Sacraments

Confirmation celebrates the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a baptised person, completing and strengthening the grace given by the Spirit in Baptism. It marks the Christian as a follower of Christ and a full member of the Church. 

In our parish, children normally celebrate Confirmation in Sixth Class. Much of the preparation is carried out in school with the parish offering a complimentary preparation programme. 

At Confirmation the Bishop/priest prays that the gifts given by the Holy Spirit for the living out of the Christian life will grow in each person being confirmed. These are the gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Right Judgement, Courage, Reverence and Wonder and Awe in God’s presence. Growth in these gifts is a lifetime’s experience and leads the Christian to share in the mission of Jesus Christ. Young people preparing for Confirmation are encouraged to be involved in some form of service in their parish. 

The decision to be confirmed is not one to be taken lightly, for it involves both faith and commitment. 

Who Can Receive? 

Any baptised Catholic wishing to advance on the path of developing their faith. For young people, this is usually part of the 5th/6th class primary school programme. 

For adults who were not confirmed as children, it means taking part in the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.) 

A sponsor stands behind the candidate for Confirmation at the Confirmation ceremony and places their hand on the shoulder of the candidate as a sign that they will support them in living out their baptismal promises. However, the role of the sponsor is not just for one day. The sponsor undertakes to assist the confirmed person in growing in the fullness of their faith and in their membership of the Catholic Church. 

A person qualifies as a sponsor by being a reasonably mature adult, who is at least 16 years old, and has already received the Sacraments of Initiation, (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) themselves. 

The Confirmation sponsor may be one of the people who was a sponsor at Baptism (subject to the notes here). 

Choosing a sponsor 

To be admitted to undertake the office of sponsor, a person must: 

Be appointed by the candidate, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place, or failing these, by the parish priest or the minister; to be appointed the person must be suitable for this role have the intention of fulfilling it. 

Be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a different age has been stipulated by the diocesan Bishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made. 

Be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken. Not labour under a canonical penalty, whether imposed or declared. Not be either the father or the mother of the candidate. 

Name 

The tradition of taking a new name at Confirmation emphasises the new identity of a Christian being called to witness to their faith. People are encouraged to take the name of a saint or a person from the Bible who inspires them in some way. 

Oil 

The oil used is called the Oil of Chrism. It is olive oil mixed with balsam that is blessed by the bishop and priests of the diocese in the Cathedral at the ‘Chrism Mass’ on Holy Thursday. The Sacrament is conferred with the anointing with this ‘Oil of Chrism’ on the forehead as the Bishop says ‘Be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit’.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION) TAKES PLACE AT ST. PHILIPS CHURCH  EVERY SATURDAY after the 10.am Mass OR WHENEVER A PERSON REQUESTS IT. -Our Christmas and Easter Penance schedule is available in the newsletter prior to the seasons.

God is the compassionate listen who waits for us to love him. 

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end" (Lamentations 3.22)

 "When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick"(Matt 14.14)

Congratulations!

Congratulations on your decision to get married. It is one of the most important decisions of your whole life. Your desire to marry in Church is your invitation to Christ to be at the heart of your relationship. The Christian community wishes you every blessing and happiness. You are  very welcome to have your marriage celebrated in the parish of St. Philip the Apostle, Mountview.

While you need only give three months’ notice of your intention to marry it is common practice for a couple to book the church a long time in advance. So, it is important to contact the Parish Office to make sure that the church is available on the day you require. You will also need to look at participating in a marriage preparation course which is a lovely way for you as a couple to take a look at your own relationship. The Civil Authorities also have state requirements which must be fulfilled.

We hope that this guide will be of assistance to you in your preparation for your wedding day. Although it may not cover all issues that can arise in some proposed marriages, it has been compiled as a general aid to help you prepare for your wedding in our parish. The Parish Office will be happy to answer any queries you may have. Our email address is: mbparishes@gmail.com

A Prayer for an Engaged Couple

Thank you, Lord, for bringing us together and the gift
of our love which has already has brought us so much joy.
Grant that we may always continue to love each other
with reverence, patience and generosity.
In the hurried days of the final preparations,
grant us the calmness to reflect on the moment
when you will seal and sanctify our promises,
binding us together in your love forever.
In joy or sorrow, in richness or poverty,
in sickness and in health, may out love grow
all the day of our lives. Amen

Premarriage Courses
All couples intending to marry are expected to participate in a marriage course. The courses are prepared and presented by married couples and are a lovely way for you as a couple to take a look at your own relationship. This is time for yourselves, and time that will be really well spent.

For further information about Accord Pre-Marriage Courses in the Dublin area, please ring Accord Dublin at: Tel: 01 4784400 or book online at  https://accorddublin.ie

You may also find the following links helpful www.together.ie or http://gettingmarried.ie

State Requirements for Marriage

Meet a Civil Registrar at least three months before the wedding to give notice of your intention to marry. Make an appointment by calling or writing beforehand. You may notify any of the many Civil Registration Offices in the State.

