Our sacramental life
...the Sacraments are the place of God’s closeness and tenderness for us. They are the concrete way that God willed to come to meet us, to embrace us, without being ashamed of us and of our limitations - Pope Francis
The celebration of the sacraments is at the heart of the life of any Catholic parish. God comes to meet us in many ways through the sacraments. We are a sacramental people.
'A sacrament is an outward sign of inward grace'. That old definition captures the two key elements of a sacrament – a sign and the reality it symbolises, that reality being an outpouring of God’s love for us. So in Baptism, for example, the sign is the pouring of water and the reality is that we are washed free from sin; in Confirmation, the anointing with oil symbolises the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
On this page you can find out about the seven sacraments which Catholics celebrate, and about how we receive and prepare for them at Holy Innocents’. We have followed the Catechism of the Catholic Church in dividing them into the sacraments of initiation, the sacraments of healing, and the sacraments at the service of communion.
'A sacrament is an outward sign of inward grace'. That old definition captures the two key elements of a sacrament – a sign and the reality it symbolises, that reality being an outpouring of God’s love for us. So in Baptism, for example, the sign is the pouring of water and the reality is that we are washed free from sin; in Confirmation, the anointing with oil symbolises the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
On this page you can find out about the seven sacraments which Catholics celebrate, and about how we receive and prepare for them at Holy Innocents’. We have followed the Catechism of the Catholic Church in dividing them into the sacraments of initiation, the sacraments of healing, and the sacraments at the service of communion.
The sacraments of initiation
The Catholic Church calls Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist (Holy Communion) the 'sacraments of initiation'.
These sacraments form a pathway into full and active participation in the life of the Church. Your child growing up as part of our community might be baptised as an infant, celebrate their First Holy Communion at age 7 or 8, and go on to be confirmed at 13 or 14. If you are an adult and you are not a Catholic, or you have not received all three sacraments of initiation, you might think about joining our Journey in Faith group.
These sacraments form a pathway into full and active participation in the life of the Church. Your child growing up as part of our community might be baptised as an infant, celebrate their First Holy Communion at age 7 or 8, and go on to be confirmed at 13 or 14. If you are an adult and you are not a Catholic, or you have not received all three sacraments of initiation, you might think about joining our Journey in Faith group.
Baptism
Baptism is the first of the sacraments, and its effects are profound. The priest pours water over the forehead of the child or adult being baptised. By that sign, he or she is cleansed from sin and adopted as a child of God, no less, and a member of Christ’s Church. He or she is sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and given a share in the priesthood of Christ.
If you are reading this section because you are planning to have your baby baptised – congratulations on the birth of your son or daughter! We look forward to welcoming him or her into the Church, and into our parish community, just as we delight in any adult who decides to take this all-important step.
If you are member of the parish and/or regularly attend Mass at Holy Innocents’ we are happy to baptise your child. Baptisms of children are usually celebrated on Sunday afternoons.
If you are a member of another parish, you will need the written permission of your own parish priest for the Baptism of your child to take place at Holy Innocents’.
The first stage of preparation for the Baptism of a child is an interview with a member of the clergy team. Depending on the time of year, you may need to give several weeks’ notice for a Baptism. No Baptisms are celebrated during Lent.
The Catholic Church recognises Baptisms celebrated in other mainstream Christian churches. Since Baptism, like Confirmation, can only be received once, you will not be baptised again in the Catholic Church if you have already been baptised in one of those churches.
If you are an adult thinking about being baptised, you might like to join our Journey in Faith.
Contact Deacon Barry or the Parish Office for children
Father Victor for adults
If you are reading this section because you are planning to have your baby baptised – congratulations on the birth of your son or daughter! We look forward to welcoming him or her into the Church, and into our parish community, just as we delight in any adult who decides to take this all-important step.
If you are member of the parish and/or regularly attend Mass at Holy Innocents’ we are happy to baptise your child. Baptisms of children are usually celebrated on Sunday afternoons.
If you are a member of another parish, you will need the written permission of your own parish priest for the Baptism of your child to take place at Holy Innocents’.
The first stage of preparation for the Baptism of a child is an interview with a member of the clergy team. Depending on the time of year, you may need to give several weeks’ notice for a Baptism. No Baptisms are celebrated during Lent.
