General Information
Baptisms
Baptisms are celebrated on the first and third Saturdays of the month, apart from August, at 12.00 Noon at St Margaret’s Church. If you wish to have your child baptised, one of the parents must be a baptised Catholic and present a Certificate or proof of their own Baptism.
Registering your child for Baptism
Parents should attend the Parish Priest’s Surgery on a Monday evening between 5.30 and 6.30 at the Parish Centre to obtain a Baptism Form.
Baptism Preparation Class
On the Second Saturday of each Month a Baptism Class is held at 10.00am in the Parish Centre to go through the rite of Baptism and to help Parents to understand the promises they are making on their child’s behalf.
Baptismal Certificates
These are issued after a Baptism, please keep them safe as you child will need it for admission to a Catholic School, First Holy Communion, Confirmation and getting Married. If your child was Baptised in St Margaret’s and you have lost, you certificate please EMAIL the Parish Office. We ask for a donation of £5 for a lost certificate.
Booking a Mass Intention
If you wish to have a Mass celebrated for a special intention, please phone or visit the Parish Office. The Mass will be published in the Parish Newsletter. Please be aware that there is a great demand for Masses so if you wish to book for a particular date please book well in advance. There is no set offering for a Mass Intention.
Booking the Parish Hall
Please go to the Tab Hall Bookings” on the front Page of
the Website.
Becoming a Catholic
If you would like to know more about the Catholic faith, then have a look at some of the books and leaflets in the Church porch, or go to the internet and look for "becoming a Catholic", also have a look at our parish website smct.church. You are most welcome to attend all of our masses and services, the details are given in the weekly newsletter. If you want to speak with one of the priests either call at the house next door, 79a Barking Rd or say hello after mass. you will be most welcome!
“You have made us for yourself O Lord and our hearts are restless until they rest in you!”
St Augustine
Catholic Schools in the Newham Deanery
St Helen’s Primary School is our Parish School, and we have two Catholic Secondary Schools, St Bonaventure’s for Boys and St Angela’s for Girls in the Deanery of Newham. All three schools are judged Outstanding by OFSTED.
St Helen’s: Miss Clare Doherty 020 7476 1785
St Bonaventure’s: Mr Chris McCormack 0208 472 3844
St Angela’s: Mr Mark Johnson 020 7472 6022
Certificate of Catholic Practice for Catholic Schools
If you are applying for your child to go to a Catholic School you will are required to obtain a Certificate of Catholic Practice. These are available and can be signed at the Parish Surgery which is held each Monday ay 17.30 – 18.30 in the Parish Centre.
Confirmation
Understanding the spiritual and material realities of life Confirmation is the gift of the Holy Spirit, freely given to those who wish to receive it. Confirmation preparation is in two parts. The first part aims to help a young person to be free and open in their decision to confirm their Catholic Faith, the second part helps to prepare them to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The minimum age for confirmation is 15 years at the date of confirmation, which is celebrated on Pentecost Sunday.
First Holy Communion
First Holy Communion: Parents who wish to have their children prepared for the
Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Communion should register their child in
September.
- Children attending St Helen’s School will receive their preparation in
School. - Children attending non-Catholic Schools will receive their preparation in
the Parish Group that meets on a Saturday morning in the Parish Centre. - The minimum age for children making their First Holy Communion is 7 –
8 years, Year 3 in school. - Celebration of First Holy Communion usually happens in June.
Funerals
- When organising a funeral for a member of your Family you should decide on a local Undertaker who will help you organise all the details, date, church, priest, burial, cremation or repatriation.
- A Requiem Mass may be celebrated either in St Margaret’s Church or the Convent Chapel.
- Our local Cemetery is The East London Cemetery in Hermit Rd, and there is St Patricks Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone.
- If you would like the body to rest in the Church the night before, please speak to the Undertaker and this can be arranged.
- Please go to the Funerals Guidelines, under the Sacrament Tab above (Funerals) for a selection of readings hymns and further guidance in the arrangement of the Funeral
Getting Married
If you are planning to get married in the near future congratulations!
- Please get in touch with one of the priests as soon as you have a date in mind.
- If you are planning to get married abroad get in touch as soon as possible.
- Six months’ notice is required in order to prepare you and get together the paperwork which sometimes takes a while to organise.
- Marriage Preparation Courses are available, and details can be obtained from the priests.
Gift Aid
If you are a Taxpayer and make a regular contribution to St Margaret’s Church, because we are a registered charity the money you donate is exempt from Tax and the Parish can claim this money back from the Tax Man. All you need to do is fill out a simple form stating what you give, no other financial details are required. The Forms are available at the back of the Church, or email the Parish Office.
Repository | Parish Shop
The Repository is usually open each day between 10.00 and 12 Noon. A wide selection of books & children’s books, rosaries, statues, cards medals and prayer books are available.
Safeguarding: The Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator is Mary West and her contact number is 07561 667003
We are all made in the “image and likeness of God.” Given this clear truth of our faith, all abuse, always and everywhere, is wrong. It is a serious crime. We will do all that we can to eradicate it and to support anyone who is, or has been, a survivor of abuse, whether as a child or vulnerable adult.
We do this inspired by the love and compassion of Jesus Christ and following the Safeguarding principles and policies of the Diocese of Brentwood. These are based on statutory guidelines and policies, which inform national guidance within the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Safe Spaces
Safe Spaces is a free, and independent national support service independently run by Victim Support. It provides a confidential, personal, and safe space for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with either the Church of England or the Catholic Church of England and Wales.
Safe Spaces comprises a team of trained support advocates, who are Independent Sexual Violence Advisors and who have received additional specific training in how the churches respond to abuse cases, the way in which faith and church-related settings have been used to carry out abuse, and the particular issues affecting people who have had or still have, a relationship with the church. 0300 303 1056
The Placement of Ashes in the Vault at St Margaret’s Church.
It is possible for Parishioners to place the Ashes of their loved ones in the vault of St Margaret’s Church. If you would like to speak about this possibility, please speak to one of the Priests. There is a fee of £200
