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Sacraments

Baptism

First Communion

Confirmation

Adults becoming Catholic

Marriage

Reconciliation

Ministry to the Sick

Funerals

Baptism of Children

If you wish to have a baby baptised, we ask that you attend a short course (3 evening sessions) so that you can better understand the promises which the Church asks you to make on behalf of your child. This course runs three times each year. Please contact the parish office for details.

A child who is in danger of death should be baptised immediately, in which case please contact a priest or deacon immediately as detailed in Ministry to the Sick.

If you have already completed a baptism preparation course in this or any other parish, please contact us to arrange the baptism.

If you wish to have the baptism within the Sunday Mass which you usually attend, please contact Fr Gareth Leyshon via the parish office.

If you do not wish to have your baptism at Mass, please contact Deacon Mel Morrissey to arrange your service, which will normally take place at noon on a Sunday.

While we do try to accommodate availability of godparents, please note that not all desired dates are available, and we do not normally conduct baptisms during Lent, so please do not presume your desired date and time will be available until confirming it with the parish.

Note also that only baptised Christians who worship regularly can be official godparents, and at least one godparent must be a baptised and practicing Catholic. You are, of course, free to have as many family friends as you wish as "unofficial godparents" but their names will not be recorded in Church records.

There is no fee for baptisms, but it is customary to give a personal offering to the minister performing the service (most families give £20 but feel free to offer less) and you may also wish to give an offering to the parish (cheques to "Parish of St Dyfrig") to defray lighting and heating costs.

First Holy Communion

This sacrament is normally offered to baptised children when they reach the school year in which they turn 8 ("Year 3"). Application forms are available at Sunday Masses in the parish during August and early September. The children's preparation course runs on Tuesday evenings (6-7pm) from late September until May or June. Sessions for parents, to help them accompany their children along the programme, are held on some Tuesday evenings in parallel with the children's course.

If your child has not already been baptised, we will arrange baptism with you at a suitable time while the child undertakes the course. Older children seeking first communion are dealt with according to individual circumstances.

Parents have discretion over whether their children should receive the Precious Blood from the Chalice at Mass. It is not neccessary for the child to be confirmed, though parents may make a personal choice to use this as the threshold. According to Church Law, anyone who may receive the Body of Christ may also receive the Blood of Christ, and Catholics are encouraged to receive under both kinds, where this is available.

Confirmation

Young people who have been baptised and made their First Holy Communion may ask for the Sacrament of Confirmation when they reach the school year during which they will turn 13 ("Year 8"), or at any time thereafter. Application forms are available at Sunday Masses in the parish during August and early September. If the number of applicants is too low to run a course, applicants may be invited to wait for a year or participate in a neighbouring parish's programme.

Our parish's policy is that if a child is mature enough to be confirmed, that child is also mature enough to choose NOT to be confirmed. At a certain point in our preparation course, candidates will be asked whether they truly want to be confirmed, and parents are asked to respect that decision. It is not acceptable for parents to say "once you are confirmed you can decide whether or not you want to go to Mass" - any parent willing to repect a teenager's decision to stop going to Mass should also respect their unwillingness to be confirmed.

Older children who wish to participate in the confirmation course may do so, but those over 18 should instead take part in our adult course (read on).

Becoming a Catholic (adults) & Adult Confirmation

Adults who wish to explore becoming a Catholic, or who simply wish to find out more about the Catholic faith, are welcome at our RCIA group on Tuesday evenings from 7.30 p.m. until 9 p.m. This course is also suitable for Catholic adults who now wish to be confirmed.

Want to know more about being Catholic? Check out Life4Seekers!

Marriage

A Catholic is not married in the eyes of the Church unless the Church has authorised the wedding. This can take several months, especially if a wedding is to be celebrated in a foreign country.

 * If you are a Catholic living within the St Dyfrig's parish boundaries (even if you worship elsewhere), please contact Fr Gareth Leyshon via the parish office to begin the Catholic application for your wedding. You may find the Application Notes useful.

 * If you are a Catholic living elsewhere who wishes to get married in St Dyfrig's, please contact the priest of the parish where you actually live to begin the process; once he has indicated that the marriage can go ahead in accordance with Church Law, please contact contact St Dyfrig's parish office.