The Catholic Church recognises Baptisms celebrated in other mainstream Christian churches. Since Baptism, like Confirmation, can only be received once, you will not be baptised again in the Catholic Church if you have already been baptised in one of those churches.
If you are an adult thinking about being baptised, you might like to join our Journey in Faith.
Contact Deacon Barry or the Parish Office for children
Father Victor for adults
Holy Communion (the Eucharist)
The Eucharist is the greatest of the seven sacraments celebrated by the Catholic Church.
At each Mass, the bread and wine is consecrated, and is thus transformed to become in its deepest reality the body and blood of the risen Christ. As we eat the host and drink from the chalice, we are nourished by Jesus himself.
We are united in this most intimate way to the person of Jesus and, through Him, to each other.
It is that simple, that mysterious, and that wonderful.
You can learn more about the celebration of the Mass at Holy Innocents on the Our liturgy page.
The First Holy Communion celebration for our boys and girls is one of the highlights of the year for any Catholic parish.
We have an enriching ‘whole family formation process' as part of our sacramental preparation which is fun and faith filled. Preparation for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion is open to families with a child in Year 3 and above who worship at Holy Innocents’.
For 2025, the application process begins in September when parents are asked to complete an application form, details of which can be found in the Parish Newsletter. Once an application form is received, parents will be invited to meet with Father Victor and the catechists at the beginning of November.
Preparation begins in November, with a Parental Preparation Day, details of which can be found on the application form. Preparation sessions for children begin in January and run until June. The sessions take place at the church on Sunday mornings during term time, followed by Mass at 10:30am, with an adult accompanying their child to every session.
Contact: If you have any questions or queries please email: [email protected]
(If you are an adult who has not received Holy Communion in a Catholic church, you might like to join Journey in Faith.)
Contact Father Victor for adults
At each Mass, the bread and wine is consecrated, and is thus transformed to become in its deepest reality the body and blood of the risen Christ. As we eat the host and drink from the chalice, we are nourished by Jesus himself.
We are united in this most intimate way to the person of Jesus and, through Him, to each other.
It is that simple, that mysterious, and that wonderful.
You can learn more about the celebration of the Mass at Holy Innocents on the Our liturgy page.
The First Holy Communion celebration for our boys and girls is one of the highlights of the year for any Catholic parish.
We have an enriching ‘whole family formation process' as part of our sacramental preparation which is fun and faith filled. Preparation for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion is open to families with a child in Year 3 and above who worship at Holy Innocents’.
For 2025, the application process begins in September when parents are asked to complete an application form, details of which can be found in the Parish Newsletter. Once an application form is received, parents will be invited to meet with Father Victor and the catechists at the beginning of November.
Preparation begins in November, with a Parental Preparation Day, details of which can be found on the application form. Preparation sessions for children begin in January and run until June. The sessions take place at the church on Sunday mornings during term time, followed by Mass at 10:30am, with an adult accompanying their child to every session.
Contact: If you have any questions or queries please email: [email protected]
(If you are an adult who has not received Holy Communion in a Catholic church, you might like to join Journey in Faith.)
Contact Father Victor for adults
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation is usually conferred by a bishop. He lays his hands on those being confirmed and anoints them on the forehead with holy oil. By these signs the grace of their Baptism is completed. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and the many gifts He has to offer, as the apostles were at Pentecost, and they are united more firmly with Christ and His Church.
We invite young people thinking about receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation to attend Youth Alpha first, as the "gateway" to a Confirmation journey. This is open to all teenagers, from 12 and 13 year olds in Year 9 up to age 19.
Youth Alpha, which we run each year, offers a welcoming, fun and lively environment for the young people to explore their faith and to decide whether they are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Towards the end of the Youth Alpha course, we will talk to those who have not been confirmed to help them decide if they are ready to be confirmed.
If they are, they will be invited to sessions to prepare them for Confirmation. The celebration of Confirmation with our young people is one of the highlights in the parish calendar.
The preparation of adults for the Sacrament of Confirmation takes place in the context of Journey in Faith.
Contact Father Victor for adults
via the Parish Office for young people
We invite young people thinking about receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation to attend Youth Alpha first, as the "gateway" to a Confirmation journey. This is open to all teenagers, from 12 and 13 year olds in Year 9 up to age 19.