For Dublin & Eastern areas the Address is: Civil Registration Services Eastern Area (Dublin, Wicklow & Kildare), Head Office, 8-14 Lombard Street, Dublin 2. Tel: (01) 8638200 or go to their website www.hse.ie/go/birth

When the couple have chosen the date, church and priest for their marriage (and confirmed these matters with the relevant priest or priests), they will then need to make an appointment to meet with any civil registrar in person to give notice of their intention to marry. This meeting with the registrar must take place at least three months before the wedding in order to comply with the civil requirement. The couple will be required to bring the following documentation to the registrar’s office:

• photo identity, e.g. original passports (both parties) plus photocopies of same.
• Utility bill for both parties, plus photocopies of same (as proof of address
• Names and dates of birth of both witnesses.
• Name of the Church in which you will marry.
• Name of the priest (the ”solemniser”) who will officiate.
• PPS Number (both parties)
• The Prescribed Fee

Please Note:  If the priest (solemniser) who is to officiate at your wedding is a visiting priest from outside the Republic of Ireland, make sure he is a Registered Solemniser in the Republic, otherwise, he may not be able to officiate at the ceremony. If in doubt, consult your local priest, or visit their website: http://www.welfae.ie/en/Pages/Getting_Married.aspx (General Register Office) which contains lots of useful information and the list of registered solemnisers.

When all the civil requirements have been completed satisfactorily, you will receive a Marriage Registration Form (MRF) from the registrar. It is essential to remember that without presenting this form before your wedding to the priest (solemniser), he is not legally permitted to perform the ceremony and the wedding will not take place.

You are also required to make a verbal declaration of No Civil impediment not more than two days beforehand.

After the ceremony, it is the couple’s responsibility to return the signed Marriage Registration Form (MRF) to the Civil Registrar’s Office within one month of the date of the wedding.

In order to summarise the above legal requirements for valid civil registration of marriage, please study the following check-list of what the couple must do:

• Meet one of the local parish clergy
• Book the church where you wish to marry
• Meet a civil registrar at least three months before the wedding to give notice of your intention to marry
• Receive the Marriage Registration Form (MRF) from the civil registrar
• Bring the MRF to the solemniser
• Make the verbal declaration of no civil impediment in the presence of each other and before the solemniser and the two witnesses at the beginning of the wedding ceremony (or not more than two days beforehand)
• Return the signed MRF to any civil registrar not later than one month after the wedding
• If you have any further queries regarding your Church Ceremony, please contact the Secretary at the  Parish Office on (01) 8249695
  
  

Church Requirements – Pre – Marriage Papers

Every couple marrying in the Catholic Church is required to give a minimum of three months’ notice to their priest. (i.e., the Bride to her priest and the Groom to his priest). The following documents are required:

Bride
A Baptismal Certificate, from the Church where you where baptised, issued within six months of date of the wedding.

A Confirmation Certificate from the parish where you were confirmed.

If you have lived in any parish, other than your current one, for six months or more since you reached the age of 18, you will need to get a Letter of Freedom from these parishes also.

A certificate of completion of a recognised Pre-Marriage Course. Give these documents to the priest of your parish and fill out the Prenuptial Enquiry Form with him.

Groom
A Baptismal Certificate, from the Church where you where baptised, issued within six months of date of the wedding.

A Confirmation Certificate from the parish where you were confirmed.

If you have lived in any parish, other than your current one, for six months or more since you reached the age of 18, you will need to get a Letter of Freedom from these parishes also.

You then give these documents to the priest of your current parish and he will fill out the Prenuptial Enquiry Form with you. When completed, he will send all documents to the priest f your fiancé’s parish.

Couples living Abroad
In the case of couples living abroad, the priest in the parish of your residence will complete your Prenuptial Enquiry Form and will forward it to the local bishop who in turn will send it to the bishop’s office here in Dublin. Address: Chancellery, Diocesan Offices, Archbishop’s house, Dublin 9, Ireland

Inter Church or Inter Faith Marriages
When a Catholic wishes to marry a Christian of another denomination, or a person of another faith or none, he/she must ask for a Dispensation from his/her local bishop. Your priest can facilitate this process.

Pre-Marriage Courses
Marriage is for life. If you are going into something which you want to last for life, a time of reflection and preparation is time well spent. This is why you are required to take part in a Pre-Marriage Course. As there are so many seeking places on these courses, it is necessary to book six to nine months in advance. Here in Dublin, pre-marriage courses are provided by ACCORD. Details of all ACCORD centres in the country, and the courses they offer, can be found at www.accord.ie

Wedding Rehearsal
It is usual to have a short rehearsal a day or two before the day of your wedding. This is something you should discuss with the priest (solemniser). The rehearsal, as well as finalising details of the ceremony, allows the priest the opportunity of meeting the other members of the bridal party etc. Please consult the parish about the time of the rehearsal to ensure that the church is available and open.

The Wedding Mass
The priest celebrating your Wedding Mass will help you choose readings, prayers and The Rite of Marriage. It is good to involve others in the ceremony, e.g. readings, prayers, etc.

