Sacraments

Sacrament News

Baptism

You will be asked to attend a Baptism Course, of which there are usually 4 courses throughout the year.

Our next Course is on Wednesday 7th February 2024  6.30-8.30pm in St Augustine’s Parish Centre

Godparents – these are asked to support the parents in this duty as Christian Parents. Therefore, they should be believing Christians and at least one must be Catholic. This is a serious responsibility and not just a gesture of friendship offered to friends. So please choose a Godfather and Godmother with care.

Family & Guests – Baptisms usually take place on Sunday’s  by appointment.

Photographs – Please take all group photographs on the lawn area, or in the church if the weather is bad. All photographs must take place in the area just in front of the church. Thank you for accepting these restrictions out of respect for the privacy of the neighbouring residents.

Parking – Only cars with disabled certificates may park in front of the church. It is part of the legal agreement with the tenants. There is ample parking in the grounds of the Parish Centre on Larchfield Street. Thank you for informing your guests about this.

For Parish Centre Bookings, Click Here

First Reconciliation & Communion

First Communion 2023

All children in Year 4 will receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, following the guidelines within the Diocese.

This is arranged within the parish.

The children will attend on a Thursday evening (6pm) in Church.  Some of the dates the parents will have their own session with the priest.

First Reconciliation will take place on Saturday 11th February 2023 at 10.00 am  

First Holy Communion will take place on Saturday 20th May 2023 at 10.00 am  

If you have a child in another school who will be in Year 4 in September 2022 and you would like them to take part please contact the office or see the Priest after Mass.

Confirmation

This is arranged between Carmel School and the Cluster parishes.  Confirmation takes place yearly – usually in February and is rotated between the Darlington Churches.

TBA

Marriage

All Diocesan arranged day courses will be advised.

Booking access is gained via the MarriageCare website – www.marriagecare.org.uk, under the ‘How we help’ section, ‘Relationship counselling’.

They also provide many useful links for Relationship support organisations; Debt and Finance; Family support organisations; Domestic abuse, which includes support for women, men and children.

You will be asked to attend a Wedding Preparation Course organised by Marriage Care.

To book a place please ring  0800 3893801

Please contact the office as soon as you have a date in order to check the diary. It would be helpful if you have copies of your Baptismal Certificates.

Hospital Visits

If you require a visit from the Hospital Chaplain whilst in hospital, or if you know you will be going into hospital, please contact: The Chaplaincy Office – Memorial Hospital – Mrs Carol Moody – 01325 743029

The Chaplains at Darlington Memorial Hospital have no access to inpatient lists, so please ring the chaplaincy office on 01325 / 743029 and leave the patient’s name (and ward number if known) Please also say that they are Catholic.

Hospitals in the Newcastle Area – Queen Elizabeth Hospital, RVI and Freeman Hospitals grant no access to information about patients’ admittance – so we rely totally on information given to us from family or local priests or patients before they enter hospital. Patients get misled by being asked their religious denomination – thereby thinking that the chaplain will be informed. We are not — patients can ask for a visit from the chaplain and the nurses are usually good in contacting us — but many a time they forget contacts.

PLEASE NOTE: Any parishioner needing a priest at any of the hospitals in Newcastle, i.e.  RVI, Freeman, Newcastle General hospitals and Marie Curie Hospice,  please contact priests at St Mary’s Cathedral on  01912 326953 or Email: office@stmaryscathedral.org.uk for all hospitals in an emergency ask the ward sister to contact the on call Roman Catholic Chaplain – not just a Chaplain