Youth Alpha, which we run each year, offers a welcoming, fun and lively environment for the young people to explore their faith and to decide whether they are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Towards the end of the Youth Alpha course, we will talk to those who have not been confirmed to help them decide if they are ready to be confirmed.
If they are, they will be invited to sessions to prepare them for Confirmation. The celebration of Confirmation with our young people is one of the highlights in the parish calendar.
The preparation of adults for the Sacrament of Confirmation takes place in the context of Journey in Faith.
Contact Father Victor for adults
via the Parish Office for young people
Not only babies and children come to faith in Jesus Christ, receive the sacraments of initiation, and become part of our Catholic community – many adults do as well. We call the route that they take the 'Journey in Faith'.
You may have little or no faith background at all; you may have been baptised into the Catholic Church but not received the other sacraments of initiation; or you may come from another Christian tradition. Journey in Faith (or to give it its formal name, the 'Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults') can help you to learn more about Jesus and what it means to be His disciple; and to explore the Catholic faith in a relaxed and informal atmosphere, without any commitment.
Meetings take place weekly during school term time, usually on a Monday evening from 8 pm to 9.15 pm. The meetings involve a small group of 'enquirers' and are led by Father Victor and other parishioners.
Contact Father Victor
You may have little or no faith background at all; you may have been baptised into the Catholic Church but not received the other sacraments of initiation; or you may come from another Christian tradition. Journey in Faith (or to give it its formal name, the 'Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults') can help you to learn more about Jesus and what it means to be His disciple; and to explore the Catholic faith in a relaxed and informal atmosphere, without any commitment.
Meetings take place weekly during school term time, usually on a Monday evening from 8 pm to 9.15 pm. The meetings involve a small group of 'enquirers' and are led by Father Victor and other parishioners.
Contact Father Victor
The sacraments of healing
The Catholic Church calls the Sacrament of Reconciliation (which is also referred to as 'Confession' or the 'Sacrament of Penance') and the Anointing of the Sick (which is also referred to as the 'Sacrament of the Sick') as 'sacraments of healing'.
Through these sacraments, the Church continues the healing work of Jesus Christ among His people.
Through these sacraments, the Church continues the healing work of Jesus Christ among His people.
Reconciliation (Confession)
Like everyone else, Catholics are not perfect. We lose sight of God’s love for us. We do things we should not do, and we fail to do things that we should. We need help to put right our relationship with God and our relationships with each other. By celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation – confessing our sins to a priest, receiving absolution and doing penance as a sign of our conversion – we are reconciled to God and to our community.
You might think this sounds daunting, but it really is not. As Pope Francis says, 'All should leave the confessional with happiness of heart, with a face radiant with hope even if, sometimes, — we know it — bathed by the tears of conversion and of the joy that stems from it.'
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available:
Children are prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time as part of their preparation for First Holy Communion. If you are an adult, the preparation would normally take place in our Journey in Faith.
Catholics are required to confess grave sins at least once a year. But celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation is recommended for all sins. We do not need to be grave sinners for the periodic celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation to help us on our spiritual journey. And to comfort everyone who confesses, it is important to remember that priests are obliged to keep secret what we tell them in Confession.
Contact Father Victor
You might think this sounds daunting, but it really is not. As Pope Francis says, 'All should leave the confessional with happiness of heart, with a face radiant with hope even if, sometimes, — we know it — bathed by the tears of conversion and of the joy that stems from it.'
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available:
- on Saturdays from 11 am–12 noon (only if there is a morning Mass)
- on Saturdays from 5.30 pm–5.50 pm
- by appointment with Father Victor
- at our frequent penitential services.
Children are prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time as part of their preparation for First Holy Communion. If you are an adult, the preparation would normally take place in our Journey in Faith.
Catholics are required to confess grave sins at least once a year. But celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation is recommended for all sins. We do not need to be grave sinners for the periodic celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation to help us on our spiritual journey. And to comfort everyone who confesses, it is important to remember that priests are obliged to keep secret what we tell them in Confession.
Contact Father Victor
The Anointing of the Sick
The Anointing of the Sick (sometimes called the 'Sacrament of the Sick') brings spiritual comfort to those who are seriously ill and who may be in danger of death. The priest anoints the sick person with oil on the forehead and on the hands, signifying the strengthening grace of God, giving peace and courage. The priest also lays his hands on him or her as a sign of blessing, healing of the soul and (if that is God’s will) healing of the body.
