our union with Him; we gain nourishment and strength for our journey as a baptised person; we receive the promise and the power of his Resurrection within us.

Confirmation is about ENTRY into the Parish Faith Community, not EXIT. Confirmation is one of the 3 sacraments of Christian Initiation. These sacraments, (Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist), welcome a person into the community of believers in Jesus Christ, called the Church (which is the Parish at local level), and initiate that person into the Mission of Jesus Christ.

Confirmation renews and strengthens the Gifts of the Holy Spirit already received at Baptism, (Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgement, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence, Wonder & Awe).

The Church views the role of parents in religious formation of children as both a privilege and an obligation. When you presented your child to the Church for Baptism, you were distinctly reminded that you have the responsibility to “bring [your child] up in the practice of the faith” (Rite of Baptism 56). This privilege and obligation extends to all sacrament preparation.

The 3 Partners in the religious formation of your child are:

Home, School & Parish.

What we are asking of you is to invest in your child’s Journey towards Confirmation. We, the Parish, will try to show you how to invest wisely by providing you with certain tools.

We also ask that every Family resolve to participate in Sunday Mass.

**For any adult seeking Confirmation, please read our RCIA section of the website or contact the parish catechist.**

Baptism

Congratulations on the birth of your child!

Below is the parish policy for the sacrament of Baptism. The dates included are for the meeting, the welcome ceremony and the completion of the Rite of Baptism.

We in Sruleen Parish want to help you make your child’s Baptism an occasion of great joy. In order to make this possible, we need your full co-operation with our arrangements for the Sacrament of Baptism. Before you proceed with a request for the Baptism of your child, please reflect on the following question:

Does your Faith make you ready to take on the responsibility and constant care to bring your child up in the practice of the Faith?

Stages:

Baptism is the sacrament of welcome and not a once off event. It’s more a matter of stages. So, there are four stages in our arrangements for Baptism:

1. is the Booking of the Baptism
2. is the Preparation Meeting
3. is the Welcome Ceremony
4. is the Completion of the Rite of Baptism

Please take note of the following points:

• Early contact with the Parish after the arrival of the new baby is important in order to make the Booking for the Baptism.
• Please contact the Parish (01-4570032) to check if the date you are looking for is available and arrange to fill out the necessary forms.
• The Parish arrangements for Baptism are that there is a Preparation Meeting on a given evening for the month.
• This is followed by the Welcome Ceremony at a given weekend Mass in the parish. This is the first part of the Rite of Baptism.
• The Completion of the Rite of Baptism takes place on the last Sunday of each month at 12noon.
• Parents and Godparents are expected to be present at the Preparation Meeting, Welcome Ceremony, as well as the Completion of the Rite of Baptism. Each is an essential part of Baptism.

Parents may not present their child on the Sunday if they have not previously attended the Meeting and Welcome Ceremony.D

**For any adult seeking Baptism, please read our RCIA section of the website or contact the parish priest**

Overview of the 7 Sacraments

The Sacraments

Sacraments are holy, visible signs instituted by Christ of an invisible reality, in which Christians can experience the healing, forgiving, nourishing, strengthening presence of God. Another way is to say that the sacraments are special encounters where we meet Jesus.

The Catholic church celebrates seven sacraments. The sacraments are gathered into 3 groups per their purpose. There are sacraments of initiation, which introduce us into the faith, there are sacraments of healing and there are sacraments of communion and mission.

Sacraments of Initiation:

• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Eucharist

Sacraments of Healing:

• Reconciliation
• Anointing of the Sick

Sacraments of Service:

• Marriage
• Holy Orders

Baptism joins us with Christ. Confirmation gives us the Spirit. The Eucharist unites us with him. Confession reconciles us with Christ. Through the Anointing of the Sick, Christ heals, strengthens, and consoles. In the sacrament of marriage, Christ promises his love in our love and his fidelity in our fidelity. Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests have the privilege of forgiving sins and celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Baptism:

The Sacrament of Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation into the church and the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. It makes us children of God, temples of the Holy Spirit and members of the Church.

