“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever.”
Jn 6:51
“The Eucharist is such a great gift. That’s why going to Mass is so important. Going to Mass not just to pray, but to receive Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ. It saves us, forgives us and it makes us one with the Father. How beautiful!”
Pope Francis on Holy Communion
Saturday October 26th Parents’ Meeting 9.00 a.m.
The deadline for enrolment of children for this formation is Sunday 13th October
The following six formation sessions will take place in the Parish Centre from 9.00 – 10.00 a.m. Please arrive in good time as each session will begin promptly at 9.00 a.m. Please be ready to collect your children promptly at 10.00 am.
Please make a note of all the following dates.
Saturday 30th November – Session 1: Jesus is the way to the Father “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Sunday 1st December 9.30 a.m. Mass of Welcome for children beginning their formation for Holy Communion.
Saturday 25th January – Session 2 Jesus is the Good Shepherd “I am the Good Shepherd…I know my own and my own know me.” John 10:11
Saturday 1st March – Session 3 Jesus is our Joy “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10
Saturday 29th March – Session 4 Jesus is our Friend “Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Saturday 26th April – Session 5 Jesus is our Healer “And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sons are forgiven.”” Mark 2: 5-12
Saturday 17th May – Session 6 Jesus feeds us with His own life “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger.” John 6:35
Parents will be told which Mass they have been allocated before the formation sessions begin
Saturday 7th June at 11.00 a.m.
Rehearsal and Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday 4th June at 5.00 p.m.
Saturday 21st June at 11.00 a.m.
Rehearsal and Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday 18th June at 5.00 p.m.
Saturday 28th June at 11.00 a.m.
Rehearsal and Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday 25th June at 5.00 p.m.
Parents will also be able to choose to have their child receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time at any of the Sunday Masses during the month of June. Please speak to Fr Martin if you would prefer to do this.
One of the joys we celebrate as a community is when our parish children receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time in their life. For them, it marks a deepening and strengthening of their continuing friendship with Christ.
Holy Communion preparation is for children (year 4 +) who are coming to Sunday Mass with their families and are resident in Our Lady of Lourdes parish.
Information about the 2024-25 formation will be available in September.
This formation is for those children whose parents are resident in the parish.
If you are resident in the parish, please make sure that you are a registered parishioner. In this way, we will be able to keep in contact with you and to inform you of all that is going on in the parish and how you might wish to be involved in our mission.
If possible, please set up a standing order to contribute to the running costs, work and mission of your parish family.
When human beings practice something (for example, playing an instrument, taking part in a sport or learning to drive a car) they do it repeatedly until their skills develop and it becomes “second nature” to them. Of course, if you only practice occasionally or intermittently, it will not develop to your skill levels or change who you are.
Our human relationships, especially our friendships, call for practice. The more time we spend with a person and engage with them in profound ways, physically, emotionally and spiritually, then, the deeper the friendship is likely to be. This is why married couples often describe themselves as “best friends” or “soul mates”. While the people we spend less time with or are an occasional exchange of a text message are more likely to be described as acquaintances. Those relationships that have been broken by some event or those people we use only when we want something from them cannot be described as authentic friendships.
Our Catholic faith is about our personal friendship with Jesus, the Son of God. We believe that he waits for us weekly at Sunday Mass. It is through this sacred meeting that our friendship with him is nurtured and grows. It is there that Christ speaks to us as friends through his living word, the Sacred Scriptures, and feeds us with his own divine life in Holy Communion. And the reason Catholics call this “the practice of our faith” is because meeting Christ every week in this way, over time, deepens our relationship with him, changes us, and prepares us for that time when we will be with him eternally in heaven.
Information about the 2024-25 formation will be available in September.
If you have any queries or serious concerns about this spiritual formation, please contact Fr Martin directly…but, please, not after Sunday Mass!
…the above are non-negotiable.
Saturday 7th June at 11.00 a.m.
Rehearsal and Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday 4th June at 5.00 p.m.
ABLAS, Sol Rhavin
AGATHANGELOU, Annabella
ARSLAN, Haris
ATHIENITIS, Byron
BRAITHWAITE, Sassy
CLARES-WERY, Louis
CLARK, Joshua
COLLINS-JEFFERYS, Chester Charles
COOPER, Thomas Patrick
DANZEY, Charlotte Sofia
DENHAM, George
DIEP, Kian Frederick Tuan
DILE, Dilichukwu Desireé
EZEAH, Ryan-David Chimeremeze
FADALE, Gaia
FAHEY, James Michael
FARLEY, Leonardo Ronald
FARRUGIA, Josef Te
Saturday 21st June at 11.00 a.m.
Rehearsal and Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday 18th June at 5.00 p.m.
FOLEY, Grace
FOLKARD, Sophie Olivia
HEATHWOOD, Milo
HOULIHAN, Xavier Julian James
KILGOUR, Gabriel
KILGOUR, Jensen
KISSI, Nathania Nyameaye
MALAMOUTSIS, Maximos
MARTIN, Cornelia Delama Zofia Smolowik
MARTIN, Rohan
McATEER, James
McDONNELL, Lochlainn
McHUGH, Evan
MHAGRH, Zoe Jane
MILLER, James
MILLS, Jaymani
MORIARTY, Cara
MORIARTY, Jerry
Saturday 28th June at 11.00 a.m.
Rehearsal and Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday 25th June at 5.00 p.m.
MULLEN, Noel
MURPHY, Thomas
NADCZUK, Sara Wiktoria
NEUPANE, Rhys Adam
O’DONNELL, Callum
ORONSAYE JNR, Jude Nosakhre Oghogho
REEDER, Hannah Emily
SANGER, Sarita Amelia
SHRESTHA, Miles
TAYLOR, Zachary Luis Kai
TOLLER, Erin Maria
TROTTIER, Emilia Elisabeth
VALLO, Kayden
WALTON, Isabel
WHITTINGHAM, Sebastian Michael
ONUCHINA-TANG, Yesenia
If they so wish, parents will also be able to choose to have their child make their Holy Communion for the first time at any of the Sunday Masses during the month of June. Please speak to Fr Martin if you would prefer to do this.
In December 1917, at the invitation of Fr O’Grady, the Sisters of Mercy, opened their convent in Cambridge Park, the stables being converted into a temporary Church.
Later, the foundation stone of Our Lady of Lourdes Wanstead was blessed by Arthur Doubleday, the then Bishop of Brentwood, in July 1927.
The Church has been sustained by the people of God here in Wanstead for 100 years. Long may the faith continue to grow and thrive here.
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