Please speak to Father Victor if you, or somebody else in our community, are in need of the Anointing of the Sick.
We are all in need of healing in different ways – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. That is why prayer for healing is an important part of our ministry at Holy Innocents. We normally hold a Healing Mass at the beginning of every month (except August).
The Anointing of the Sick, as one of the seven sacraments and conferred only by a priest, has a special place in that ministry.
The Anointing of the Sick was formerly reserved for those who were dying, hence previous names such as 'Extreme Unction' and the 'Last Rites'. Now the Anointing is available not just to those in imminent danger of death, but to those who are seriously ill. Please speak to Father Victor about this sacrament if you are facing any serious illness or surgery.
Contact Father Victor
Please speak to Father Victor if you, or somebody else in our community, are in need of the Anointing of the Sick.
We are all in need of healing in different ways – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. That is why prayer for healing is an important part of our ministry at Holy Innocents. We normally hold a Healing Mass at the beginning of every month (except August).
The Anointing of the Sick, as one of the seven sacraments and conferred only by a priest, has a special place in that ministry.
The Anointing of the Sick was formerly reserved for those who were dying, hence previous names such as 'Extreme Unction' and the 'Last Rites'. Now the Anointing is available not just to those in imminent danger of death, but to those who are seriously ill. Please speak to Father Victor about this sacrament if you are facing any serious illness or surgery.
Contact Father Victor
The sacraments at the service of communion
The Catholic Church calls the Sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders "sacraments at the service of communion" because both of them are (in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church) "directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so".
Marriage
A man and a woman marry each other by expressing their consent before the priest or deacon and the congregation. They symbolise their union by exchanging rings. God’s grace perfects the couple’s love and strengthens their unity.
If you are reading this because you have decided to get married – congratulations! There is a lot to talk about, both about the practicalities of your wedding day and about preparation for the life-long commitment of marriage. That’s why the Diocese of Southwark requires at least six months’ notice to be given before your wedding.
Preparation for marriage requires at least four classes, one of which will be a full-day session. The remaining sessions are normally in the evening at Holy Innocents’.
If one of you is not Catholic, he or she must request a dispensation before the marriage can take place. Deacon Barry will guide you through the process.
Contacts Deacon Barry or the Parish Office
If you are reading this because you have decided to get married – congratulations! There is a lot to talk about, both about the practicalities of your wedding day and about preparation for the life-long commitment of marriage. That’s why the Diocese of Southwark requires at least six months’ notice to be given before your wedding.
Preparation for marriage requires at least four classes, one of which will be a full-day session. The remaining sessions are normally in the evening at Holy Innocents’.
If one of you is not Catholic, he or she must request a dispensation before the marriage can take place. Deacon Barry will guide you through the process.
Contacts Deacon Barry or the Parish Office
Holy Orders - ordination as a priest or deacon
A man is ordained as a priest or deacon by a laying on of hands by a bishop, signifying the special handing on of Christ’s power. The priest is given authority to act in the person of Christ by teaching, presiding at the Eucharist and acting as a leader in the church community. The deacon is ordained for tasks of service in the liturgical and pastoral life of the Church and in charitable works.
God has blessed us over the years with wonderful priests and with men from our community who have responded to His call and become permanent deacons. We pray that many will follow in their footsteps. If you think that you may have a calling to do so, speak with Father Victor or Deacon Barry.
Contacts Father Victor or Deacon Barry
God has blessed us over the years with wonderful priests and with men from our community who have responded to His call and become permanent deacons. We pray that many will follow in their footsteps. If you think that you may have a calling to do so, speak with Father Victor or Deacon Barry.
Contacts Father Victor or Deacon Barry
The consecrated life and other vocations
God has a purpose for each of us. Each of us is encouraged to think about what that purpose might be.
You may be called to the consecrated life. We are fortunate indeed at Holy Innocents’ to have a community of Sisters of Mercy living and working in the parish. They would be delighted to talk to you about the vocation to the consecrated life.
Contacts Sister Esther via the Parish Office
You may be called to the consecrated life. We are fortunate indeed at Holy Innocents’ to have a community of Sisters of Mercy living and working in the parish. They would be delighted to talk to you about the vocation to the consecrated life.
Contacts Sister Esther via the Parish Office