Parish

St Bernard's Parish, Batehaven 

A Message from the Parish Priest 

Parish Based - Family Centred - School Supported Sacraments

The Parish of St Bernard’s wants to welcome you and your child to our faith community. We want to thank you for choosing to educate your child at St Bernard’s Primary School. The choice you have made indicates the importance of how the first steps that a child takes away from home can shape their whole life. We want to support you as your child takes these steps which help to form them into a child who can grow physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.

The Parish seeks to assist in this process by providing a faith environment where you and your child are welcome to deepen your experience of the person of Jesus Christ. Each of us may be at different stages of that journey but each of us has a story to share which assists others to know that God is present in our lives and graces us with gifts for the good of our community.

Over the primary school years there is a special emphasis on making the story of Jesus real for the children. An important part of the story of Jesus is our ability to seek forgiveness when we hurt others, to become a people who are thankful for our lives and to share the gifts we have been entrusted with for the good of others. Over the years we offer the children who have been baptized in the Catholic Church the opportunity to celebrate the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation as part of our St Bernard’s Parish Community. These sacraments are the first steps that a child takes in living out their baptism within the Christian community. The sacraments are not just something we receive they are expression of how we wish to live in relationship with God and with each other.

You will see a note in the school newsletter, the parish bulletin and the local paper inviting to enroll your child after Mass over a number of weeks. If you or your child are not Catholic but wish to make enquiries about how you would go about becoming Catholic please feel welcome to call the parish the office. We also want to assure people of other faith traditions that you are welcome to contact me and to talk about your own spiritual journey.

I also want to assure you that your families are in my prayers. We recognize that over the course of your child’s schooling there will be occasions to celebrate with the whole community. There may also be times when the pressures of life seem too much and can overwhelm you. Please be assured that whatever we can do to help your family’s school experience embrace the ups and downs of life we will do. You are part of a bigger family that is St Bernard’s Parish.