Funeral
We believe in and teach a God whose breath we can almost feel on our necks as he leans low over our lives, bends over us ready to grab hold of us when our lives begin to falter, our feet to stumble, ready to scoop us up when we fall. And we believe that, like the linen cloths left by Jesus in the tomb, resurrection is about the things that we too must leave behind. The Church is especially close to people in a time of grieve and loss: both St Ignatius and St Bernard’s offer a variety of services around death and mourning. When death happens in a family, the parish priest should be contacted as soon as possible.
Extra Ordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
tetxt
Proclaimers of the Word
tetxt
Sacristans
tetxt
Altar Servers
tetxt
Catechetics
Catechism is an integral part of the Parish.
Catechism lessons are held at different times for the different Faith Levels.
On a Tuesday, we have class for children preparing for their First Confession (Grade 3) and the Faith Levels 5 to Faith Level 7 (Grades 5-7) from 5pm until 6pm.
On a Thursday, there are classes for Faith Levels R to Faith Level 2 (Grades R-2) and those preparing for their First Holy Communion (Grade 4) from 5pm until 6pm.
All catechism is held at St Bernard’s Hall, 80 Protea Road, Newlands.
There are not enough catechists or children attending St Ignatius to warrant having separate classes St Ignatius at the moment.
Because we are experiencing a pandemic, parents need to sign a form granting permission for their child to attend class. If the parent chooses not to send their child to catechism, then lessons will be sent to the parents for them to complete with their children. If this is what parents prefer, then please send the Parish Office an e-mail indicating this preference. The address for the e-mails is newlands@adct.org.za. When it is time for the reception of the Sacraments, all the children will be assessed for their readiness to receive the Sacraments. The co-ordinator for the catechetics is Angelina Bruni-Morgenrood, email angelina740709@gmail.com.
Confirmation Faith Level is a three year programme, starting with Faith Level 8 (Grade 8). Please see the Confirmation Tab for more details.
For Confirmation the Contact person is Leisyl Fortuin email stbernards@mweb.co.za.
- Pre primary – Ages 4 to 6
- Primary Ages 7 -13 School grades 1 - 7
- Secondary 14 – 16 School Grades 8 - 10
- RCIA – Post school level to adults of all ages
Music
Baptism is our first meeting with grace. For some people baptism has become all about dressing the baby and choosing godparents and organizing a caterer. But none of this has anything to do with the intense and sometimes perilous journey that baptism begins, plunging us into a world of temptations, where we are easily surrounded, invaded, wooed. It’s all gotten lost in the details, so that some Christians, in their own profound journeys, no longer realize that every journey is part of our baptism. In baptism God begins this extraordinary conversation with us: a conversation in which he comforts, invites us to a lifestyle, warns of the dangers, and assures us of his presence. Baptism was never meant to be a once and for all event, but something we live and renew every day. It teaches us who we are. So that we can be confident that no matter how often we fall short or fail, nothing that we do, or fail to do, can remove the identity that God gives us, beloved son, beloved daughter. Our relationship with God is the one relationship in life we can’t mess up precisely because we did not establish it. We can neglect this relationship, we can deny it, run away from it, ignore it, but we can’t mess it up, for God loves us far too deeply and completely ever to let us go. No matter how many relationships are fragile or tattered, this primary relationship remains solid and intact no matter what. We have a beloved and well-pleasing relationship with God. God shines on us and splashes us with a name – not the name our parents choose, but one he chooses for us – beloved daughter, beloved son, as we emerge wet from the font. But with that comes the responsibility to live out of that relationship. Baptisms take place on a Saturday morning, by prearrangement with the parish priest.
RCIA
For adults who wish to be received into the Church, and/or Baptised and/or Confirmed, the parish runs a full Rite of Christian Initiation Please contact the parish priest via the parish office via email : newlands@adct.org.za or claremont@adct.org.za or telephone 021 674 3667.
Adult Group
An adult discussion group meets once a month, from 19h00 until 21h00, to talk about issues of faith, spirituality and Scripture. The group, meets at St Bernards hall and welcomes all those who want to join an on-going conversation that centres about a faith reduced to its essentials – not about buildings or religious arguments, but about the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood lived each day – a faith with no props except what is in the heart.
Adoration
God forbid, said the prophet Samuel, that we should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for others. Following the example of St Bernard of Clairvaux, we seek to create pools of silence wherever we can, whenever we can, especially here in church, so that those who come here may find Christ. We encourage people to plunge into silences, wherever they can be found, however long or short they may be. As our own hunger for silence begins to grow, we begin to find pools of silence in order to find God. An hour of silent prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament is offered every Tuesday morning, from 08h00 to 09h00 at St Bernard’s in Newlands. Here, in this pool of silence, we create space for people to pray for themselves and for others
Bible Study
The Bible study group no longer meets. Anybody is welcome to be part of this group, as it searches the Scriptures and immerses itself in God’s word. If interested please contact the parish office on 021 674 3667 or email stbernards@mweb.co.za.