Spiritual journey begins for 21 pupils

by SUE SECONI
As a Catholic school community, St Mary’s Primary School in Wanganui extended an invitation to its own pupils to begin their spiritual journey
— with amazing results.

“With principal Mr Chris Gullery, we looked at our school roll of 190 and identified the students who were unbaptised. We wrote to their parents outlining the opportunity for their child to be baptised, and about the sacrament itself,” said director of religious studies Kieran Udy.
Some parents were receptive and others held reservations, but parents of 21 children replied positively.
At an information evening at the school, they discussed Baptism and, for those who wanted to talk on a one-to-one basis, Mr Udy invited them to
phone him any time.
“Many parents asked about baptismal candles, Godparents, wearing white, and would Baptism be by water being poured over their foreheads? They were already familiar with the symbols,” he said.
Using the programme arranged by Fr Marcus Francis of Palmerston North, Mr Udy adjusted some of the material to suit the needs of his students,
who were aged between 5 and 11 and at various reading levels.
Over and above the religious education programme, Mr Udy held a one-off preparation day by pulling the candidates out of their normal classes.
Preparing the liturgy required much thought and adjustments to again suit the needs of the youngsters.
Fr John Roberts said that he and Mr Udy sat down and looked at the two separate rites of the Order of Baptism and the Order of Baptism for
the children of catechetical age.
“We simply chose those parts of the rite that were most applicable for their age. Example: with the exorcism, we decided to use the rite
that involved the candidates by way of liturgical language and a constant response to be said at various times during the prayer.”
Mr Udy said that all students were able to announce their own names, as opposed to their parents doing that.
On Thursday September 25, Fr Roberts celebrated the sacrament with parents, friends and parishioners in St Mary’s Church. The rest of the
school bused into St Mary’s Church.
“It was a very beautiful occasion. With the wider school present, it was the Church in miniature,” Fr Roberts said.
The newly baptised who are old enough to prepare for First Reconcilation and Reconcilation, will be linked into the parish process next year.
“Every school should do this. It’s not hard, and now that I have the programme all prepared, I will be ready for next year. Already St Marcellin’s Primary School in Gonville is showing interest. I’m willing to share it with anyone else,” Mr Udy said.