Flowers – Candles – Confetti
Flowers are used for their beauty and the promise of abundant life. They should be tastefully arranged and not obscure the Altar or the Ambo (Where Scripture Readings are read from.

Photography
If you are engaging a photographer or video technician, please ask that they do their work quietly and with minimum distraction. Make sure that they consult beforehand with the priest that is celebrating the wedding. Please bear in mind that it is a religious ceremony and due reverence should be observed in the church by all.

Music
The music you choose for your wedding ceremony should be in keeping with the sacred character of the occasion. It is the responsibility of the couple to provide their own musicians, etc. Where at all possible, hymns that the congregation (your guests) can join in are recommended. Non-Sacred songs (e.g. your favourite love songs) should not be used during the religious ceremony. Such favourite songs could be used at the wedding reception.

Signing the Marriage Registration Form
The register to be signed is the civil register and is not part of the Church Ceremony. For that reason, we recommend that it be signed after the church ceremony has ended. Please remember that the signed Marriage Registration Form (MRF) will be handed to you after the ceremony and it is your responsibility to forward this to the Registrar of Marriages within one month of the wedding day.

Offerings and Gratuities
Every effort is made to have all our churches in perfect condition for all Sacraments. This involves not just the ongoing general upkeep and maintenance of our church buildings, but it also involves heating and lighting as well as insurance for all the parishioners, visitors and guests.

1. It is customary to make an offering to the parish in appreciation of and to defray the cost of the facilities provided.
2. It is customary to give a donation to those who helped during the whole process.
3. It is customary to give an offering to the priest (solemniser) conducting the ceremony.

Finally, may we wish you both a well-deserved holiday/honeymoon after all these hectic preparations for what we know will be a fantastic Wedding Day.
We also wish you God’s blessing and joy for what we trust will be a very long and happy married life together.

Afterwards
Wherever you live, your life as a Christian married couple is important to the community of the parish, and to the future of the Church. Remember that the love you bring to each other, and to those around you, needs to be nourished through your own closeness to Christ. Each time you participate in the Mass, you will not only celebrate the self-giving love of Christ, but you will be reminded of your own gift to each other, and you will hear his Word, calling you always to new ways of living that love.

"Marriage is like building a house. You would not wish to build it on the shifting sands of emotions, but on the rock of true love, the love that comes from God." Pope Francis (Meeting with Engaged Couples at the Vatican, St. Valentine’s Day 2014)

If you have an interest in finding out more about the path to priesthood or the permanent diaconate in this diocese, you are very welcome to contact our Diocesan Vocations Director:

Very Rev. Enda Cunningham,
Director of Vocations
Office of Vocations and Permanent Diaconate,
Holy Cross Diocesan Centre,
Clonliffe College,
Clonliffe Road,
Dublin 3

Telephone: 01 8087561
Email: vocations@dublindiocese.ie
Website: www.dublindiocese.ie/vocations

Permanent Diaconate
Director of Diaconate:
Very Rev. John Gilligan.
Email: jgilligan@abhouse.org

Assistant Directors to Diaconate
Fr. Joe Mullen & Deacon Noel Ryan.

Mass is held every first Friday at 19.30, where the sick receive anointing

Sacrament of the sick – Housebound
The sick and housebound of the parish are attended by in their homes by the members of the parish team every month. Ministers of the Eucharist are also available to distribute Holy Communion to the sick on Sundays or in time of need. Many sick people also like to receive the Sacrament of the Sick and are strengthened and affirmed.

Every First Friday of the month, the priests and members of the parish team  visit the housebound with Holy Communion. If you are unable to attend Mass due to illness or frailty and would like to be visited by a priest on the First Friday, please feel free to contact the Parish Secretary in the Parish Office, Tel: 01 – to be included on the First Friday visits

What Is the Sacrament of the Sick
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is exactly what it says. It is a prayerful celebration for someone or for a group of people who are ill and are blessed by the priest with Holy Oil. It is not a sign that someone is dying as it was perceived in olden times. It is not a magical ritual; the person doesn’t automatically get better immediately after an anointing. God’s healing and loving presence are called upon that the sick person might be raised up and restored to health.

Symbolism
The words of blessing over the oil say it all. It is “oil intended to ease the sufferings of your people”. Oil soothes and heals. Oil blessed for the sick is a sign of the Anointed One (Messiah) of God. The person so anointed receives the healing, saving power of the One who saves (Messiah).

Oil
The oil that is used is Olive Oil. The Bishop and priests bless it at the ‘Chrism Mass’ on Holy Thursday in the Cathedral. The holy oils are then taken each year to each parish and hospital for use throughout the year in the Sacrament of the Sick.

How?
A person is anointed on the forehead and the palms of the hands while the priest says: “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you by the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who heals you, save you and raise you up.”

Who Can Be Anointed?
Anyone in ’serious illness’, those who are infirm, in advanced years, or anyone prior to surgery. (It is not only for when a person is in ‘danger of death’.