Here is the reason expressed last Sunday (13th January, 2013) by Pope Benedict in his homily on the Baptism of Jesus why we in our community will celebrate Mass next Sunday (27th January) at 3:00pm for all children baptised in our Church in 2012.

1. In the sacrament of Baptism is expressed the living and active presence of the Holy Spirit who, enriching the Church with new children, vitalises and develops her. Parents and godparents witness to their faith by asking for baptism for the children, so that they may be born to new life in Christ and become part of the community of believers.
   

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3. In baptism children will be deeply united with Jesus for ever, immersed in the mystery of his power, of his might, namely, in the mystery of his death which is a source of life so as to share in his resurrection, to be reborn to new life.
   

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5. The seed of the theological virtues, faith, hope and charity, sown by God, that are
   

6. planted in our hearts in Baptism through the power of the Holy Spirit, must always be
   

7. nourished by the word of God and by the sacraments so that these Christian virtues
   

8. may grow and attain full maturity, until they make each one of them a true witness of the Lord.
   

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10. The journey of faith that begins for infants at Baptism is based on a certainty, on the experience that there is nothing greater than knowing Christ and communicating friendship with him to others; only in this friendship is the enormous potential of the human condition truly revealed and we can experience what is beautiful and sets us free.

Dawn Morris, from Calderwood Baptist Church and three year old Sophie at McKillop Gardens: many were impressed by the joyful Christian witness offered by Dawn here last Sunday (13th January, 2013) and by her desire to bring that same joy to other young people. Sophie’s mum sought out Fr. Ness while at McKillop Gardens for Mass on Tuesday to bless Sophie, her beautiful daughter.

Sophie’s dad has been persuaded to allow Sophie to be enrolled in a Catholic School so that she will have the benefit of a faith education and a Catholic ethos in her life from childhood.

Sophie (Greek word for Wisdom), a first child late in life for her mum, stepped forward placing her hands on those of Fr, Ness to receive God’s blessing with the same joy all over her young face as Dawn had displayed while talking to us of her faith in Jesus Christ.

St Kenneth’s Children for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in conjunction with family and Church:

Monday 21st January:  Meeting for all parents in the school at 7:00pm, to be addressed by Fr. Ness.

Sunday 27th January: all children preparing for each of these Sacraments are asked to attend the 9:30am Mass with their parents. This is the Commitment Mass for parents and children engaged in First Holy Communion and will be followed by registration of all children with our parish for Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion.

At a meeting of priests last Thursday  two comments by parents were reported with sadness: “What has the (celebration of) the Sacraments got to do with the Parish – this is between us and the School?”  -  and  -  “Why can’t my child drop RE and spend that time better in other subjects?”