Confirmation:

Confirmation completes the Christian initiation begun in Baptism, making us spiritually adult by means of a permanent ‘seal’ upon our souls. In this sacrament the Holy Spirit also gives us seven gifts that enables us to see and act well spiritually. These gifts empower us to publicly proclaim the Gospel and to defend the faith against opposition.

Eucharist:

The Eucharist is a sacrifice, a presence and a food. As a sacrifice it makes present Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary for our salvation. As a presence, it is Jesus Christ himself under the appearance of bread and wine. As a food, it is the nourishment of our souls by which we share in God’s own life.

Reconciliation:

Confession (or Penance or Reconciliation) is the sacrament by which we, repenting and confessing our sins, are absolved for sin through the ministry of a priest.

Sacrament of the Sick:

Anointing of the Sick is that sacrament by which sick persons, through anointing with oil and the prayer of the priest, receive grace for the salvation of their souls and possible bodily healing.

Holy Orders:

Holy Orders is the sacrament in which a baptised man receives the authority and ability to share in the particular mission that Christ entrusted to his apostles. There are three orders of this sacrament: bishop, priest and deacon.

Marriage:

Marriage is the sacrament in which a baptised man and woman vow to belong to each other in a permanent, exclusive, sexual partnership of loving mutual care, concern and shared responsibility, in the hope of having children and bringing up a family. God gives grace for the fulfilment of these duties.

For more detail and the parish information for a particular sacrament, please click on the information you require in the drop-down menu.

‘All requests for sacramental certificates are dealt with by phone only. Please provide your name and phone number, with details of the certificate sought including the date/year of Baptism, or Confirmation. If the phone is not attended, leave a message about same. Please do not contact the priest using the website email address. The parish number is 01-457 0032.’

Please fill out the form if you would like to contact parish office administrator. The message will be forwarded to the relevant person in the parish.

Please contact priests directly if the matter is confidential.

 

[contact-field required="1" type="name" label="Name"/] [contact-field required="1" type="email" label="Email"/] [contact-field type="url" label="Website"/] [contact-field type="textarea" label="Message"/]

Fr. Vincent Fallon sscc – Co-PP

Presbytery,
St John’S Drive,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22
Tel: +353 1 457 0032

‘All requests for sacramental certificates are dealt with by phone only. Please provide your name and phone number, with details of the certificate sought including the date/year of Baptism, or Confirmation. If the phone is not attended, leave a message about same. Please do not contact the priest using the website email address. The parish number is 01-457 0032.’

 

CONTACT DETAILS:

Safeguarding and Protection Services in the Archdiocese of Dublin:

Director:                                  Mr Andrew Fagan                              01-836 0314

Child Protection Officer:      Ms Deirdre Donnelly                         01-836 0314

Website:                                  http://csps.dublindiocese.ie/

Child Safeguarding and Protection Service
Dublin Diocesan Offices
20-23 Arran Quay
Dublin 7
Ireland
D07 XK85

The above are the designated people for the receipt of any complaints or concerns regarding the protection of children or vulnerable adults.

TUSLA – Child and Family Agency

Phone: 01 7718500
Email: info@tusla.ie

Clondalkin Garda Station                                                            01- 666 7600

You can also contact any Garda Station

Health Service Executive                                                        061 461165

GPs, Nurses, Substance Abuse Counsellors, Social Workers etc. are also designated officers to receive reports of neglect/abuse of children and vulnerable adults

Sruleen Parish Safeguarding Representative:

Dave Martin & Helen Delaney                                                 01-4570032

Helplines:

Towards Healing:                                                                       1900 303 416

One in Four:                                                                                 01-662 4070

The Samaritans:                                                                          1850 609 090

Childline:                                                                                       1800 666 666