Families with children who have been baptised and who are in Year 2 at school or higher are welcome to collect a timeline next week after any of the Masses. Enrolment into the programme requires motivation, commitment, and belief in the teachings of the Catholic Church. A humility of heart and an openness to personal conversion are highly desirable.
Parents and carers are very much required to bring their children to Mass for the duration of the programme, acknowledging that this is an essential element in the process of preparation. This commitment might require sacrifice but it won’t cause any suffering.

Over the years it has been observable that the value of the penance programme to the candidates is somewhat diminished whenever parents and carers have been self-righteous and self-absorbed. Please only enrol children if open to learning, willing to make personal sacrifice and keen to embrace a positive attitude. Spiritual laziness and negativity are seriously harmful. Highly accomplished clinical psychologist, Scott Peck, contends that the very antithesis of love is not hate but laziness.

The penance programme will offer to families a wonderful opportunity for adults and children to share the faith. Besides the books, ‘Help Pages’ are provided to the parents and carers to empower them for this special time. The experience of personal confession and possible conversion should, therefore, be overwhelmingly positive.

The programme begins next week ~ the First Sunday of Advent ~ 27/28 November at weekend Masses. All are welcome but not on their own terms. The programme contains serious requirements. Parents and carers should be trusting of the clergy who, as in the case of Father Michael, has had over three decades of practical experience.

For the Penance programme in 2022, we will be taking registrations from 27/28 November Advent 2021.  To enroll, simply register to attend Mass via the link on our homepage, then present the candidate to the volunteers after Mass, provide the candidate's name and collect a timetable.