Sacramental preparation
Outlined below is further information on the procedures for having your baby, children or teenagers receive the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
Each course is a time both for parents, children and teenagers to develop their understanding of their faith and its lived consequences.
For every sacrament we require the following preparation:
Attend Sunday Mass, make St Margarets your spiritual home and engage with Parish Life.
Meet Father Peter or Deacon Joseph after Sunday Mass to introduce yourselves.
Sign up to sacramental course through Parish Office, and complete application paperwork.
Baptism
Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the Catholic church and to seek to be baptised is to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and the Catholic church which he established.
To have your child baptised demonstrates your desire to share the joy of faith with your child.
You must attend a Baptism Preparation course which involves two evening meetings undertaken through zoom led by Angie Keane, a parish catechist.
Once the course is completed, please arrange some possible dates for your child's baptism with Fr Peter or Deacon Joseph. Baptisms are normally celebrated at the weekend, or occasionally at the 10:30am Sunday Mass.
Please confirm the date with the Parish administrator who runs the parish calendar.
First Holy Communion and First Confession
Preparing your children for First Communion and First Reconciliation is a privileged period for every family and will help shape your child’s faith for the years ahead.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025-26 First Holy Communion Course until 1st November 2025.
Children are required to attend our First Holy Communion Course, The course comprises:
An introduction to the Mass, 5 sessions, from 9:45-10:15am on Sunday prior to 10:30am Mass. Sunday November 9th to Sunday December 7th . Parents and children.
Saturday evening classes 5:00pm followed by 6:00pm Mass, 17th January to 2nd May. (Breaks for half-term and Easter holidays)
First Holy Communion. Saturday 9th May 2025 11:00am
Confirmation
Our Confirmation course prepares teenagers to receive the Sacrament and begins with an icebreaker session in January each year. The programme runs weekly with sessions through to the middle of April. The confirmation date depends on availability of the Bishop and will be confirmed to parents at the start of the programme.
For the duration of the programme, confirmation candidates will be expected to attend the 10:30 am Mass on Sunday at which they will serve the community as
Readers;
Altar servers;
Taking the collection;
Welcomers.
They will also be expected to attend the Reconciliation Service during Lent.
Please speak to Father Peter or Deacon Joseph after Mass or contact the Parish Office
for further details. The closing date for applications for our 2026 course is
30th November 2025.
Adults Reception into the Catholic Faith
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) welcomes non-Catholics who are interested in the faith or Catholics wishing to deepen their faith.
Meetings take place over a period of weeks each year by the end of which, those who want to be received into the Catholic Church, do so at the Easter Vigil, receiving Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation
Marriage
Getting married at St Margaret’s
This parish runs one-day Marriage Preparation Courses in conjunction with the Oratory, Knightsbridge.
To book at St Margaret’s, contact the Parish Office, to book at the Oratory please contact Father Michael Lang click here.
Marriage Preparation Course
The courses run on Saturdays from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.
Course dates are:
8th November - St Margaret of Scotland, St Margaret on Thames
10th January- The Oratory, Knightsbridge
22nd April - St Margaret of Scotland, St Margaret on Thames
Anointing of the Sick
This Sacrament is reserved for those whose health is in a critical state.
Should anyone require this Sacrament, please call the Parish directly.
Please also contact us should you or someone you know, require hospital visits, home visits or regular Communion for the house-bound.
Funerals
Please contact the Parish Office to arrange a funeral.