 * If you are a non-Catholic engaged to marry a Catholic, please approach the priest of your partner's parish as indicated in one of the two situations above. If you are active in another Christian community, you may find it useful to browse the UK Association of Interchurch Families.

There are many groups and resources to assist in preparing for or supporting marriage.

PLEASE NOTE: It is in your own interests not to spend any money on wedding preparations until the priest you approach has indicated that the marriage can go ahead in accordance with church law, and your chosen venue has confirmed its availability.

There is no set fee for weddings which take place at St Dyfrig's, but it is customary to give a personal offering to the minister performing the service (amount at your discretion) and a donation of £60 to the parish (cheques to "Parish of St Dyfrig") to defray lighting, heating and cleaning costs. You must make separate arrangements for payment with your organist, registrar and flower arranger; the minister performing your wedding can help you to contact the appropriate people.

Ministry to the Sick

The Sacrament of the Sick (Anointing, sometimes known as Extreme Unction or the "Last Rites") is the Church's blessing for Catholics who are seriously impaired (physically or mentally) by old age or illness, and for those who are in danger of death through any bodily condition (including the risk posed by a major operation).

A Catholic aware of being seriously impaired, or in danger of death, should request this sacrament; or if incapacitated, anyone who is caring for them should summon a priest on their behalf. The Catholic does not need to be conscious in order to receive this sacrament; but it is only given to those who are still alive. A priest should be called to a Catholic who is dying as a matter of ugency.

If a Catholic has already died, the Sacrament of the Sick is not given, and there is no need to contact a priest unless the family members express a desire to speak with the priest or have prayers said around the body of their relative. Otherwise, the family should make contact with a Funeral Director.

A Catholic in hospital requiring the Sacrament of the Sick should make arrangements through the Hospital Chaplaincy.

A Catholic at home or in a nursing home in the Pontypridd area requiring the Sacrament of the Sick should contact our parish office on 01443 402 439; if there is no reply and the need is urgent, contact the Rhondda Parish on 01443 432 142, Ynyshir Presbytery 01443 682 689, Caerphilly Parish on 029 2088 3192 (and press 2), or Abercynon Presbytery on 01443 740 353. If all these options fail, contact any Cardiff parish.

A deacon may perform an emergency baptism or lead prayers after someone has died; you may contact Deacon Mel Morrissey on 029 2086 4960.

Catholics who are sick or housbound and who reside in the Pontypridd area should contact the parish office, so arrangements can be made for you to receive Holy Communion regularly at home.

Funerals

The normal form of funeral for a Catholic is a Requiem Mass, which lasts approximately one hour, followed by a short service of prayer at the burial or cremation. In some cases it is appropriate to have a shorter form of service which does not include Mass. Family members making funeral arrangements should bear in mind whether the decased would have wanted a Mass celebrated for their funeral, and whether the deceased was well-known to Catholic parishioners (who deeply desire to celebrate a Requiem whenever a member of the parish dies).

Many families wish to have the body of their loved one brought into St Dyfrig's the previous evening; this can usually be arranged with the parish. Please note that Funeral Directors often charge higher fees if this is done after 5 p.m..

If the funeral is not to be a Requiem Mass, it may take place in St Dyfrig's Church, in the family home, or entirely in the chapel at the cemetery or crematorium.

To arrange any kind of funeral, please contact your chosen undertaker and ask them to make the arrangements through St Dyfrig's. Please do not finalise any arrangements until the minister taking funerals has confirmed the availability of himself and the church. You may find this National Liturgy Office leaflet useful. Note also that only Christian music is appropriate at Catholic funerals, and all readings are taken from the Bible. The appropriate place to read poems or play your loved one's favourite music is at the reception afterwards. 

Cremation is no longer forbidden by the Catholic Church; you are threfore free to arrange either burial or cremation. Out of respect for the human body, the Catholic Church buries ashes after cremation. Your Funeral Director will be pleased to arrange a rite of burial with your chosen minister. There is no Catholic rite of scattering ashes.

When possible, we encourage families to schedule a Requiem between 9.30 and 10.30 on weekday mornings, but we understand that family circumstances and travel arrangements may require a later time slot. 

Fees for the minister, organist and use of the building are arranged through your Funeral Director.

If you feel you need more support after your bereavement than your minister and parish can offer, you may find the help you seek through these support groups.

May God support you and comfort you in your time of loss.